Pep vs. Saddler. For die-hard fans of punching, those four syllables conjure up all sorts of memories and images and important facts from the rich history of boxing. Their historic fight is unlike any other in boxing history, and it was their third matchup that established that fact, for better or worse. They were featherweights, and yet they inspired true heavyweight interest among American sports fans. And while both, even in their day, were regarded as two of the greatest to ever step foot in the ring, mutual respect was conspicuously absent from their compelling rivalry. The simple truth was that Pep and Saddler hated each other with a passion.
Their first battle in October 1948 came as a shock to sports fans as they saw Pep, a renowned defensive genius, beaten into submission and then knocked out in just four rounds. The match had been so lopsided that many wondered if the loss marked the end of the road for 26-year-old Pep, a truly brilliant boxer who had racked up more than 130 wins against just one loss and a draw before this one. humiliating defeat. But there was also the fact that Pep had suffered serious injuries, including a broken back, in a plane crash in January 1947, and although he recorded a staggering 26 consecutive wins in just over fifteen months when he returned to action , some observers felt the cautious Connecticut trader had missed a step since that near brush with death. The loss to Saddler seemed to confirm this point of view.
But the following February, Pep returned and gave the fans a truly dashing performance, reclaiming the title from Saddler by a dramatic fifteen-round unanimous decision; the victory is generally considered one of the greatest in the sport’s long history. And like the first confrontation between Pep and Saddler, the fight drew a huge crowd, packing out Madison Square Garden, so sports fan interest was kept alive for the decider, the record-setting matchup. attendance for the featherweight division with nearly forty thousand in the stands at Yankee Stadium.
Despite Pep’s big win the year before and subsequent three title defenses, oddsmakers pegged the champion as an eight-to-five underdog, reinforcing one of the main themes of the rivalry between Pep and Saddler, which is the general impression that Saddler was too big, strong and powerful for Pep. And indeed, by the end of the second fight, Pep had struggled with Saddler’s aggression and physical advantages. Therefore, the sharpies saw chapter three of the series as the fight to lose the biggest and the youngest man.
Very few were surprised when, despite Pep being the better fighter again and using angles and sublime footwork to outwit the aggressor, Saddler scored a knockdown in the third round. Soon after, Pep, no doubt frustrated with the challenger’s rough tactics and his undeniable physical advantage, began to incorporate some less than honorable tactics into his performance. In addition to an annoying jab and quick combinations, Pep now incorporated some well-placed thumbs, along with plenty of pokes and shoves, not to mention some stomps on Saddler’s toes.
Well, Sandy didn’t need to be asked twice. He responded the same way and soon there were almost as many fouls as boxing. Pep controlled the match for the most part with his usual brilliant footwork and quick hands, while Saddler concentrated on a ruthless body attack. And at the same time, both fighters proved to be certified experts in the darker arts of ringcraft, freely indulging in plenty of loops, punches, trips, thumbs and elbows.
When the bell rang for the seventh round, it was obvious that Pep had the advantage in terms of points thanks to his superb boxing and many clean right hands to the challenger’s jaw. In fact, some at ringside had scored only the third round for Saddler, the too-fast and slippery champion. But at the same time, Sandy’s vicious body shots, many of them below the belt line, were taking their toll. And indeed, an exhausted Pep found himself in some difficulty in round seven when Saddler was able to close the gap and land more heavy lefts to both the body and head, forcing Pep back and roughing him up.
By the end of the round the fighters were locked in a vicious hold on the ropes and when the bell rang and Pep retreated to his corner everyone could see he was in agony. The ringside doctor examined the injured fighter and diagnosed a left shoulder dislocation; when round eight started, Pep stayed on his stool. Saddler had regained the world title, albeit in a way that satisfied no one; Talk of a fourth Pep vs. Saddler matchup was widespread even before the stands at Yankee Stadium emptied out. The next day, Harry Markson, president of the International Boxing Club, stated that arrangements for Pep vs. Saddler, Part IV, were already in the works.
It was news that a bitter Pep welcomed. “He put me in a double armbar,” declared the former champion. “He twisted my arm twice. That’s what he did, not hit her. Sure, he hurt me a couple of times, but he could have beaten him.”
For his part, a cheerful Saddler was unfazed by the controversial conclusion. “I thought a punch to the kidney did it,” he told reporters. “But if they say I twisted his arm, he’s fine, I twisted it.”
After all, Saddler said, Pep did his share of hard stuff too. “He gave me a thumb in the eye,” Saddler said. “He did the same thing in the other fights. I told the referee, but Pep never stopped crushing”.
A year later they met again, in a match that was, unbelievably, even more foul-filled and chaotic. And once again Pep surrendered on his bench, this time after the ninth round, due to a serious cut in his right eye. The conduct of the boxers, who spent much of the bout wrestling and rolling on the canvas, was deemed so disgraceful that the New York State Athletic Commission suspended both men’s professional boxing licenses. And it seemed that the public had also grown tired of the sordid nature of the rivalry. Unlike the large crowds that had gathered for the first three battles, some fourteen thousand scrambled into the cavernous Polo Grounds for the final clash between Pep and Saddler. It was an undignified ending, but given their mutual hatred and the shoddy tactics on display, it kind of fitted. —Neil Crane
