Bizarrely this might be true and is in Pep's wiki article: In 1938 Pep fought Sugar Ray Robinson in the attic of a feed store in Norwich, CT.[4] Outweighing Pep nearly 130 to 105, the bigger Robinson won by decision. According to Pep's later telling, Robinson was an amateur champion in the state of New York, where amateurs were not paid, so he took a pseudonym to get bouts for money in Connecticut. Because of this, Pep did not know who he was fighting at the time. Before the fight he was told his unknown opponent was not good, but he recalls quickly learning otherwise once the bout began and Robinson was "all over me."[5] Urban myth? Or true?
They definitely boxed as amateurs with Robinson winning. I'm sure SRR and his manager were thrown in jail after the contest because they thought he was a pro and believed no one could beat Willie Pep. Think Pep boxed under a different name as well.
Yes this is true, in the amateurs. Willie Pep was sitting in the dressing room and saw a tall black man and asked 'whos he fighting'? to which his trainer replied 'hes fighting you' turns out that tall black man was Sugary Ray Robinsin. SRR outweighed Pep by 25 lbs and won by decision.
LOL @ being told "he's not that good" Willie Pep: So, who am I fighting? You: Ah, don't worry about it....just some stiff I dug up....he's not that good.
1938-12-03 The Hartford Courant (Hartford, CT) (page 11) Norwich, Dec. 2.--(Special.)--Dan Wilcox of New York, outpointed Young Sharkey of Willimantic in the featured bout at the Duwell AC show tonight. Other results: ...; Ray Roberts, 123, New York, decisioned Willie Pep, 122, Hartford; ...