Whitaker Escapes With Split Decision Over Underdog Rivera

He tried clowning when boxing would not work. But Pernell Whitaker still managed, barely, to hold onto his title Friday night against Wilfredo Rivera in St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles.

Whitaker was awarded a split decision to retain the World Boxing Council welterweight championship.

Judge Barbara Perez scored it for Rivera, 116-113. Giving it to Whitaker were Tomatsu Tomihara of Japan, 117-112, and George St. Aude of Trinidad, 115-113.

For much of the bout, Whitaker stared and planned as Rivera slapped. At the end, Whitaker seemed to be trying to sway the judges with his clowning in an attempt to indicate that it was merely a romp.

Whitaker, 32, earned $2.5 million while bringing his record up to 38-1-1. He was an 8-1 favorite. It was Rivera’s first defeat after 24 fights, including a draw.

Mike Tyson returned to Ohio while police investigate a woman’s complaint that he sexually assaulted her at a Chicago nightclub. Tyson, on probation for a 1992 rape conviction, was forced to return to Ohio on Tuesday after a Gary, Ind., woman made the allegations.