International Boxing Hall of Fame-Willie Pep

Real Name-Guiglermo Papaleo

Born-September 19, 1922 Middletown Connecticut Died-November 23, 2006

Nicknames-“Will of the Wisp” and “Hartford Tornado”

Bouts-242

Won-230

Lost-11

Draws-1

Ko-65

Manager-Lou Viscusi

Trainer-Bill Gore

Championships/Awards

*Connecticut Amateur Flyweight Champion (1938)

*Connecticut Amateur Bantamweight Champion (1939)

*New England Featherweight Champion (1942)

*World Featherweight Champion (1942-1948) (1949-1950)

*Ring Magazine Fighter of the Month-February (1943)

*Los Angeles Times Fighter of the Year (1944)

*Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year (1945)

*Ring Magazine Fight of the Year-Pep V. Saddler (1949)

*Ring Magazine Fighter of the Month-April (1949)

*Ring Magazine Hall of Fame (1963)

*National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame (1977)

*World Boxing Hall of Fame (1981)

*Boxing Hall of Fame (1990)

*Walker Award-Service to Boxing (1994)

*Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame (2005)

*Florida Boxing Hall of Fame (2010)

Brief History

Willie Pep was introduced to the sport of boxing by his father Salvatore who took him to watch Hartford legend Bat Battalino train. Salvatore was born in Siracusa Sicily and he was an amateur boxer. To earn a living, he worked in construction. Willie’s mother suggested that he go to the Charter Oak Gym in Hartford to learn how to defend himself from other boys who were teasing him. At the age of fifteen, Willie had his first amateur fight in Danbury.

The following year, Pep dropped out of Hartford Public High School to focus on boxing. Willie enjoyed a great amateur career gong 62-3. One of his three defeats was to Ray Roberts (Sugar Ray Robinson) who outweighed Willie by twenty pounds. As an amateur, he once fought twice on the same card and he was the Connecticut State Champion in 1938 and 1939.

On July 3, 1940, Pep turned professional by defeating James McGovern in Hartford. In his first full year as a prizefighter, Pep won twenty-three fights. In early 1942, he defeated the likes of Johnny Compo, Spider Armstrong, Aaron Seltzer, Joey Archibald, and Joey Iannotti. On July 21, 1942, Willie bested Abe Denner of Boston to win the New England Featherweight Title. Four months later (11/20/42), he out pointed Chalky Wright to capture the NYSAC Featherweight Championship. At the time, Pep was only twenty years old.

The first defeat of his career took place on March 19, 1943, to Sammy Agnott in a non-title fight. As world champion, Pep made successful title defenses over Sal Bartolo (twice), Chalky Wright, Phil Terranova, Jock Leslie, and Humberto Sierra while improving his record to 134-1-1. Willie lost his title (10/29/48) to his rival Sandy Saddler at Madison Square Garden.

While occupying the championship, his title was frozen as he served in World War Two in both the army and navy. On July 25, 1946, legend has it that Pep told a sports reporter that in the third round of his bout with Jackie Graves that he would not throw a punch. Using his quick feet, Pep still won the round. Amazingly, at the time, Graves was ranked in the top ten.

In 1947, Willie survived a plane crash in Millville New Jersey. The crash took place in the woods during a snowstorm. Several people died in the accident and Pep broke a leg and his back. For five months, he wore two casts.

The second Pep versus Saddler fight took place on February 11, 1949 at the Garden. Perhaps, this was his finest moment as he re-claimed the World Featherweight Title. Ring Magazine voted this as “Fight of the Year.” On September 20, 1949, Pep bested Eddie Compo (in a title bout) in front of ten thousand spectators at Municipal Stadium in Waterbury Connecticut. Governor Chester A. Bowles attended the fight. In 1950, Willie made successful defenses against Charley Riley, and Ray Famechon of France.

On September 8, 1950, Pep and Saddler met for their third fight. By this time, the two greats were bitter rivals. This fight was a rough slugfest. Willie lost his title when Dr. Vincent Nardiello discovered that he had obtained a dislocated shoulder. At the time of the stoppage, Pep was leading on the scorecards. Victories over capable prizefighters such as Carlos Chavez, Pat Iacobucci, and Eddie Chavez set up the fourth Pep and Saddler affair.

The two squared off (9/26/51) at the Polo Grounds for Sandy’s title. Sadly, this fight was a disgrace to the sport as each fighter resorted to fouls and cheap shots. Saddler won the “foul fest” and later both men were suspended for their actions.

From 1952 to 1959, Willie continued to perform well in the ring. During this time, he won sixty fights beating many established contenders such as Pat Marcune, Sonny Luciano, Gil Cadilli, and Jackie Blair. Willie retired following a defeat on January 26, 1959 to ranked contender Sonny Leon in Venezuela.

At the age of forty-four, he made a comeback and he won nine of ten fights. The last bout of his sensational career was a defeat to Calvin Woodland in March of 1966.

After boxing, Pep had his own television show in the 1960’s called “Pep Talk.” He also worked as a Connecticut State Tax Marshall, a boxing referee, and he did publicity work for a casino. Furthermore, he trained heavyweight Charlie Mauri. Mauri had a handful of professional fights.

Willie died of Alzheimer’s disease at Haven Health Center in Rocky Hill Connecticut. He was survived by his wife and two sons and daughters.

In 1980, Pep sued Sports Illustrated magazine for reporting that he took “a dive” on February 26, 1954 when he fought Lulu Perez at the Garden. In the second round, Willie went down three times causing an automatic stoppage.

Points of Interest

*Pep’s father worked for the WPA during the Depression for fifteen dollars a week.

*While in the army, he was a M.P at Cushing General Hospital in Framingham Massachusetts.

*Willie’s amateur losses were to Angelo Radano, Ray Roberts, and Earl Roys.

*During his long career, Pep bested twenty-six top ten opponents. This listed included: Joey Peralta, Paddy DeMarco, Lulu Constantino, Manuel Ortiz, Allie Stolz, Bobby “Poison” Ivy, Willie Roache and Jackie Wilson.

*Pep was a close friend of Rocky Marciano, Joe DiMaggio, Frank Sinatra, and Bing Crosby.

*The great Joe Louis stated that Willie was the only boxer that he would have paid to see fight.

*Sugar Ray Robinson once attended a boxing banquet in Hartford. Robinson saw Lou Viscusi’s pink tie. A few days later, he bought a pink Cadillac.

*On July 28, 1969, Pep was the sole judge and referee in the featherweight championship fight between Fighting Harada and Johnny Famechon in Australia.

*In 1971 and 1972, Pep and Saddler fought a series of exhibition bouts.

*Willie owned a lounge on 57^th Street in Manhattan.

Chapter One features over two dozen Italian Americans who have been inducted in the International Boxing Hall Of Fame located in Canastota, New York. Indept biographies of legends such as Carmen Basilio, Jake LaMotta, Rocky Marciano and Willie Pep.