75 years ago
Willie Pep vs Eddie Compo
Date: 20th September 1949
Venue: Municipal Stadium, Waterbury, Connecticut
Title: World Featherweight Title
Promoter: Lou Viscusi
Willie Pep
(
141
-
2
-
1
)
Weight: 126 lbs
Eddie Compo
(
57
-
1
-
3
)
Weight: 124½ lbs
On September 20, 1949, in a match of great significance, Willie Pep successfully defended his World Featherweight Championship against fellow Connecticut native Eddie Compo. The bout took place at the Municipal Stadium in Waterbury, Connecticut, a location that held special meaning for both fighters and added to the intensity of the match. Pep, the reigning champion with 141 wins, two losses, and one draw, stopped the challenger Compo (57-1-3) by technical knockout in the seventh round.
The fight, promoted by Pep's longtime manager Lou Viscusi, was a spectacle that drew a crowd of 10,722 spectators. The energy in the stadium was palpable as the fans eagerly awaited the outcome of the match. The fight generated a gate of $39,931. Pep, weighing in at 126 pounds, held a slight weight advantage over Compo, who tipped the scales at 124½ pounds.
Compo, a small (5'4") featherweight known more for his boxing skills than his punching power, had an impressive record leading up to the title shot. He had won 25 consecutive fights to start his professional career and had only one loss in 61 bouts. However, Pep's experience and superior skills proved too much for the challenger.
The champion took control of the fight early on, dropping Compo twice in the fifth round. Pep continued his assault in the seventh, sending Compo to the canvas again before the referee intervened to stop the contest, awarding Pep the victory by technical knockout.
Going into the Compo fight, Pep's only blemishes on his record were a majority draw against Jimmy McAllister in 1945, a unanimous decision loss to Sammy Angott in 1943, and a fourth-round knockout loss to Sandy Saddler in 1948, which he had avenged earlier in 1949.
Eddie Compo, born Eddie Campagnuolo, was a native of New Haven, Connecticut, and had worked various jobs, including as a caddy, delivery boy, and newsboy, before pursuing a career in boxing. Trained by former New York and Connecticut featherweight pro Charlie Pilkington, Compo would continue fighting until April 1955, retiring at 28 with a final record of 74 wins (13 by knockout), ten losses, and four draws.
The Pep-Compo bout showcased Willie Pep's dominance in the featherweight division and his ability to overcome challenges from skilled opponents. The victory solidified Pep's status as one of the greatest featherweights of his era and further cemented his legacy in the annals of boxing history.