Set in the mid-1960s, The Featherweight presents a gripping chapter in the true-life story of Italian-American boxer Willie Pep—the winningest fighter of all time—who, down and out in his mid-40s and with his personal life in shambles, decides to make a return to he ring, at which point a documentary camera crew enters his life. Painstakingly researched and constructed, the film is a visceral portrait of the discontents of twentieth-century American masculinity, fame and self perception.
A forgotten hero in the mythos of American sports, Pep fought a shocking 241 professional bouts and was victorious in 229 of them; making him the most winning fighter in the history of the sport. Standing at 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighing in at 126 pounds, he was a two time Featherweight Champion of the world. The Associated Press voted him as the No. 1 featherweight of the 20th century.
His personal life however was not quite a glamorous, albeit absolutely riddled with intrigue. The son of Italian Immigrant parents and hailing from Hartford Connecticut, Willie Pep was married seven times. He struggled with gambling debts and was often broke. In 1947 he survived a plane crash and had to be in a body cast for five months, but went back into the ring later that same year. After several years of retirement he made a comeback in 1965, while in his 40’s- this is where The Featherweight finds him.
