Do you consider Sugar Ray Robisnon to be PFP #1..

GPater11093 · Apr 29, 2009

john garfield said: ↑

The good fortune to be blessed with a once-in-a-lifetime talent for boxing, GP.

If it doesn't digress too much, here are two incidents you might enjoy:

In the waning days of Peps career, he took the bouts for walkin around money.

All he had left was a twinkle in his eye and a wisecrack. Most boxers looked bigger in trunks; he looked smaller.

He was trainin at the 5th Street Gym in Miami. Heavyweight Cleveland Big Cat Williams was there as well. But, though faded, Pep was the star with gym rats, which grated on Williams, who was always sullen, while Willie kibitzed and clowned.

Williams was the closest thing to Superman -- a walkin anatomy chartat his peak, before he got shot in the stomach.. His left-hook cannonades on the heavy bag shook the gym.

Fifth Street was compact -- always jammed, so Pep and Williams had to do floor exercises almost side by side. Peps fans constantly stoked his ego:

" Willie, you could kill that big bum! He'd never touch you."

"You'd make him look like a jerk, Willie.

It went on like that for weeks.

No way Williams didn't hear it.... He was nine feet tall proud, a knockout puncher, and BRISTLING.

While Pep joked, Williams seethed. You couldve cut the tension with a knife.

One day when Peps faithful were eggin him on:

"You could kick his ass, Willie"

"You'd make him look like fool, Willie!"

Pep turned to em: "All I can tell you is: I'd hate to have him hang his HAMMER on me!"

Williams exploded with laughter.

Once more the Will o the Wisp avoided haymaker.

---------------------------------------------------

Willie was a floorshow every place he went.

All he wanted to do is laugh and stopped at nothing to break-up everybody in the gym -- had us in stitches. He'd rib us -- make us feel like he was just one of the boys. With his Graziano slouch and pork-pie hat, he was better able to carry that off goofin on a street corner NEVER in the ring.

When he was at Stillman's, you could count on practical jokes and a florid Lou Stillman. But, he could get away with that because he was a dream in the ring.

He took nothing serious. NOTHING. Came to the gym mostly, Im convinced, to have a good time. It was an extension of being at the track or playing cards.

Pep never learned ANYTHING; it was all God given. His feet didn't touch the ground. He was here. There. Behind you, popping from every angle -- laughing while he did it.

That 's the Pep I'd always seen at the height of his career.

After he hungem up, briefly, he tried his hand at training.

I was at the 5th St. Gym. Willie was in the corner of a big, beefy heavyweight.

He was screaming at the heavy from the ring apron, getting redder and redder in the face. This wasn't stand-up comic Willie: This was more Vince Lombardi-Bobby Knight.

When the round ended, Pep went berserk -- attacked his fighter, screamed at him, punched him, whipped him with his pork-pie hat, kicked him in the shins; he had to be dragged off by three cornermen.

Pep just couldn't get through his head that what he did as natural as breathing, nobody else could.
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cheers John always love hearing about Pep. seemed ;like a top bloke from what i have read and what you have said must have been great to have seen live or sparring.

asero · Apr 29, 2009

he must be top 20 LW of all-time

RockyJim · Apr 29, 2009

It has to be Sugar Ray Robinson...

SuzieQ49 · Apr 29, 2009

1. Sugar Ray Robinson
2. Willie Pep

AffectedToaster · Apr 29, 2009

its a toss up between sammy langford and robinson, gotta be one of the older boxers who fought like 200 times

My2Sense · Apr 29, 2009

I've always leaned toward Armstrong as the best ever, but can't argue with anyone who puts Ray on top.

Russell · Apr 29, 2009

dpw417 said: ↑

Your contributions to this board are very much appreciated, JG.
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Couldn't put it better. Garfield's the authencity of this board, more or less.

Bill Butcher · Apr 29, 2009

McGrain said: ↑

1 - Sam Langford
2 - Sugar Ray Robinson
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To each their own but personally I cant understand this thinking, there is barely any footage of the guy.
I at least like to view some past prime footage of a fighter so that I can compare the style with what Ive read about their prime..... Robinson & Pep come to mind but not Langford.

Bill Butcher · Apr 29, 2009

I rank Robinson as the best p4p fighter ever, its almost impossible not to IMHO.

Bill Butcher · Apr 29, 2009

Ray Robinson was the most complete fighter, he could do everything & do it better than good.
Willie Pep was the greatest boxer, the man just glided, a supreme artist.
Muhammad Ali was the most unique boxer, the best at making his strengths dictate a fight while not letting his opponents use his weaknesses to hurt him.

Those 3 were the greatest of all time IMO.

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Do you consider Sugar Ray Robisnon to be PFP #1..

GPater11093 Barry Full Member

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Do you consider Sugar Ray Robisnon to be PFP #1..

GPater11093 Barry Full Member

asero Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

RockyJim Boxing Addict Full Member

SuzieQ49 The Manager Full Member

AffectedToaster Well-Known Member Full Member

My2Sense Boxing Junkie Full Member

Russell Loyal Member Full Member

Bill Butcher Erik`El Terrible`Morales Full Member

Bill Butcher Erik`El Terrible`Morales Full Member

Bill Butcher Erik`El Terrible`Morales Full Member