Willie Pep

November 25, 2006 -- HARTFORD, Conn. - "Former featherweight champion Willie Pep, whose simple fight philosophy was, "Hit the other guy as often as you can but don't let him hurt you," died Thursday, his grandson said. He was 84.

Pep, who became a champion at age 20, died in a convalescent home in Rocky Hill, eight miles south of Hartford, grandson William P. Papaleo said. Pep had been confined to an Alzheimer unit since 2001.

The wiry, right-handed, two-time world featherweight champion held the title from 1942-48 and from 1949-50. He turned pro in 1940 and amassed a record of 230-11-1 with 65 KOs when he retired in 1966 at age 43.

In 1999, Pep was listed fifth among the best fighters of the 20th century as chosen by a five-member panel for The Associated Press.

"He was a very special fighter in a great era of boxing," said Glenn Feldman, president of the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame, which had made Pep its first inductee. "You just don't see fighters today with a 26-year career."

Born Guglielmo Papoleo on Sept. 19, 1922, in Middletown, Conn., Pep became one of boxing's all-time greats. Nicknamed "Will o' the Wisp" for his elusiveness, the 5-foot-6-inch Pep held the featherweight title for six years.

Ring historians recall Pep's alley-fighting style. He wasn't a fancy boxer, but could punch equally hard with both hands. And he was most dangerous when he was hurt.

He is best remembered for his physical, four-fight series against fellow Hall-of-Famer Sandy Saddler.

Pep won the first 63 fights of his career. He was barely 20 when he beat Chalky Wright in a decision in 1942 to win the featherweight title, becoming the youngest champion in 40 years.

The following year brought 63 undefeated bouts for Pep before he lost a non-title fight to Sammy Angott. Undeterred, Pep went on to win another 73 successive fights.

He lost the title in October 1948 to Saddler on a fourth-round knockout, setting up a rivalry for the ages.

Four months later Pep and Saddler squared off in Madison Square Garden. Intent on revenge, Pep relied on his quickness to outrun Saddler for 15 rounds. Bloodied, but not beaten, Pep scored a unanimous decision to became the first boxer in the history of the 126-pound class to regain a lost championship.

Saddler regained the title in 1950 with an eighth-round knockout. They met once more in 1951 and Saddler won again, this time with a knockout in the ninth round.

Pep retired in 1959, although he was back in the ring six years later. His nine-fight winning streak was interrupted by a knockout by Calvin Woodward in 1966, and Pep hung up his gloves for good."

In 1945, Willie clued some Sportswriter friends into a trick he was going to pull on unsuspecting opponent Jackie Graves. Pep said he'd not throw a punch in the 3rd Round, but would still win the round.

He danced. He spun, he backpedalled, he switched to southpaw, he blocked punches...he made Top-10 rated Graves look like an arthritic senior citizen. He went on to knock Graves down 9 times, with the ref mercifully ending the fight via TKO in the 8th Round.

The Sportswriters rushed to the judges table to look at the scorecards. Pep had won, but what about Round 3?

It was unanimous. All gave the round to Pep. Without landing ONE punch, the Will O' The Wisp convinced 3 boxing judges that he was the better fighter.

It isn't fashionable to make movies about Featherweight boxers. And hells bells but where would they find an actor lean enough to portray a lightweight, and athletic enough to, even with the magic of Hollywood, be considered a Willie Pep. But were another version of Jimmy Cagney to somehow make it to the big show, they'd be crazy to not toss him into trunks and make the Willie Pep Story.