Let’s take a look at the former World Featherweight Champion who beat Willie ‘Will o’ the Wisp’ Pep from 1940 to 1966, also winning the World Junior Lightweight title.
From Rocky Hill, Connecticut, Pep once told world middleweight champion Rocky Graziano, “He couldn’t hit me with a fist full of rocks!”
Pep made his debut in July 1940 winning his first sixty-two fights before tasting defeat. In July 1942 he won his forty-fourth consecutive fight winning his first title by defeating Abe “The Boston String Bean” Denner (33-15-1) in 12 rounds for the USA New England Featherweight title.
Pep won his fifty-fourth consecutive fight, defeating former world featherweight champion Chalky Wright, 142-34-18, over 15 rounds for the NYSAC Featherweight title.
In March 1943, Pep suffered his first loss, to Sammy Angott, 69-17-5, in Madison Square Garden, in a fight without a title after sixty-two consecutive victories.
In April, he defeated future NBA world featherweight champion Sal “Pride of East Boston” Bartolo, 45-14-6, by split decision, and two fights later by decision. Later in April, he defeated Jackie Wilson, 90-24-8, over 12 rounds.
In 1944, Pep defeated former world bantamweight champion Manuel Ortiz, 58-11-2. The following month he beat Lulu Costantino (88-11-6). In September and December, he again defeated Chalky Wright.
In December 1945, Pep beat Jimmy McAllister to a 39-16 draw. In March 1946 he defeated McAllister. In June he added the NBA title defeated Bartolo, 71-17-6. Lefty LaChance went 123-42-17 in September.
In August 1947, Pep won the world Featherweight title by beating Jock Leslie, 58-9-4, in 12 rounds. In October 1948, he lost his title to Sandy Saddler, 86-6-2, by KO at Madison Square Garden. Four months later, he defeated Saddler to regain the title in 1949 Ring Magazine’s Fight of the Year.
Pep made defenses, stopping Eddie Compo, 57-1-3, defeating Charley Riley, 57-11-2, and defeating Ray Famechon, 59-5.
In September 1950, in their third meeting, Pep lost to Saddler by stoppage at Yankee Stadium, falling to 152-3-1.
In February 1952, Pep won the world junior lightweight title by defeating Diego Sosa, 74-26-8, in Havana, Cuba. In February 1955, he regained the world Featherweight title, defeating Teddy Davis, 63-50-5, at MSG.
In a title defense, Pep signed Filipino Flash Elorde, 30-9-2. In January 1959, he retired with a record of 220-9-1 after a pair of defeats. He returned six years later, winning nine in a row before losing, finishing with a record of 229-11-1, at the age of 43.
In 1990, Pep was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame and the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
