No footage of Pep beating Saddler?

Amazing, considering I, and thousands of other saw That Fight on our little TV screens...I remember that fight so well. What as a shame that today's fans will never see the Will Of The Wisp [post plane crash], dodge
the murderous punching Saddler's blows, for a decision. Willie Pep, that night was one of a kind !

 

Painfull as hell!!!!

WNHC-TV to Carry Pep-Saddler Fight‎
Pay-Per-View - Hartford Courant - Feb 8, 1949

The Willie Pop-Sandy Saddler featherweight championship fight at New York Friday night will be televised over New Haven's channel. ...

 

I'm sure at at several collectors (at the least) have that fight. Not to mention untold other gems people assume are lost to history or dumped in some river or whatnot...

It's a shame. What a waste to be stting on those fights and not at least making them available in some way...

I always say to myself that when I obtain a film of Greb-Walker or Greb-Tunney (wishful thinking, I know), I'll put a small invitation out and charge let's say $500 for a private viewing among 15 or so others who want to witness history. Small price to pay for seeing something others have dreamt of...

That wouldn't lower the value- at least not like releasing it online and have every Tom, Dick, and Harry seeing it.

That might make one a target, though...

 

:good

Nicky, great question...But so many possible answers.Willie Pep who I saw
first in 1943, against Allie Stolz, a top 135pounder,gave the sharp and clever Stolz a licking. I and the crowd at MSG were awed by him...That Willie Pep, before his terrible accident in 1947, would have surely beat
any version of Saddler IMO. Saddler stopped Pep in thei first bout in 1948,an three months later, Pep dodged the bullet for 15 rounds, by
using every trick of the trade,dodging , ducking and dancing. He was
marvelous that night, but in the two following bouts, Saddler was able to
wrestle and rough the now slower Pep, causing an injury to Willie's shoulder, and cutting his face, and stopping Pep twice. Willie Pep,was not
a particularly strong featherweight, and the older he got the slower was his astounding reflexes, allowing the cruel punching Saddler to corner Pep
and inflict much punishment to Pep. In the second bout, Willie just "dodged the bullet ". His luck ran out !

 

I asked this a couple of yrs back & got the same dreaded answers... its a real shame that we have footage of Jack Johnson way back in 1909 but dont have footage of this fight... none at all of Greb... & practically zero of the best fighter that ever lived at his peak - Robinson at WW.

Thanks for the info about the Pep masterclass Burt :good

 

One of the fights that I really want to see especially since I'm a Pep fan and have some of his fights. I would also love to see both Curry-Starling fights but it's more likely I'll see those because they're available.

 

I would also love to see Armstrong/Ambers 1 if it's available. I'm not complaining just doing a little wishful thinking lol.

 

I'd love to talk to Mike Tyson about the films he saw or knew of in Cayton's library... I'm sure he saw some rare gems, and would like to think he either saw or knew of some of the fights that "don't exist anymore"...

If anyone was privy to such a wealth of resources in films, it was him.

 

burt b, i've been meaning to ask you your thoughts. on the topic of greatest performance of all time by a fighter, all things considered, i've routinely cited pep's victor over saddler.

based on saddler's dominace in the other 3 fights, as noted here pep being past his prime, saddler's physical and sylistic advantages, the fact that pep was able to triumph was just astounding to me

what are your thoughts and does his performance warrant such awe?

 

the fight sucked according to this guy
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iO3Yzt578Qg[/ame]

 

Our memories are so fleeting J. It is impossible to compare 'the greatest performance by a fighter ',objectively.
For example-Harry Greb constantly, faced larger men than himself, time and again, and avoided or "dodged" the blows of men that weighed 15-40 pounds than himself. But we now take his exploits for granted...
But what I have seen in my lifetime, I have never seen a performance that Willie Pep accomplished in his second fight with Sandy Saddler ..It was akin to a bullfighter,past his peak, surviving against a vicious bull. And that, Willie Pep did in his second fight with Saddler. Quite a feat...
I also was terribly impressed with Buster Douglas in his great performance
against Mike Tyson. That night he rose to the level of a great fighter ,with
his great punching and RESOLVE. Another great performance that impressed me greatly....But Pep's performance was surreal....