Does the title Guglielmo Papaleo ring a bell, battle followers? Most likely not. However should you’re over 50, perhaps even should you’re in your 40s, likelihood is your head nods instinctively if you hear the title Willie Pep—a reputation that, in line with 8 out of 10 boxing historians, belongs to the best featherweight to ever lace up the gloves.
We had been thumbing by the 1998 version of The Boxing Report E book—as we frequently do when digging for forgotten gems or legendary figures to revisit—once we got here throughout Pep. Born Guglielmo Papaleo on September 19, 1922, in Middletown, Connecticut, the son of Italian immigrants went on to carve out a legacy few have rivaled.
Pep turned professional on July 25, 1940, at simply 17 years outdated, defeating Joey Marcus by resolution. That night time marked the start of a profession that may span almost three many years—with a six-year break between 1959 and 1965—and conclude on March 16, 1966, when he dropped a six-round resolution to Calvin Woodland in Richmond, Virginia.
Amongst seasoned boxing scribes, there’s near-universal settlement: no 126-pounder earlier than or since can really examine to Pep. He was a wizard within the ring—an unmatched mix of velocity, footwork, ring IQ, and distance management. The Ring journal as soon as ranked him No. 6 on its listing of the best fighters of all time. He was often called “Will o’ the Wisp”, a moniker that described his elusive, ghostlike motion—continuously switching stances, slipping punches with uncanny head motion, and vanishing earlier than his opponents might land a glove.
Pep was a two-time featherweight champion who dominated the division for six years. Although not an influence puncher—actually not on the extent of his archrival Sandy Saddler—he nonetheless stopped 65 of his 241 opponents. He retired with a document of 229 wins, 11 losses, and 1 draw, struggling simply six knockout defeats.
From his debut, Pep rattled off 62 straight wins earlier than tasting defeat for the primary time in opposition to former light-weight champion Sammy Angott on March 19, 1943. He responded by profitable 28 extra, adopted by a draw with Jimmy McAllister in 1946, after which one other 41 consecutive victories. However in 1949, he suffered his first knockout loss—by the hands of Sandy Saddler, who took Pep’s world title in a brutal encounter. Pep had received the belt in 1946 by outpointing Sal Bartolo. Saddler would go on to defeat Pep two extra instances by knockout in a bitter four-fight rivalry. Pep managed only one win—by resolution.
As a result of Saddler received three of their 4 grueling, bloody wars, some have argued that he, not Pep, deserves the featherweight crown in boxing historical past. It’s a debate that point hasn’t settled fully. Many imagine Pep was by no means fairly the identical after a near-fatal aircraft crash in January 1947 close to Millville, New Jersey. He was touring for a bout when the aircraft went down, killing round 20 individuals. Pep survived—however with two fractured vertebrae and a damaged leg.
The person who famously stated, “Hit the opposite man as a lot as you’ll be able to, however don’t let him damage you”—boxing’s essence distilled right into a single line—handed away from Alzheimer’s illness on November 23, 2006, on the age of 84. In an odd accident, his fiercest rival, Sandy Saddler, additionally succumbed to Alzheimer’s—on September 18, 2001.
