Sweet Pea on Mayweather: "He wouldn't have done this good in my era!"

BT:  BoxingTalk.com here with the man who needs no introduction.  Recent inductee into the Boxing Hall of Fame, Pernell Whitaker.  What brings you here today? "I'm here with Calvin Brock, I'm here working with him tonight.  We'll see how he does out here."

BT:  Sweet Pea, what do you think of Calvin Brock?  He's coming off a loss against Klitscho.

PW:  I didn't have anything to do with that, that wasn't my work.  I don't look backward, I look forward.  He looked good in Corpus Cristi, Texas.  Tonight we're going to step the game up.

BT:  Where do you see Calvin shaping up in the mix of the heavyweight division?

PW:  He doesn't have to shape up, he's already in the mix. He just has to stay focused, and be patient.  His time will come, and when it does, he'll be able to get out there and get the job done. 

BT:  When you fought, you were known as a defensive wizard.  What are you teaching Calvin?

PW:  I can't give it all away.  He's going to have what works for him.  He's not Pernell Whitaker, and nobody will ever be that.  He is going to have what works for him.  That's what it's all about, giving him what's works for him.  There are no more Pernell Whitakers, so don't expect me to go out there and be hanging around, doing crazy things.  He's a heavyweight, he knows what it takes.  He has the basics.  He brought something to the table, he gave me something to work with.  I think he had a fantastic training camp.  I'm looking for good results, because when you have a good camp, you get good results.

BT:  Let's talk about the Hall of Fame.  What does it mean to you?

PW:  It's the last piece to my puzzle.  I had a great career, an amatuer and professional career.  I've done a lot of things, and accepted a lot of awards, but with this one I can finally say I've completed boxing.  This is the period on the end of a fantastic career.  Thanks to all those who voted me in on the first ballot.  It's not about me right now, I'm focused on Calvin.  I've got next week.  Next week will be my week, this week is Calvin's week.

BT:  I don't get to see you every week, so I have to sqeeze in as many questions as I can.  Talking about your career, you were a gold medalist, a world champion, and now in the Boxing Hall of Fame.  In what order would you put all of these great accomplishments?

PW:  In the order you put it in.  The Hall of Fame is the last thing.  Everybody can't get in the Hall of fame, everyone doesn't get the opportunity to make it there.  It shows appreciation for the hard work and dedication you apply to your sport to make it there.  There are a lot of legends in there, a lot of history.  A heck of a lot of history. I'm just so glad to be a part of it. 

BT:  You said appreciate, I think you are the kind of fighter who is appreciated more now that you're gone, rather then when you were fighting.  With that said, everyone said that pound for pound, you were the best, at one point.  Right now Floyd Mayweather is considered the pound for pound best.  How would you rank him?

PW:  No, I'm not ranking myself with anybody.  You can't compare anybody with me, and I'm not going to sit here and compare that young man to me. I can't do it.

BT:  You know what the next question is going to be.

PW:  There are no more Pernell Whitakers, so there's no comparison.  He has his own style.

BT:  What would have happened in a dream fight?

PW:  Between who?

BT:  The aforementioned Pretty Boy, and Sweet Pea.

PW:  Who is Pretty Boy though?

BT:  Floyd Mayweather.

PW:  I don't know him as Pretty Boy.  He couldn't... Floyd knows.  He's a young man with a great future.  I'm not going to take him back to my era.  He wouldn't do too good in my era, with me.  With other guys, he might do well.  I still think he's a great fighter, but you can't compare anybody to Pernell Whitaker.  Floyd knows it very well.  He was a young kid when I was coming up.  I love him, I wish him all the best.  He's going to have a great career.  He's still learning to me.  Rome wasn't built in a day.  He's young and he's still learning.  He doesn't have the total package yet.  He has some good things, but I think there are some things he can work on to make him even better.  He doesn't have a lot of weaknesses, but there are some things he can make stronger. 

M

Send questions and comments to: spjr21@yahoo.com