Let’s look at the former two-time world featherweight champion who fought from 1940 to 1966 Willie ‘Will o’ the Wisp’ Pep, who also won the world Junior Lightweight title.
From Rocky Hill, Conn., Pep once told middleweight world champion Rocky Graziano, “You couldn’t hit me with a fist full of rocks!”
Pep made his debut in July 1940 and won his first sixty-two fights before suffering defeat. In July of 1942, he won his forty-fourth consecutive fight and won his first title, defeating Abe “The Boston String Bean” Denner (33-15-1) over 12 rounds for the USA New England Featherweight title.
Pep won his fifty-fourth straight 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, at Madison Square Garden, in a non-title match 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, Lulu defeated Costantino (88-11-6). In September and December he again defeated Chalky Wright.
In December of 1945, Pep fought to a tie with Jimmy McAllister, 39-16. In March 1946 he knocked out McAllister. In June, added the NBA title, defeating Bartolo 71-17-6. In September, he stopped Lefty LaChance, 123-42-17.
In August of 1947, Pep won the world featherweight title, knocking out Jock Leslie, 58-9-4, in 12 rounds. In October of 1948, he lost his title to Sandy Saddler, 86-6-2, by knockout at Madison Square Garden. Four months later, he defeated Saddler to regain the title in Ring Magazine’s 1949 Fight of the Year.
Pep made defenses, stopping Eddie Compo 57-1-3, striking out Charley Riley 57-11-2 and defeating Ray Famechon 59-5.
In September of 1950, in their third meeting, Pep lost to Saddler by stoppage at Yankee Stadium, dropping to 152-3-1.
In February 1952, Pep won the World Junior Lightweight title, knocking out Diego Sosa 74-26-8 in Havana, Cuba. In February of 1955, he won the world featherweight title again, defeating Teddy Davis, 63-50-5, at MSG.
In a title defense, Pep stopped Filipino Flash Elorde 30-9-2. In January 1959, he retired with a record of 220-9-1 after a pair of losses. He came back six years later and won nine in a row before losing, finishing at the age of 43 with a record of 229-11-1.
In 1990, Pep was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame and International Boxing Hall of Fame.
