Pernell was a brilliant boxer. All i have to say is this...compare the biggest common opponent him and Floyd fought (using Floyd as an example since many on this board have him as the p4p champ)...Delahoya. When Oscar fought Pernell, Oscar was at his prime and Pernell certainly wasn't anywhere close to his prime...yet Whitaker almost won (and yes..i i'm in the group that thinks Pernell did lose a very close fight). Floyd is at his absolute prime right now and he recently fought an Oscar who was clearly not in his prime...yet Floyd won by a close decision. It's just too bad Whitaker wasted the latter part of his careers dealing with his drug demons. But the man is a legend.