Pep vs. Saddler III ESPN Classic

[Miburo]

Came across this today, someone has generously (and fairly recently) uploaded the rubber match between Pep and Saddler in 1950, at the time the highest-grossing gate in featherweight history. Pep retires on his stool, unable to come out for the 8th with a dislocated shoulder. The fourth (and dirtiest) fight has been pretty widely circulated, but I myself had never seen the third (apparently there is no existent footage of I and II).

[LondonRingRules]

Came across this today, someone has generously (and fairly recently) uploaded the rubber match between Pep and Saddler in 1950, at the time the highest-grossing gate in featherweight history. Pep retires on his stool, unable to come out for the 8th with a dislocated shoulder. The fourth (and dirtiest) fight has been pretty widely circulated, but I myself had never seen the third (apparently there is no existent footage of I and II).

** Most excellent.

Always had a bias for great, effective sluggers, but Pep is a work of art. They go into a clinch at the end of the round and the much stronger Saddler probably yanked his right arm hard and dislocated Pep's left. Those guys knew all the tricks.

[warp1432]

I'm pretty sure there is Pep Saddler II out there. Not sure about the first one, but I thought two was recorded? Maybe I'm wrong though.

Where is TheMachine to help us out on this one lol.

[Miburo]

I'm pretty sure there is Pep Saddler II out there. Not sure about the first one, but I thought two was recorded? Maybe I'm wrong though.

Where is TheMachine to help us out on this one lol.

If there is existing footage of one of those two fights, it would definitely be the first. I'm pretty certain the second fight is infamous for being unrecorded, as it was supposedly Pep's best performance and one of the most magnificent displays of pure boxing ever seen; 1949 Ring ****zine fight of the year.

[TheGreatA]

I don't think there's any film of the first two Pep vs Saddler fights.

The first fight ended when Saddler knocked Pep out cold in the fourth round,
Pep won the brutal rematch (Pep was cut badly) by UD in one of his best performances.

Pep was forced to quit by Saddler in the last two fights.

Pep, born in 1922, four years earlier than Saddler, recalled “a tall, skinny kid we fixed up with his first fight but after he was stopped by Jock Leslie, guy I defended the title against in about ?7, incidentally, we forgot all about this Saddler. Even when Sandy became my number one contender I remembered what had happened to him against Leslie, plus Sandy didn’t look too great in a New York main event. After 73 wins in a row I couldn’t imagine this kid was going to beat me. Certainly not by knocking me down twice and then stopping me in the fourth.?

Saddler recalled: “I knocked him stoned in that fourth round. Right out so that you could’ve counted 50, my friend.?

“But being with Archie in the same Johnston camp for so long, I get the benefit of sound advice from the Old Mongoose. Plus he came into camp with me specially for the first Pep fight ?making me move right, sparring with me, learning how to cover up, get in my shell like a tortoise, kinda. He warned me so often how clever and fast Pep was and never, ever give him any leverage, like maybe I did too much when we went the full 15 and Willie got the title back. Archie even improved my punching by keeping my back foot more on the ball of the foot, ready to roll.?

Saddler vs Willie Pep IV.
The referee let it get too rough and both fighters were suspended after this fight.