Legend Boxer Pernell "Sweet Pea" Whitaker died due to Car Accident at age of 55

Hall of Fame boxer Pernell "Sweet Pea" Whitaker died Sunday after being stricken by a vehicle in city, Virginia Beach near the intersection of Northampton Boulevard and Baker Road. He was 55 years old.

The city local department in an exceedingly news unleash that Whitaker was hit by a vehicle around 10 p.m. ET on Sunday at an intersection west of downtown city and pronounced dead at the scene.

Pernell "Sweet Pea" Whitaker 

Police later identified the victim as Whitaker, World Health Organization won world titles in four divisions throughout his career and additionally earned  a medallion at the 1984 Olympics.

The driver of the vehicle remained on the scene after the accident, in step with police, and therefore the case is being investigated by the department's casualty Crash Team.

Whitaker was graduated from Booker T. Washington high school before excelling globally as an amateur and in field of boxing.

"The investigation is still current," police interpreter Linda Kuehn told USA nowadays Sports in associate email. "However, it doesn't seem that drugs/alcohol or speed were factors within the crash."

Whitaker's youngest son, Devon, told The Virginian-Pilot on Monday morning that he believes his father (Whitaker) "was carrying dark garments, the road was dark and therefore the driver didn't see him."

A native of Norfolk, Virginia, Whitaker was one in every of the most effective pound-for-pound fighters of his era. once wrenching up associate amateur record of 201-14 — with ninety one knockouts, also — he turned professional in 1984 and quickly climbed the ranks. He earned  his 1st light-weight title belt in 1987 by defeating Roger Mayweather, the uncle of current boxing star Floyd boy.

Known nearly ubiquitously by his nickname, "Sweet Pea," Whitaker was named Fighter of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association of America in 1989. He went on to capture title belts at boxer, welterweight and lightweight middleweight over a career that spanned over fifteen years. 

By the time he retired in 2001, Whitaker would post an expert record of 40 wins (17 by knockout), four losses and one draw. All of this on prime of 214 recorded amateur fights, in step with sportreference.com.

“Sweet Pea” Whitaker was our town legend and also the greatest of all time,” said fellow Lionel Hampton Roads skilled contestant archangel Vick. “My prayers are along with his family and adored ones.”

"Sweet Pea" Whitaker Used to inspire local Boxing Players of his town in his after life after getting retired.

In 2002  Whitaker was ranked  as the tenth greatest boxer of the last 80 years in Boxing Publication Ring Magazine.

"He wasn't an enormous puncher. His physical object was creating you miss," his friend Mark Breland told The Washington Post in 2001. "You couldn't hit him. once he was at the highest of his game, he was at the highest."

Whitaker created his retirement announcement from a hospital once a 2001 fight that left him with a broken collarbone. He later frolicked in jail for cocain use, per The Virginian-Pilot, before turning into a trainer. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2006.

The investigation for Whitaker’s death is still ongoing.