Oct. 29, 1948

At the prefight weigh-in before the first of four classic meetings between Sandy Saddler and Willie Pep, New York State Athletic Commission chairman Eddie Eagon warns the two featherweights that he has heard rumors about a fix, but expects both men "to uphold the good name of boxing." Pep, the champion, tells reporters, "Don't worry about me. I'll be in there to win."

Saddler doesn't say anything. Instead, he lets his fists do the talking. While Pep lacks the quality from which he took his name, the spindly Saddler pounds away. The 3-1 underdog floors Pep twice in the third round and knocks him out with a smashing left hook to the jaw in the fourth to take his title.

The defeat is only the second and the first knockout suffered by Pep in 137 pro fights.