EX-BOXER WHITAKER FACES DRUG CHARGE

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- Former boxing champion Pernell Whitaker was on his
way to jail Friday for two traffic convictions when officers searching his
belongings found cocaine, according to the Virginia Beach sheriff's office.

Whitaker, 37, was charged with possession of a controlled substance.

The former Olympic gold medalist was sentenced to four days in jail Friday
after pleading guilty to speeding and driving without a valid license.

Deputies were taking an inventory of Whitaker's possessions when a small
bag containing a suspicious substance fell out of his money roll, sheriff's
office spokeswoman Paula Miller said.

A state trooper was called to test the substance, which was found to be
cocaine, she said.

Miller said Whitaker will have to serve two days of the four-day sentence
for the traffic convictions. He is scheduled to be released from jail
Sunday after posting $2,500 bond on the drug charge.

Whitaker, who held six championships in four weight classes, retired in
April after losing in the second round of a 10-round fight with junior
middleweight Carlos Bojorquez.

Whitaker tested positive for cocaine twice in his boxing career, in 1997
and 1998. Although he has repeatedly denied ever using drugs, he checked
into a drug rehabilitation clinic in 1998.

Since 1998, Whitaker had been charged with five other traffic infractions,
including drunken driving. He was fined $1,000 and his driver's license was
suspended for a year for that offense.

Lionel Hancock III, Whitaker's attorney, said he had hoped Whitaker's court
appearance Friday would be his last.

"We were hopeful that we were going to graduate with flying colors,"
Hancock said. "But we didn't."