In a much anticipated match-up between two of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world, Chavez stepped up in weight to try for Whitaker’s WBC welterweight title. The majority draw result was controversial, as most fans thought Whitaker had won the fight and complained that he had been robbed.

ALSO ON THE CARD – WBC light middleweight champ Terry Norris defended his title with a first round TKO over Joe Gatti. WBC super featherweight champ Azumah Nelson fought to a split draw with Jesse James Leija. Middleweight Thomas Tate won a decision over Eduardo Ayala. Robin Reid and Terron Millett also won decisions over respective opponents Jose A. Garcia and Ruben Gonzalez. Frank Tate earned a ninth-round TKO over Everardo Armenta. Tim Austin scored a TKO victory over Hector Lara in the first.

THE OPPONENT – The southpaw Pernell Whitaker (32-1-0, 15 KOs) of Norfolk, VA, had a successful amateur boxing career which culminated in his winning the gold medal in the lightweight division at the 1984 Olympics. In 1987, he won the NABF lightweight title with a decision over Roger Mayweather and added the USBA title to that in the same year by thoroughly beating Miguel Santana until scoring the TKO in the sixth. The following year, Whitaker had a shot at the WBC lightweight title but lost a split decision to Jose Luis Ramirez. In the next two years, however, he went on to earn the IBF, WBC, and then WBA lightweight titles, unifying them with victories over Greg Haugen, Jose Luis Ramirez, Freddie Pendleton, Juan Nazario, and a number of other great fighters. By 1992, he was ready to move up to the next weight division and won a decision over Rafael Pineda to win the IBF light welterweight title. The very next year, he went up in weight again to claim Buddy McGirt’s WBC welterweight title before putting it on the line against Chavez.

After the Chavez fight, Whitaker had seven more successful defenses of his WBC Welterweight title and even won the WBA light middleweight title from Julio Cesar Vasquez in 1995. However, in 1997 Whitaker lost the title by decision to Oscar de la Hoya and in his next fight tested positive for cocaine. He tried to make a comeback in 1999 with a shot a Felix Trinidad’s IBF welterweight title but lost by decision. Whitaker had one last fight in 2001 but was forced to quit due to a broken clavicle. He retired with a record of 40-4-1 (17).

ROUND ONE – Chavez was very active, hoping to end the fight early. However, Whitaker was running from the start, keeping out of Chavez’s range, while still able to land some of his own quick punches. Halfway into the round, Chavez landed a low blow and received his first warning. Whitaker did some of his deep knee bends and kept moving backwards, defending well and getting in enough offense to win the round.

CORNER – In Whitaker’s corner were trainers Lou Duva and George Benton, cutman Ace Marotta and Bob Wareing. In Chavez’s corner were trainer Cristobal Rosas, assistant trainer J. “Buffalo” Martin, Rodolfo Chavez and Daniel Castro.

ROUND TWO – Whitaker landed a couple of southpaw jabs to start. In a clinch, both threw hooks, even as the referee tried to separate them. There was a little less action and more patience on the part of both fighters now. Chavez got in a straight right. Whitaker tried to press in to throw some punches to the body and arms of Chavez but could not get any force behind them at that close range. Whitaker started backing up again, landing a few more shots while doing so. Chavez was landing harder shots, though,–rights to the head and later body shots. They fought in a clinch and were both warned for hitting on the break after the referee stepped in. Chavez was mainly going to the body, trying to wear his opponent down, but Whitaker kept clinching whenever Chavez got in close. Whitaker did not seem to be going for any specific target but just throwing a few quick punches whenever there was an opening. They exchanged again just before the bell, and Chavez closed strong.

ROUND THREE – Whitaker was moving and more active to start. Chavez landed a couple of low blows but not with much force behind them. Whitaker landed a couple of his southpaw jabs. Twice Chavez came in but was immediately clinched both times. Most of the time Whitaker was able to land repeatedly with his jab while backing up. Chavez was active but not reaching Whitaker. Whenever he came in, Whitaker would jab at him and then quickly spin Chavez around a little to get out of the way. With a minute left in the round, Chavez finally got close enough to land a couple of shots to the body. Whitaker tried to match but with much lighter punches. Chavez got in a few more body shots, but Whitaker met them this time with a good right hook to the head. Whitaker then ran again, letting up for only the couple of seconds when he got in a quick combo just before the bell.

ROUND FOUR – Chavez quickly landed a couple of body shots. Whitaker responded to a low blow in like manner and was warned by the referee. Chavez then landed a good right, and Whitaker clinched once again. They grappled a little before the referee could separate them. After another clinch, Whitaker jerked his arm out of the grip of referee Joe Cortez, who was separating the fighters. He received a warning and the boos of the crowd. After a little more infighting, Whitaker got his distance again and then did his deep knee bends to evade Chavez’s punches. On the way back up, though, Chavez landed a hard shot to his hip/thigh and received a warning. Out of this, Chavez backed up a little towards the rope as Whitaker followed. Chavez then got in a good hook to the body as Whitaker tried to land a few weak shots. They went back to boxing: Chavez demonstrated his defensive techniques, but Whitaker still landed a good left cross and then another to the body. Chavez came back stronger from them, though, and landed a couple of body shots. They clinched in the final seconds and once again exchanged blows during the break and went back to their corners with malice.

ROUND FIVE – Chavez came out strong and landed body shots at the beginning of the round. Whitaker was soon able to get out of it, however, and jabbed from a defensive posture to keep him off. Chavez followed him around the ring, but Whitaker got in a quick one-two to the head of Chavez. Whitaker moved backwards around the ring and continued to get in the jab. Chavez followed, getting in a few shots of his own but less frequently than Whitaker. Chavez came in and traded a few hooks in the clinch. They ignored the referee when he asked them to break but soon came out of it anyway, boxing again. The trading here was pretty even. In-fighting again, Whitaker landed more as Chavez landed harder. With half a minute left in the round, Whitaker landed a couple of uppercuts followed by the left. Chavez came back working the body again, and once again Whitaker responded, but this time with hard punches–the straight left and a couple of hooks to the head. Time had to called with just a few seconds left in the round so Chavez’s glove could be retaped. There was still time for another quick exchange just before the bell, this time with Chavez landing more.

ROUND SIX – Chavez went for the body at the beginning of the round as Whitaker tried to keep him off with the jab. Whitaker did his deep knee bends again, and again was hit by Chavez on his way back up, this time on the butt. They boxed a little before Whitaker got in a couple of low blows and then clinched. Chavez finally was released and landed an uppercut. Whitaker was doing well boxing but soon landed another low blow, this time really hard, square and center. Chavez took a little under a minute off before continuing the fight. Soon after the fighting resumed, Whitaker landed another low blow, though this time not quite as bad. Chavez landed to the head as Whitaker was backed up against the ropes, but Whitaker came back with a quick combo. They exchanged again in the final seconds. Whitaker was landing more and kept punching a little after the bell, prompting referee Joe Cortez to grab him and pull him away as the crowd booed.

ROUND SEVEN – Chavez went in to work the body. Whitaker held Chavez’s left under his elbow, but Chavez kept throwing and landing with his right. He followed the advice of his corner to stay more active so Whitaker would have fewer chances to get off. There was a little grappling in there, too, and Whitaker was nearly lifted off the ground, but the referee said nothing. Whitaker started holding and hitting again and then landed a good combo. They traded on the inside, with Whitaker now landing some solid blows but without really hurting Chavez. They alternately worked on the inside and from outside. Near the end of the round, a good combo knocked around Chavez’s head a bit, and Whitaker continued to land more good shots in the closing moments.

ROUND EIGHT – Chavez again came in quickly with a few punches to the body, but Whitaker responded to the head. In the vicious in-fighting that followed, there were numerous clinches and Whitaker still managed to land more. Though Whitaker then retreated again, he continued to land uppercuts and other shots whenever the distance closed. A hard straight left stunned Chavez for just a moment, but it was long enough for Whitaker to get in more punches. Chavez came back with a few good punches, but Whitaker controlled most of the round.

ROUND NINE – Whitaker landed a few jabs while backing up out of Chavez’s range. The crowd chanted “Mexico!” and Chavez was soon back in the game with a solid right. Whitaker landed more in the exchange that followed, but Chavez got in another right and then a pair of uppercuts as Whitaker ducked down again. The action slowed down a bit after that, and Whitaker grabbed Chavez and held him from behind a couple of times. Both fighters landed some good shots in the final seconds.

ROUND TEN – After some light boxing, Chavez came in with his head lowered. Whitaker put his arm on the back of his neck and pushed down on him, evoking a warning from the referee. Whitaker moved and clinched, getting in a few shots while not letting Chavez get anything in. He landed a good combo to the head a minute in and then clinched before Chavez could respond. Two minutes in, Whitaker got another warning for a low blow. Chavez was not throwing much, though, while Whitaker continued to land. Chavez landed a couple of punches coming out of a clinch but was immediately clinched again.

ROUND ELEVEN – There was more clinching to start. Whitaker came out of it with a couple of combos, but Chavez got in a few blows also before Whitaker clinched again. Whitaker was still landing more, though, and in command of the fight when not clinching his opponent. Chavez looked frustrated by all the clinching, having his arms taken away from him. Whitaker got in a couple of good shots in final seconds.

ROUND TWELVE – Whitaker came out clinching. Chavez tried to wrest himself free and got in a few uppercuts, but Whitaker matched them and kept holding and pressed against the ropes. The crowd chanted for Chavez, who tried to punch in between clinches. He was landing more now but with replies by Whitaker. They grappled a little and ended up with thier heads caught under the top rope. In the second half of the round, Whitaker was clinching less but running a lot more and perhaps giving away the last round as was his habit.

Location: San Antonio, Texas
Venue: Alamodome
Scheduled: 12 Rounds
Title: WBC Welterweight
Referee: Joe Cortez
Judge: Jack Woodruff 113-115
Judge: Micky Vann 115-115
Judge: Franz Marti 115-115

Promoter: Don King
Broadcast: KingVision / Showtime PPV
Ring Announcer: Jimmy Lennon Jr.
Commentator: Steve Albert
Commentator: Ferdie Pacheco
Commentator: Bobby Czyz
Attendance: 63,000