Willie Pep, the former world featherweight champion has died at the
age of 84.
The one of the greatest defensive boxers in history died
Thursday at the West Hill nursing home, where he had been treated
for Alzheimer's disease since 2001, according to reports from Rocky
Hill, Connecticut Friday.
Born Guiglermo Papaleo on September 19, 1922 in Middletown,
Connecticut, Pep won 230 of his 242 professional bouts and held the
world featherweight title over two periods between 1942-1950.
Pep won more than 50 fights in two years before beating Chalky
Wright in 1942 to win the title. He then held the belt for six
years.
Inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990, Pep
began boxing in 1940 and fought professionally for 26 years. He
compiled a 230-11-1 (65 KOs) record that included wins over Hall of
Famers Manuel Ortiz, Wright and Saddler.
(Xinhua News Agency November 25, 2006)
