The terms legend, a great, ring general, robbed and the p4p are all overused when we talk about top fighters. But Pernell Whitaker was unequivocally without a doubt all of the above with room to spare. The man was simply superb and fought all comers. He is the first fighter I can say I came around on when it came to respect and appreciation, from early career to the bitter end. I sat there one day watching him out fight and out tough Haugen and I was seething, then he takes the hof Azumah Nelson and literally clowns with him to the level of disrespect amid dominance. But overtime and over years you know greatness when you see it. He was no backfoot tinker bell simply trying to avoid a fight..he wanted to stand in front of you, flat footed in large spans, and put on a true display of defensive wizardry and make a guy pay for lacking their own. He didn't play tip toe weight classes and pick trinkets from warm bodies..he jumped to 154 to beat the brakes off a buzzsaw in dominate champion Vasquez and he did it just to mess around. He had his own close calls on the cards, his own personal trials and tribulations that caught up and cost him and those around him dearly. But he did what champions in life and in the ring do..he came back, sacked up and fought his arse off with Trinidad through a broken jaw and every odd stacked against him. Short on the cards that night but no shortness on greatness and heart. Thank you Champ, you made more memories for young fans than you probably ever knew and you sir will be truly missed. Rest easy Sweet Pea.