Some fans go wild over super-aggressive punchers. However, I've always admired the style and grace of the defensive fighter, the best of them flow like water. Simply magic to watch.
A remarkable fighter, one of my favorite and a true master of his craft. If I could make two changes to Pep, it'd be to add power and prevent the plane crash from taking place. Even with those issues, one of the best ever, in my top P4P. Honestly, I also think that his relative lack of power came from his unwillingness to it on his punches at all, they look pretty sharp with how he throws them.
The best there ever was in my opinion. There is no one before of since that mastered the art of movement within the ring like Willie. This is a beautiful video and anyone who truly understands boxing will appreciate what a virtuoso he was.
@asugar pep is up there, but, srr had lightning speed, power, defence and a stone chin, thats why i stated goat, i do agree with you about defensive boxing though, i too prefer i tactician over a brawler....
I met Willie back around 1996. He used to hang out in a Hartford donut shop with his best friend Billy Kearns. Told me a bunch of stories about meeting Babe Ruth in a NY steak house and how Sinatra disrespected him unintentionally. Had props for Saddler. He signed a photo of himself for me. Great guy.
Hang on, hang on odin422! Willie Pep had a lot of fights, but he didn't have THAT many fights. In fact, he "only" had 242 professional bouts. I put quotation marks around only because it is nowhere near your guess of 400. But 242 is a lot of bouts, especially in the era he fought in. There are quite a few Hall of Famers that have more bouts than him. There's even a couple that have over 300. But anyway, the "Will O' the Wisp" had a final record 230-11-1, with 65 KO's.
With 204 plus fights and only 11 losses, that is a statistic that
is great. But to truly measure a great fighter is to analyze the losses.
The fact that the 11 losses were spread over many years is significant. His key loss was the loss to Joe (Sandy) Saddler in 1948, but Pep bounced back to regain
He's higher on the list than that, Zelley100. He's definitely a top 5. I have him ranked #3 of all time. I have Sugar Ray Robinson at #1, and Henry Armstrong at #2.
400 professional boxing matches over 25 years, he broke his back in a plane crash and the doctors werent sure he'd recover fully. He later gave up the insurance money and went back and won the Featherweight title.
This piece really makes me feel the emotion of watching his whole career, good job including the Saddler fights.
Some fans go wild over super-aggressive punchers. However, I've always admired the style and grace of the defensive fighter, the best of them flow like water. Simply magic to watch.
pineybyrne 1 week ago
A remarkable fighter, one of my favorite and a true master of his craft. If I could make two changes to Pep, it'd be to add power and prevent the plane crash from taking place. Even with those issues, one of the best ever, in my top P4P. Honestly, I also think that his relative lack of power came from his unwillingness to it on his punches at all, they look pretty sharp with how he throws them.
cet0708 3 months ago
The best there ever was in my opinion. There is no one before of since that mastered the art of movement within the ring like Willie. This is a beautiful video and anyone who truly understands boxing will appreciate what a virtuoso he was.
boloboxing 1 year ago
sugar ray robinson is G.O.A.T
biggkaz 1 year ago
@biggkaz Maybe...maybe.
Whether or not SRR was the best, everyone that knows boxing has to rank pep right up there.
Him and Pernell are extremely underrated, imo.
It might just be me, but I honestly prefer to see a smooth defensive style over a power puncher...it seems so much like ballet or something...
Knockouts are fun to watch, but defensive boxing is what makes boxing an art form.
asugar 1 year ago 2
@asugar pep is up there, but, srr had lightning speed, power, defence and a stone chin, thats why i stated goat, i do agree with you about defensive boxing though, i too prefer i tactician over a brawler....
biggkaz 1 year ago
@asugar
You oughtta look up the SRRvPep exhibition fight, it's a gas.
cet0708 3 months ago
The best `boxer` of all time, pure genius.
Only a fool would have Pep outside of their top 10 list
primemoralesno1 1 year ago
mc hammer wrote cant touch me about this man haha
cam123cha 1 year ago
Willie pep é um dos grandes mestres do boxe defensivo ao lado de Nicolino Loche
e Pernell Withaker , são grandes mestres que tornam o boxe mágico .
gbcon50 1 year ago
Man you could see where pernell got alot of his moves from.
slicedalone2 2 years ago
Great fighter. R.I.P.
tumalidaw 2 years ago 3
what about nicolino locche
suaverepresentin 2 years ago
I met Willie back around 1996. He used to hang out in a Hartford donut shop with his best friend Billy Kearns. Told me a bunch of stories about meeting Babe Ruth in a NY steak house and how Sinatra disrespected him unintentionally. Had props for Saddler. He signed a photo of himself for me. Great guy.
GOPA90 3 years ago
One of the best ever.
Great video.
jorgekluney 3 years ago
Hang on, hang on odin422! Willie Pep had a lot of fights, but he didn't have THAT many fights. In fact, he "only" had 242 professional bouts. I put quotation marks around only because it is nowhere near your guess of 400. But 242 is a lot of bouts, especially in the era he fought in. There are quite a few Hall of Famers that have more bouts than him. There's even a couple that have over 300. But anyway, the "Will O' the Wisp" had a final record 230-11-1, with 65 KO's.
corytclark 3 years ago
With 204 plus fights and only 11 losses, that is a statistic that
is great. But to truly measure a great fighter is to analyze the losses.
The fact that the 11 losses were spread over many years is significant. His key loss was the loss to Joe (Sandy) Saddler in 1948, but Pep bounced back to regain
the title in 1949.
Zelley100 3 years ago
One of our top ten fighters of all time!
Zelley100 3 years ago
He's higher on the list than that, Zelley100. He's definitely a top 5. I have him ranked #3 of all time. I have Sugar Ray Robinson at #1, and Henry Armstrong at #2.
corytclark 3 years ago
Top ten means he is the top ten. After Sugar Ray Robinson
it is a free for all with Henry Armstrong, Willie Pep, Roberto Duran, Barney Ross, Archie Moore, Tony Canzoneri.
Eder Jofre and Jimmy Wilde.
Zelley100 3 years ago
P4P Greatest Boxer that ever lived.
400 professional boxing matches over 25 years, he broke his back in a plane crash and the doctors werent sure he'd recover fully. He later gave up the insurance money and went back and won the Featherweight title.
This piece really makes me feel the emotion of watching his whole career, good job including the Saddler fights.
odin422 3 years ago
willie pep is a all time great r.i.p willie
JULIUS773 3 years ago