Voted Greatest Featherweight of all Time Willie Pep
A Boxing Legend - in an era of true champions
Guglielmo Papaleo (September 19, 1922 – November 23, 2006), better known as Willie Pep, was an American professional boxer who held the World Featherweight Championship twice between the years of 1942 and 1950.
Known for his speed, finesse, and elusiveness, Pep is widely considered one of the greatest defensive boxers of all time.
He was voted as the No. 1 featherweight of the 20th century by the Associated Press and ranked the No. 1 featherweight of all time by the International Boxing Research Organization in 2005.
He is also currently ranked by BoxRec as the greatest featherweight boxer of all time.
He boxed a total of 1,956 rounds in the 241 bouts during his 26-year career, a considerable number of rounds and bouts even for a fighter of his era.
His final record was 229–11–1 with 65 knockouts; after his 199th win, opponent Kid Campeche described his experience by saying, "Fighting Willie Pep is like trying to stomp out a grass fire." Pep was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990
Interview with the great Wille Pep. 11 Minutes
Willie with the "Legendary"Heavyweight Champion "Joe Louis" (undated).
The Great "Joe Frazier" & Willie Pep 1975
The Great "Jack Dempsey", Willie Pep & Mickey Walker, three all-time greats, celebrate former heavyweight champion Dempsey's 70th birthday in his famous New York restaurant, 1965.
“One of the best defensive boxers I ever saw was Willie Pep. Willie was the world featherweight champion at about the same time I was middleweight champion. Other featherweights had more punching power than Willie, but they couldn't seem to hit him very often. He had great speed, fantastic footwork; nobody in his division could duck, slip or parry a punch, use the clinch more effectively or circle around better than Willie. When an opponent got too close, Willie would jab him dizzy and move out of range. That's why he was the champ from 1942 to 1948.”
- Rocky Graziano
Legendary Madison Square Garden Bout; February 11 NYC 1949.
This "unparrelled rivalry" is considered by boxing historians; to be the greatest in feather weight history; because it matched, Willie Pep, arguably the greatest defensive boxer ever; known for his speed, footwork, elusivenesss, and ring IQ.
Against, the great Sandy Sadler; a tall, powerful, aggressive puncher with a reach, that gave pep more trouble than any other opponent.
In 1938 Pep fought Sugar Ray Robinson in the attic of a feed store in Norwich, Connecticut.
Record was 229–11–1 with 65 knockouts
"Fighting Willie was like trying to stomp out a grass fire"
Must See Youtube from Rhythm Boxing -
Widely considered one of the Greatest Featherweights in boxing history.
Willie Pep, the Featherweight champion, dazzled audiences with his remarkable speed and defensive mastery.
Over his storied career he defended his title dozens of times, earning a legacy that endures in boxing history.
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