80 years ago
Willie Pep vs Chalky Wright II
Date: 29th September 1944
Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York, USA
Title: NYSAC World Featherweight Title
Promoter: Mike Jacobs
Willie Pep
(
78
-
1
-
0
)
Weight: 125¼ lbs
Chalky Wright
(
162
-
35
-
18
)
Weight: 125½ lbs
On September 29, 1944, at Madison Square Garden in New York, Willie Pep successfully defended his NYSAC World Featherweight Championship against former titleholder Chalky Wright. Pep put on a masterful display of boxing in front of a crowd of 15,433, which generated a gross gate of $66,740, jabbing the taller Wright throughout the 15-round contest.
Pep, who had wrested the title from Wright in 1942, proved his superiority in the rematch, earning a decisive unanimous decision victory. The judges' scores were lopsided in Pep's favour, with referee Frank Fullam scoring the bout 12-3, while judges Frank Forbes and Marty Monroe had it 10-3 and 10-5, respectively.
The bout featured no knockdowns, although Pep slipped to his glove tips in the seventh round and his knees in the eighth. Despite suffering a mouse under his left eye, Pep remained in control, while Wright bled freely from his nose in the later rounds.
With this victory, Pep improved his impressive record to 79-1-0, solidifying his position as the premier featherweight of his era. The United Press reported that Pep's dominant performance placed him “head and shoulders above current featherweights.”
Wright began his professional career at 16 and briefly held the featherweight title from 1941 to 1942, but the loss to Pep marked the second time he had fallen short against the younger, more skilled champion. Despite entering the fight as the top-ranked featherweight contender, Wright could not solve the puzzle presented by Pep's superior boxing abilities.
The Pep-Wright rematch showcased Willie Pep's incredible talent and dominance during his prime years as a featherweight champion. His mastery of the ring and ability to outclass even the most formidable opponents cemented his status as one of the greatest featherweights in boxing history.