DATE: Saturday, October 18, 1997            TAG: 9710180620

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: LEDYARD, CONN.                    LENGTH:   68 lines

SWEETPEA POLISHES OFF A PESKY PESTRIAEV THE VICTORY SHOULD SET THE STAGE FOR A BOUT WITH WBA CHAMP IKE QUARTEY.

Andrei Pestriaev at times was a pest, but Pernell ``Sweetpea'' Whitaker's return to the ring after a six-month hiatus was a win fashioned like most of the others in his 13-year professional career.

Whitaker used an effective jab, superior quickness and defense to out-box Pestriaev, the No. 1-ranked welterweight contender according to the World Boxing Association. Whitaker was No. 2, and his victory in the elimination bout should set the stage for him to fight WBA champ Ike Quartey, who decisioned Jose Luis Lopez in the bout immediately following Whitaker's at Foxwoods Resort Casino.

All the welterweights on the card ultimately have their sights set on Oscar De La Hoya, who took Whitaker's World Boxing Council title in April.

``I felt great being in there for the first time in six months,'' Whitaker said. ``It was fun; I got a kick out of everything.''

Whitaker (41-2-1) and his handlers didn't care much for the judging, however. Judge Tom Kaczmarek scored it 115-112, while Don

O'Neill and Glenn Feldman both had it 114-113 for Whitaker.

``Pete won 10 rounds,'' trainer Ronnie Shields said.

Punchstat numbers were more decisive, showing Whitaker throwing 81 more punches than Pestriaev and connecting on 33 percent compared to 18 percent for Pestriaev. Whitaker threw just nine fewer power punches, but was credited for connecting on 34 percent to Pestriaev's 22 percent.

Two of the three judges gave Pestriaev the last three rounds, including a 10-8 edge in the 11th when referee Jim Santa ruled Whitaker was knocked down during a bizarre sequence.

Whitaker's body ended up through the ropes, and as he came back in he squatted down. The Russian Pestriaev (20-2) hit him from behind, and Whitaker went to a knee.

``Dang, I thought you ain't supposed to do that,'' Whitaker said.

``(Pestriaev) knew it was a break, but the ref didn't do nothing so he hit Pete and then Pete went down because he knew it was supposed to be a break,'' Shields said.

Santa said he ruled it a knockdown because Whitaker stuck his head through the ropes to escape Pestriaev's blows.

``As soon as he went out of the ring, I started counting,'' Santa said. ``He was getting hit and stuck his head out of the ropes. In that case, I start counting just like a knockdown.''

Whitaker was frustrated from that point on with the ref, often pushing him on breaks or fussing about some of his decisions. Whitaker clearly did not control the later rounds as he did the early stages of the fight.

``He got a little winded after the ninth round,'' Shields said. ``I got a little worried there at the end because at the end Pete was trying to fight the guy and the ref and he was losing his head.''

Michel Acaries, one of Pestriaev's handlers, lost his head when the decision was announced, screaming his fighter won and getting into a shoving match with Whitaker co-manager Lou Duva.

``I wanted a knockout; it didn't come,'' Whitaker said. ``The other guy was really awkward and dirty.''

Whitaker came out with his standard game plan, sticking the jab and looking for opportunities to flurry or counter punch. Whitaker's cornermen repeatedly called for him to ``touch him'' with the jab, and when he connected Shields would holler from the corner ``That's my man.''

Whitaker made $1 million for the fight, Pestriaev earned $125,000. ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo

``Sweetpea'' Whitaker used an effective jab, superior quickness and

defense to win. KEYWORDS: SWEETPEA WHITAKER BOXING MATCH

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