I know it's an exercise in futility to ask for a fight film of Willie Pep-Manuel Ortiz, but with all the talk of both greats lately, I figured the next best thing would be getting a newspaper/magazine account of it. Turns out that doesn't come up as easily as I'd expected it would, either. Does anyone have any articles or post-fight accounts whatsoever of this important fight, and if so, could they post the article or a summary here? Thanks in advance. :thumbsup
From what I've heard, Ortiz turned in a very tame performance (he was pretty inconsistent with his performancces for the sole reason that he didn't take the sport very seriously) for that bout and wasn't much in the fight. The total opposite of their previous sparring session where Pep's remarks were something along the lines of Ortiz being the toughest man he'd been in the ring with, and the opponent he'd least like to face in a real matchup.
I have a report from the NY Times. It says that Pep continually outjabbed and outmaneuvered Ortiz and won 7 of the 10 rounds. "Ortiz, undisputed bantamweight champion, waged an aggressive struggle but his efforts seldom made even the slightest impression on the more skillful Pep, recognized in New York as the featherweight titlist. The Hartford Italian's educated left hand, which deflected most of Ortiz' bull-like rushes, earned him seven of the ten rounds. The Mexican appeared seeking a knockout at the outset but Pep managed to keep well out of range of his powerful hooks most of the time. When Ortiz rushed, Pep generally met him with two or three lightning lefts before spinning him. Ortiz' best efforts were launched in the second, sixth and eighth rounds, when he managed to catch Pep resting on the wrong foot to flay his body with both hands before he could break free. Well behind when the sixth opened, Ortiz made a courageous attempt to take command. Ortiz staggered Pep with a right to the head as the latter bicycled away early in the eighth and then, while pressing that advantage, scored with heavy body hooks. But Pep regained mastery in the ninth and he gave the Mexican an impressive boxing lesson during the last two frames."
Here's what the Ring Magazine had to say: Well they have met, and the result was disap*pointing. Willie Pep, the feather king, met Manuel Ortiz, the bantam king, at Braves Field under the promotion of Eddie Mack and Jack O'Brien of the Callahan A.C. who promoted the Ortiz-BoIvin match a few weeks back, with Ortiz winning in ten rounds. Only this match (Pep-Ortiz) was not so good. Pep and Ortiz went the ten rounds. Ortiz tried to make a real fight, but the feather king kept backpedaling. Pep continued this backpedaling and held in the' clinches for ten rounds. Ortiz, on the other hand, continued to try to make Pep mix it up with him and when he forced the feather king to do so he caught him with some beautiful hard punches. Ortiz, a slow starter, did not get going till the fifth round. All in all it was a dis*appointment to the fans who paid around $34,000. Boxrec has the following: Location: Braves Field, Boston, Massachusetts, USA Pep dominated seven of the ten rounds. With Ortiz winning the sixth and eight rounds. Pep was seldom in range of Ortiz. Pep cut loose in the last two rounds, and gave an impressive boxing exhibition. All three officials gave Pep a total of 294 points out of a possible 300, with Ortiz receiving 277.
Bad idea to give King Pep trouble in sparring, he just kicks it up a gear & turns great fighters into mortals. Willie Pep was a boxing God.
