Who did he ever beat aside from that guy who stopped Sandy Saddler ? and a paper win that was probably more like a draw over Saddler himself combined with some 4 stoppage losses 2 Saddler although Pep was injured in most if not all of his losses 2 Saddler and that Saddler was a mightilly dirty fighter so i read ?
http://www.ibhof.com/pages/about/inductees/modern/pep.html [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNhKyvrGp_4[/ame] [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9QB6HVTndw[/ame] http://www.eastsideboxing.com/forum/showthread.php?t=297986 http://www.eastsideboxing.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38709 http://thebiofile.com/2010/12/biofile-classic-with-willie-pep/ www.eastsideboxing.com/forum/showthread.php?t=385749
I don't know anyone from my generation born in the 30s, who have him anywhere but top 5. Many 1. The single greatest pure boxer I have ever seen and that includes Whitakre, Robinson, Jofre, Leonard Ray, Al, Holmes, etc. Ross great too but not in my time and from what I hear, not as good. Pep was in a class by his own.
it's blasphemy to say, but i still like ross better on film than pep. admittedly we don't have any prime, pre-plane pep on film but from what we have i dig barney
From what I've seen of Pep's films, which were all when he was past his prime, he is the best pure boxer I have ever seen. I've seen films of Ross and, quite frankly, there is no comparison. He just doesn't appear to have the moves, speed, or energy that Pep has. Also, in the 3rd fight with Saddler in which Pep retired because of a dislocated shoulder, Pep was outboxing him silly. He seemed to have won every round with the exception of the 3rd when he was knocked down, and even that could have been scored even. If that fight had taken place today, wouldn't Pep have won by technical decision since he was injured at the hands of Saddler and the fight went more than 4 rounds? Does anyone know for sure?
I am fortunate to see Willie Pep in his absolute prime, against a classy lightweight contender Allie Stolz at MSG...This bout took place BEFORE his near fatal plane accident in which Pep ,told that he would never fight again, fooled the Doctors, and did fight again...But Pep lost much quickness because of his bad injuries, thus a Sandy Saddler gave the less than peak Pep so much trouble in their bouts...Pep at his peak had to been seen to be appreciated...His uncanny anticipation of his opponent's next move,was a sight to behold....His quickness and amazing triple jab was compared by oldtimers of the 1940s with Young Griffo, but Willie Pep trained by Bill Gore was always in peak condition for his bouts...What a trio I saw in their primes like Ray Robinson, Willie Pep, and LW Ike Williams....These great fighters all had 100s of bouts against great contenders of their time, but no one could box like The Will Of The Wisp...
He overcame a broken back in airplane accident in his prime. His most impressive win, aside from one against Sadller, was when he won title from Chalky Wright in 1942. Wright was in prime, a good champ, and Pep was considered good, but writers who covered fight, and boxing people who witnessed it, were amazed at how easy Pep won, and things he did. He totally dominated to in title, he made Wright, a good champ, look slow and clumsy, which he was not in any way. He kept up his reputation for rest of 1940's, and after prime still beat or gave tough fights to many top fighters of 1950's.
