Former world boxing champion Willie Pep built one of the longest and most unusual careers in boxing history, ending with a record of 229 wins, 11 losses, and one draw between 1940 and 1966.
Pep first won the NYSAC world featherweight championship in November 1942, defeating Chalky Wright in a unanimous decision at Madison Square Garden. He held the title for nearly six years before losing in October 1948 to Sandy Saddler, starting one of the sport’s most controversial rivalries.
Pep regained the championship in February 1949, again at Madison Square Garden, outboxing Saddler in their match. The competition continued with two more fights, Saddler won both in 1950 and 1951, effectively closing the issue of Pep’s championship. By the time their streak ended, Pep’s record stood at 160-3-1.
He continued fighting into his mid-40s, compiling a 69-7 record after his final fight. His last fight was in May 1966.
Pep was known less for power than for movement and control. He famously won a tournament without a knockout. Middleweight champion Rocky Graziano told him, “I would have knocked you out.” Pep replied, “You can’t beat me with a fist full of rocks.”
I met Pep on stage at Blue Horizon in May 2019. Even then, long after the war, he carried himself like someone who was not easily arrested.
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Last updated on 01/08/2026