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Willie Pep - A Tribute
By Lee Groves (Nov 24, 2006)
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In the ring, Willie Pep was known as the "Will O' the Wisp," but even he couldn't elude the one opponent that ultimately claims us all. The man born Guglielmo Papaleo passed away Thursday at the West Hill Convalescent Home in Rocky Hill, Connecticut at age 84, according to the Hartford Courant. In recent years, Pep had been suffering the ravages of Alzheimer's disease, and information on services is still pending.
Pep was born in Middletown, Conn. near Hartford on September 19, 1922 and he dropped out of high school at age 16 to pursue a boxing career. As an amateur, he was 62-3, winning two Connecticut state championships, one as a flyweight in 1938 and the other as a bantamweight in 1939. One of his most noteworthy amateur bouts took place in Norwich, Conn. against a man who fought under the pseudonym of Ray Roberts. That man would eventually be known as Sugar Ray Robinson. Weighing just 105 pounds, Pep lost a three-round decision to the featherweight Robinson.
Pep turned professional in July 1940 and enjoyed incredible success. He ended 1940 with 11 straight victories and added 22 more in 1941. Pep's ranking rose as the victories piled up, and in 1942 he scored decisions over top contenders Joey Archibald (twice) and Pedro Hernandez to earn a crack at Chalky Wright's world featherweight title. On Nov. 20, 1942, Pep became the youngest man in four decades to capture the 126-pound title when he decisioned Wright in New York.
As featherweight champion, Pep maintained his busy schedule by taking on scores of non-title fights. On March 19, 1943, Pep's 63-fight winning streak was snapped after losing a decision to lightweight contender (and future champion) Sammy Angott. Over the next four-and-a-half years, Pep would win his next 73 fights including title defenses against Sal Bartolo (W 15), Wright (W 15), Phil Terranova (W 15), Bartolo (KO 12), Jock Leslie (KO 12) and Humberto Sierra (KO 10).
During that second long victory string, Pep was inducted into the U.S. Army on March 14, 1945 (he was honorably discharged). On January 8, 1947 he suffered a broken leg and broken back in an airplane crash near Millville, New Jersey that killed several others aboard the aircraft. Incredibly, Pep returned to training in May and was back in the ring on June 17 to win a 10-round decision against Victor Flores, rejecting a chance to cash in a generous insurance policy.
On October 29, 1948 in New York, Pep entered the ring against Sandy Saddler to begin what would become one of boxing's most storied rivalries. The bigger, stronger Saddler ended Pep's title reign (and his long victory string) by scoring a surprising fourth round KO. The rematch on February 11, 1949 saw Pep regain the title by unanimous decision in one of the sport's greatest exhibitions of boxing skill. The bout was named Ring Magazine's 1949 Fight of the Year.
"That was the greatest night of my life," Pep said in Peter Heller's "In This Corner." "I realized how great it was to be champion again. And I knew I won it from a good fighter."
In his second reign as champion, Pep continued to sprinkle plenty of non-title bouts between his championship engagements, winning 12 such bouts and defending the title against Eddie Compo (KO 7), Charley Riley (KO 5) and Ray Famechon (W 15). On September 8, 1950 at Yankee Stadium, Pep met Saddler for the third time and after seven rounds was ahead five rounds to two on two scorecards and 4-2-1 on the third. But Pep was unable to answer the bell for round eight due to a separated shoulder suffered at the end of the seventh.
Following eight more wins, Pep met Saddler for the fourth and final time on September 26, 1951 at the Polo Grounds in New York. In one of the most savagely foul-filled championship contests on record, Pep retired on the stool before the ninth due to a severe injury to his right eye. Pep would never again fight for the featherweight title, but he did receive a non-title crack at reigning 126-pound king Hogan "Kid" Bassey at the Boston Garden on September 20, 1958. Pep, just one day past his 36th birthday, put together one last great boxing exhibition and was leading on two of the scorecards entering the ninth round. But Bassey's strength proved to be too much as he dropped Pep twice and scored the KO. After a 10-round loss to Victor Sonny Leon on January 26, 1959, Pep stepped away from the game.
But his retirement was not permanent. At age 42, Pep was working out with a fighter and the fight card's promoter was so impressed with Pep's work that he suggested a comeback to pay for expenses. After winning an eight-round decision over Harold McKeever, Pep decided to keep going, "just for kicks," and won his next eight fights over modest competition. On March 16, 1966 in Richmond, Virginia, the 43-year-old Pep ended his career with a six-round decision loss to Calvin Woodland
Pep is generally regarded as one of history's greatest defensive wizards, and the most famous piece of lore connected with his ability occurred on July 25, 1946 when he boxed a 10-rounder against Jackie Graves in Minneapolis, Minn. The story goes that Pep told sportswriters to watch the third round because he was not going to throw a punch.
"I went out and bobbed and weaved and made him miss all throughout that round, and making him miss he looked so foolish," Pep recalled in Heller's book. "He missed a hundred punches, I guess, making him look so bad they gave me the round."
Pep ended his career with a record of 230-11-1 with 65 knockouts, and the 230 wins represent the most ever compiled by a world champion. Upon retirement, Pep worked as a referee (most notably for the Johnny Famechon-Fighting Harada featherweight title fight), an inspector and a sports columnist. Pep was one of the charter enshrinees when the International Boxing Hall of Fame opened in 1990 and for years afterward was one of the induction weekend's most popular attendees.
Most historians rate Pep as one of the greatest fighters pound-for-pound who has ever lived, and his work inside the ropes will forever be cherished by those who love the sport.
Rest in peace, champ. You will never be forgotten. One of the alltime greats died on Thursday night, RIP Willie may you even up your series with Sandy!
By Lee Groves (Nov 24, 2006)
Send this page to friend Give us your feedback
In the ring, Willie Pep was known as the "Will O' the Wisp," but even he couldn't elude the one opponent that ultimately claims us all. The man born Guglielmo Papaleo passed away Thursday at the West Hill Convalescent Home in Rocky Hill, Connecticut at age 84, according to the Hartford Courant. In recent years, Pep had been suffering the ravages of Alzheimer's disease, and information on services is still pending.
Pep was born in Middletown, Conn. near Hartford on September 19, 1922 and he dropped out of high school at age 16 to pursue a boxing career. As an amateur, he was 62-3, winning two Connecticut state championships, one as a flyweight in 1938 and the other as a bantamweight in 1939. One of his most noteworthy amateur bouts took place in Norwich, Conn. against a man who fought under the pseudonym of Ray Roberts. That man would eventually be known as Sugar Ray Robinson. Weighing just 105 pounds, Pep lost a three-round decision to the featherweight Robinson.
Pep turned professional in July 1940 and enjoyed incredible success. He ended 1940 with 11 straight victories and added 22 more in 1941. Pep's ranking rose as the victories piled up, and in 1942 he scored decisions over top contenders Joey Archibald (twice) and Pedro Hernandez to earn a crack at Chalky Wright's world featherweight title. On Nov. 20, 1942, Pep became the youngest man in four decades to capture the 126-pound title when he decisioned Wright in New York.
As featherweight champion, Pep maintained his busy schedule by taking on scores of non-title fights. On March 19, 1943, Pep's 63-fight winning streak was snapped after losing a decision to lightweight contender (and future champion) Sammy Angott. Over the next four-and-a-half years, Pep would win his next 73 fights including title defenses against Sal Bartolo (W 15), Wright (W 15), Phil Terranova (W 15), Bartolo (KO 12), Jock Leslie (KO 12) and Humberto Sierra (KO 10).
During that second long victory string, Pep was inducted into the U.S. Army on March 14, 1945 (he was honorably discharged). On January 8, 1947 he suffered a broken leg and broken back in an airplane crash near Millville, New Jersey that killed several others aboard the aircraft. Incredibly, Pep returned to training in May and was back in the ring on June 17 to win a 10-round decision against Victor Flores, rejecting a chance to cash in a generous insurance policy.
On October 29, 1948 in New York, Pep entered the ring against Sandy Saddler to begin what would become one of boxing's most storied rivalries. The bigger, stronger Saddler ended Pep's title reign (and his long victory string) by scoring a surprising fourth round KO. The rematch on February 11, 1949 saw Pep regain the title by unanimous decision in one of the sport's greatest exhibitions of boxing skill. The bout was named Ring Magazine's 1949 Fight of the Year.
"That was the greatest night of my life," Pep said in Peter Heller's "In This Corner." "I realized how great it was to be champion again. And I knew I won it from a good fighter."
In his second reign as champion, Pep continued to sprinkle plenty of non-title bouts between his championship engagements, winning 12 such bouts and defending the title against Eddie Compo (KO 7), Charley Riley (KO 5) and Ray Famechon (W 15). On September 8, 1950 at Yankee Stadium, Pep met Saddler for the third time and after seven rounds was ahead five rounds to two on two scorecards and 4-2-1 on the third. But Pep was unable to answer the bell for round eight due to a separated shoulder suffered at the end of the seventh.
Following eight more wins, Pep met Saddler for the fourth and final time on September 26, 1951 at the Polo Grounds in New York. In one of the most savagely foul-filled championship contests on record, Pep retired on the stool before the ninth due to a severe injury to his right eye. Pep would never again fight for the featherweight title, but he did receive a non-title crack at reigning 126-pound king Hogan "Kid" Bassey at the Boston Garden on September 20, 1958. Pep, just one day past his 36th birthday, put together one last great boxing exhibition and was leading on two of the scorecards entering the ninth round. But Bassey's strength proved to be too much as he dropped Pep twice and scored the KO. After a 10-round loss to Victor Sonny Leon on January 26, 1959, Pep stepped away from the game.
But his retirement was not permanent. At age 42, Pep was working out with a fighter and the fight card's promoter was so impressed with Pep's work that he suggested a comeback to pay for expenses. After winning an eight-round decision over Harold McKeever, Pep decided to keep going, "just for kicks," and won his next eight fights over modest competition. On March 16, 1966 in Richmond, Virginia, the 43-year-old Pep ended his career with a six-round decision loss to Calvin Woodland
Pep is generally regarded as one of history's greatest defensive wizards, and the most famous piece of lore connected with his ability occurred on July 25, 1946 when he boxed a 10-rounder against Jackie Graves in Minneapolis, Minn. The story goes that Pep told sportswriters to watch the third round because he was not going to throw a punch.
"I went out and bobbed and weaved and made him miss all throughout that round, and making him miss he looked so foolish," Pep recalled in Heller's book. "He missed a hundred punches, I guess, making him look so bad they gave me the round."
Pep ended his career with a record of 230-11-1 with 65 knockouts, and the 230 wins represent the most ever compiled by a world champion. Upon retirement, Pep worked as a referee (most notably for the Johnny Famechon-Fighting Harada featherweight title fight), an inspector and a sports columnist. Pep was one of the charter enshrinees when the International Boxing Hall of Fame opened in 1990 and for years afterward was one of the induction weekend's most popular attendees.
Most historians rate Pep as one of the greatest fighters pound-for-pound who has ever lived, and his work inside the ropes will forever be cherished by those who love the sport.
Rest in peace, champ. You will never be forgotten. One of the alltime greats died on Thursday night, RIP Willie may you even up your series with Sandy!
