Greater Win: Robinson-Gavilan II or Pep-Saddler II?

Robinson-Gavilan II is a candidate for the ultimate title defense decision win over a great challenger, but the late Joe "JohnGarfield" Rein was in attendance at Robinson-Gavilan I, and felt Ray "won conclusively." (Gavilan later had his own great successful defenses, getting off the deck for just the second time in his career from a Basilio double hook bomb to snag an SD win, and he dropped Billy Graham to a knee with a hard right in round 14 to close their series with a clear UD.)

Pep-Saddler II takes the cake in my book. Willie had not been quite the same since his plane crash, and Saddler-Pep I was a pretty rapid beat down. Willie turned the tables in a situation where many wondered if he could, and he did it in a way which could not be rigged.

 

Robinson was fighting a guy he'd already beaten. Pep was fighting a guy who'd already knocked him out and also had considerable physical advantages. So I'd say Pep-Saddler II.

 

Burt actually saw Pep vs Saddler 2 on TV. For my money, it's definitely Pep vs Saddler 2, for the reasons listed by Berlenbach.

 

Hya Shroll,yes I and my friends saw the fight on our 12" tv set with the indoor antenna's we had to constantly adjust.Willie Pep somehow was able to dodge, duck, and scoot sway from the taller, stronger Sandy Saddler avoiding fighting on the inside, while pumping his great jab's
on Saddler for the full fifteen rounds to win the decision...It remains the greatest exhibition of cleverness I ever saw... We all let out a sigh of relief when the fight ended for Pep was the matador and the taller stronger Saddler was the "bull". We must remember that in 1947, Pep was in a horrible plane accident that he luckily survived but was told he would never walk again. He was put in traction for many months
and though he somehow got on his feet and started to fight many months later, was by a consensus of sportswriters and boxing experts
never as fast as he once was...But still a great fighter and was next to Ray Robinson the best fighter I ever saw ringside...

 

:good

 

Pep v Saddler 2.

 

Love how you put it Burt, Willy dodged, ducked, and scooted away from Sandy as no one could do it like him as well as consistently landing his jab on the longer armed Saddler, no easy feat for other boxers! Have to take Pep here as it was the greatest display of both those things I've seen in half a century of the sport.

 

Did you see the fight on TV as well?