Pretty much! I know Willie "pretty well" & attended his funeral (well....only the pre ceremony, at Corpus Christi Church in Weathersfield, CT, w/ Deacon Seth English presiding) Ex boxing world champion Marlon Starling was there, as was local- lite John Scully.
Scully was a paul-bearer. (Starling on crutches that day..)// hard really to rate champion exactly you know but top 5 or top 10 pretty good.
Seamus wrote:I don't think I've ever seen a fighter in my life who looked better on film than Willie Pep. The guy could simply do it all. Dance around side to side, slip punches effortlessly and then launch an attack out of no where from any angle. I think he's an alltime great for foot work, head movement, jabbing, counter punching, and throwing combinations. So my question is, Where do you rate him alltime ? Number 1, Top 5, Top 10, Top 20 ?
I was lucky to have seen Willie Pep ringside BEFORE his near fatal accident and he was truly
a "will of the wisp". He was amazing, anticipating his opponents next move and reacting instantly...
The best featherweight I ever saw, but I cannot see Pep beating Henry Armstrong at 126 pounds, both at their peaks...Willie could not hold off the dynamo that was Henry Armstrong enough to beat Henry...Style wins it for Armstrong...
Oh, but H.A. No. 2 --pretty certain-- a.t., agree!
Jpreisser wrote:I rate him as the best featherweight ever, but all-time I would say he falls inside the top-10. Anywhere from 6-10 likely, though I haven't put a proper list together.
Pep is right up there IMO. 135 fights with only one loss is not bad, and some thought that Willie really won that fight against lightweight champ Sammy Angott.
Then there was the plane crash in 1945 which Pep suffered a broken back and leg. How good would he have been if not for that? He still did pretty well even after the accident.
O.K., here we have the weighing in. I personally "appreciate" it all these intellectual contributions.
I am IN CT. my name is John Wilkinson [Imran my recent Ex- boss]///I work in a Smoke N Snack shop the past near four years. "Huggiez", closed now across from the (huge) Papa's Dodge on East Main Street in NEW BRITAIN, CT. Knowing Willie personally...../////Knowing as in acquainted with his widow Barbara, having his SON Billy in my major Fb & knowing his Estate Atty. Michael Georgeogian (Sp) /// I see it as idea to make a National chain of bodega's using the Willie Pep name. Then, investors are to receive dividend checks three or four X a year. The Pep Estate be included in. Here in NB can tell you they recently opened a Willie Pep Restaurant. [860-515-7680 my cell. Text A- O.K. as well.......] **idea. That would be something in projection and take "the LIFE" one step beyond ONLY PURE DEBATE! [email protected] exclusive email I "don't miss" there. BB) Ike Ibeabuchi OUT OF JAIL AGE 42 now. BoxRec admin used to "support" the man in theory. I am talking with two (2) of Ike's brothers. Stan is one. Any TV execs out there. Search here please. Because, I am a organized individual and I have a proven track record in Departmemts ["Honest engine" asf) [Owe the Elec co $3000.00 these guys "screw me" at the bodega. Ha ha! But, "reality"! : )]
ImranSarwar wrote:O.K., here we have the weighing in. I personally "appreciate" it all these intellectual contributions.
I am IN CT. my name is John Wilkinson [Imran my recent Ex- boss]///I work in a Smoke N Snack shop the past near four years. "Huggiez", closed now across from the (huge) Papa's Dodge on East Main Street in NEW BRITAIN, CT. Knowing Willie personally...../////Knowing as in acquainted with his widow Barbara, having his SON Billy in my major Fb & knowing his Estate Atty. Michael Georgeogian (Sp) /// I see it as idea to make a National chain of bodega's using the Willie Pep name. Then, investors are to receive dividend checks three or four X a year. The Pep Estate be included in. Here in NB can tell you they recently opened a Willie Pep Restaurant. [860-515-7680 my cell. Text A- O.K. as well.......] **idea. That would be something in projection and take "the LIFE" one step beyond ONLY PURE DEBATE! [email protected] exclusive email I "don't miss" there. BB) Ike Ibeabuchi OUT OF JAIL AGE 42 now. BoxRec admin used to "support" the man in theory. I am talking with two (2) of Ike's brothers. Stan is one. Any TV execs out there. Search here please. Because, I am a organized individual and I have a proven track record in Departmemts ["Honest engine" asf) [Owe the Elec co $3000.00 these guys "screw me" at the bodega. Ha ha! But, "reality"!
: )]
"broken face"! detail important. On Fb Mike Knight, Jimmy Dorsey, Kent Appel (writer at East Side) three GOOD FRIENDS, who know > I am REAL < pss: Sanseverino Josephine my fiancé. Latch with her on Fb as GUARD/ PLEASE!
Seamus wrote:I don't think I've ever seen a fighter in my life who looked better on film than Willie Pep. The guy could simply do it all. Dance around side to side, slip punches effortlessly and then launch an attack out of no where from any angle. I think he's an alltime great for foot work, head movement, jabbing, counter punching, and throwing combinations. So my question is, Where do you rate him alltime ? Number 1, Top 5, Top 10, Top 20 ?
Just imagine how phenomenal a Pep highlight reel would look if he was filmed by camera tech from this era.
elmersalsa wrote:I rate him top 5 all time. This are my top 5 greatest fighters of all time:
1. Henry Arsmtrong
2. Sugar Ray Robinson
3. Sam Langford
4. Roberto Duran 5. Willie Pep
To me, the great Willie Pep, was the best fighter of his time.
His career coincided perfectly with Ray Robinson's (both 1940-1965), whom you have ranked 3 spots ahead of him.
elmersalsa wrote:I rate him top 5 all time. This are my top 5 greatest fighters of all time:
1. Henry Arsmtrong
2. Sugar Ray Robinson
3. Sam Langford
4. Roberto Duran 5. Willie Pep
To me, the great Willie Pep, was the best fighter of his time.
His career coincided perfectly with Ray Robinson's (both 1940-1965), whom you have ranked 3 spots ahead of him.
elmersalsa wrote:I rate him top 5 all time. This are my top 5 greatest fighters of all time:
1. Henry Arsmtrong
2. Sugar Ray Robinson
3. Sam Langford
4. Roberto Duran 5. Willie Pep
To me, the great Willie Pep, was the best fighter of his time.
His career coincided perfectly with Ray Robinson's (both 1940-1965), whom you have ranked 3 spots ahead of him.
elmersalsa wrote:I rate him top 5 all time. This are my top 5 greatest fighters of all time:
1. Henry Arsmtrong
2. Sugar Ray Robinson
3. Sam Langford
4. Roberto Duran 5. Willie Pep
To me, the great Willie Pep, was the best fighter of his time.
His career coincided perfectly with Ray Robinson's (both 1940-1965), whom you have ranked 3 spots ahead of him.
Ambling Alp II wrote:Do you really not get this?
You ranked Robinson ahead of Pep.
They fought during the same time period.
Then you said Pep was the best of his time!
Yes! The great Willie Pep was the best of the 1940s in my view.
The great Sugar Ray Robinson was in his era. But, do you forgot that Robinson excelled in two decades better than Pep? Do you forgot that Robinson was the best of the 50s, and had more longevity than Pep? That's why I rate Sugar Ray over Wil of the Wisp.
Ambling Alp II wrote:Do you really not get this?
You ranked Robinson ahead of Pep.
They fought during the same time period.
Then you said Pep was the best of his time!
Just another example for elmersalsa ...........................foot in mouth
Yes he did it again. Now he is saying that Pep was better in the 1940s (doubt many would agree with that,) and that Robinson had more longevity.
Robinson fought from 1940-1965. Pep fought from 1940-1966 and had more fights! They were contemporaries. Once again, he is making it up as he goes along.
The great Willie Pep did not fight for 26 years. He missed 7 years of activity between 1959-66. Pep didn't had a the longevity of the great Sugar Ray Robinson. That is why I rate Robinson over Pep.
But, to me, The Wil of the Wisp was clearly the best fighter of the 1940s. What a fighter!
That really does not make sense.
In the 1940s, Pep was of course great. However, he "only" beat three Hall of Famers.
Robinson beat five Hall of Famers.
On other threads, that is the end all be all for you.
Pep's total record was 6-2 against Hall of Famers.
Robinson's is 12-1.
The longevity reasoning for your rating Robinson ahead of Pep for what Robinson did in the 1960s while Pep was inactive makes little sense. Robinson was pretty much done by then. Robinson never beat a ranked contender in the 1960s.
Ambling Alp II wrote:That really does not make sense.
In the 1940s, Pep was of course great. However, he "only" beat three Hall of Famers.
Robinson beat five Hall of Famers.
On other threads, that is the end all be all for you.
Pep's total record was 6-2 against Hall of Famers.
Robinson's is 12-1.
The longevity reasoning for your rating Robinson ahead of Pep for what Robinson did in the 1960s while Pep was inactive makes little sense. Robinson was pretty much done by then. Robinson never beat a ranked contender in the 1960s.
Don't forget what Sugar Ray did in the 1950s decade. We got to compare the Wil of the Wisp vs Sugar Ray's records in both decades. Not just one. Robinson is on top of Pep because of more longevity and success
Since you didn't counter my points regarding Robinson being better in the 1940s, I guess that means you have seen the light and realize that Robinson was better in the 1940s. Nice chatting with you.
You still said he was the best fighter of his time. His time was the 40s and the 50s, just as Robinson's was. Both were at their very best in the 40s, both were still very good/great but beginning their steady declines throughout the 50s. How then was Pep "the best fighter of his time" when his "time" coincided almost perfectly with Robinson's?
King Carlos wrote:You still said he was the best fighter of his time. His time was the 40s and the 50s, just as Robinson's was. Both were at their very best in the 40s, both were still very good/great but beginning their steady declines throughout the 50s. How then was Pep "the best fighter of his time" when his "time" coincided almost perfectly with Robinson's?
Because his time, was the 1940s. Robinson although was at the same time in the 1940s, became the best fighter IN MY VIEW the following decade, which is the 1950s. Sugar Ray in the 1940s, in my view, was second next to Pep.
