Willie Pep is known for many things. For being arguably the best defensive fighter in history, for having the best record a fighter ever had at one point at 152-2-1, for winning against the other best featherweight ever after a devastating plane crash and allegedly winning a round without throwing a punch. But not much has been said about his overall resume. Let's change that, shall we ? His first notable win comes over Spider Armstrong, who would become a top 10 Featherweight contender in a few years. As well as Joey Archibald, who while on the decline, was one of the best Featherweights only 4 years prior to him losing to Pep, even managing to win the vacant NBA Featherweight title by beating Mike Belloise. Pep then defeated the #3 rated Featherweight Pedro Hernandez, the #6 rated Featherweight Bobby Ivy, the former Featherweight contender Vince Dell'Orto, and Joey Archibald once more. He would then soundly outclass the Featherweight Champion, Chalky Wright, to attain the Championship. After once again defeating Vince Dell'Orto, he would defeat the #3 rated Lightweight Alli Stolz, prior to experiencing his first loss in a razor thin fight against the Lightweight Champion, Sammy Angott. Pep would then go on a very impressive winning streak, defeating the #3 rated Featherweight Sal Bartolo, former NBA Featherweight Champion Jackie Wilson, the #2 rated Sal Bartolo in a rematch, fringe Featherweight and Lightweight contender Julie Kogon, the #4 rated Lightweight Willie Joyce, as well as the Bantamweight Champion, Manuel Ortiz. Did I forget to mention that Sal Bartolo would become the NBA Featherweight Champion in the future ? Not impressed yet somehow ? He would then beat the former #2 rated Featherweight and currently #9 Lightweight Lulu Constantino, future Lightweight contender Joey Peralta, the #7 rated Featherweight Charley ''Cabey'' Lewis twice, the #1 rated Featherweight and former Champion, Chalky Wright twice, and former victim Pedro Hernandez. Pep was a professional Boxer for only 4 years, but had 23 wins over men that were ranked at one point or another. As well as 9 wins over Champions across all divisions. Mad stuff. And he is nowhere near done. The #5 rated Featherweight Willie Roache would lose every round, the #2 rated former NBA Featherweight Champion Phil Terranova would only do a smidge better. After drawing with Jimmy McAlilster, and stopping him in 2 in the rematch, he would once again defeat the former NBA Featherweight Champion, Jackie Wilson. After that, he would once again beat Sal Bartolo for the third time to gain his NBA Featherweight Championship. The #5 rated Featherweight Jackie Graves would be stopped in the 8th, the third round is where the disputed matter of whether or not Pep won a round without throwing a punch was ignited. Former Featherweight contender Lefty LaChance would only go 3, and Chalky Wright would fall in 3 as well. Then, Willie Pep was gravely injured during a plane crash on Janury 5th 1947 and was practically on a full body cast. We're talking about injuries that would threaten most people from even being physically active. Pep would have 131 more fights after this crash. Only after a measly 5 tune up fights after a literal plane crash, Pep would win every round against the #1 rated Featherweight in the world, Humberto Sierra. Not even a month later, he would knock out the #6 rated Featherweight Jock Leslie, and would once again stop Lefty LaChance, this time in the 8th. He would then once again defeat his #1 contender, Humberto Sierra. Even Jack Dempsey, the man who brutality destroyed men back in his day, and served as the referee for this fight, thought it was appropriate to end the bout during the 10th. Pep would then proceed to defeat fringe contender Leroy Willis, former victim Charley ''Cabey'' Lewis again, the #6 rated Featherweight Miguel Acevedo, brief Featherweight contender Luther Burgess, and Teddy ''Redtop'' Davis twice back to back, who would become a divisonal #1 in years to come. He also briefly ventured to Lightweight to beat the #8 rated Paddy Demarco, who would take the Lightweight title in 6 years from that point. He would then experience his first stoppage loss, this time to the ATG Sandy Saddler, his most renowned rival and the #1 Featherweight contender, who is widely considered to be the second greatest Featherweight ever, behind only Pep himself. After beating Ted ''Redtop'' Davis yet again in a hardfought victory, he would rematch Saddler for the title. But this time, Pep would come out victorious, and with his Championship crown back. A smaller Featherweight, past his prime due to a plane crash, who relies on his defense and footwork, beating a large, primed Featherweight with huge power, who is also a stylistic nightmare for him anyway. This has as good a case as any for being the best win in the sport's history. The #8 rated Featherweight Eddie Campo would be stopped in the 7th, Former Bantamweight World Champion Harold Dade would lose every round, #7 rated Featherweight Charley Riley would fall in 6, #2 rated Featherweight Ray Famachon would barely win a round, and fringe Lightweight and Welterweight contender, Terry Young, wouldn't do that much better either. The fearless Pep would once again rematch Saddler, but this time he couldn't create a miracle and only went 8 rounds, thus losing the title. He would then gain victories over brief Lightweight contender Carlos Chavez, future top Featherweight contender Baby Neff Ortiz, #7 rated Lightweight Eddie Chavez and political activist, yet future top 3 Featherweight contender, Rodolfo Gonzalez. He would also once again attempt to reclaim his Featherweight Title, but Saddler would again provide himself too difficult for the clearly declined Pep to overcome. He would also fall short against Tommy Collins, who would claim the Interim NBA Featherweight title in his very next bout and the divisional #2 ranking, since Saddler was off to the army. If Pep didn't show signs of decline after his crash, he surely did now. Pep would then beat the 1948 Olympian, Armand Savoie. For about a year he would face about 30 unranked fighters or ones on the verge of becoming contenders. Then, he would infamously get stopped in the 2nd round against the #5 rated Lulu Perez by falling down three times, leading many to believe he took a dive. Pep would then win and lose against the Featherweight contender Gil Cadili. He would never win against a ranked fighter again, despite going on for about 50 more fights. He would however lose to the Featherweight Champion Hogan ''Kid'' Basey, as well as the #9 rated Victor Sonny Leon. Next time a friend who mostly listens to Joe Rogan says Floyd Mayweather is TBE for being 50-0, tell him there was another defensive specialist that has more wins over ranked men than Mayweather has fights.
Commands respect, I think he averaged a fight every six weeks for 26 years which includes the time when he was laid up with a broken back and leg in a body cast. People died on that flight. Floyd Mayweather you say? Agreed, He is another Joe nobody in the old school days. He wouldn't last, forced to fight, he's not built for it
Joe Rogans an idiot its a shame he has such a big following. Back to Pep, a phenomenal post as usual and my favourite FW.
Wonderful portrait of the Will o’ the Wisp, but to me Saddler KO4 Pep in their first encounter is the best featherweight win of all time. And he was a 3:1 underdog at the time. In fact, Saddler’s three best wins are better than any three on Willie’s ledger: He stopped Pep, who many consider the top featherweight of all time, three times.
Totally understandable. But it has to be Pep's over Saddler for me. Pep had just about every disadvantage against him. Size, style, injury, age, you name it. He still managed to win despite that.
Outside of their fights against each other, Pep's FW resume vastly eclipses Sandy's. Pep's wins over Wright, Bartolo and Ortiz, are fine FW wins. Excellent OP, again.
