Ringside Report Looks Back at Rocky Pepeli

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By Daniel Sisneros

After a long amateur career including Silver Gloves and Jr. Olympics titles in 1980 (at age 15), Iowa’s Rocky Pepeli turned professional in 1987. His first 8 pro bouts were decided in the 1st or 2nd rounds! He opened with a first round KO over Lon Liebergen in Rocky’s hometown of Davenport, Iowa. After scoring another 1st round knockout in Anchorage, Alaska, Pepeli soon found his self as a regular on the boxing events staged at the Reseda Country Club in Reseda, California.

He quickly became a favorite of Southern California fight fans. His fearless style, wins over Mike Gans and Bobby Quarry, and record of 16-4-1 with 15 by knockout landed him a big fight against world ranked contender and former NABF Cruiserweight Champion “Smoking” Bert Cooper (28-9, 24 ko’s). Cooper ended up stopping Pepeli in the 8th round.

Rocky would go on to face even bigger names including Eric “The Whip” Curry, Jesse Ferguson, and former World Champion and Boxing Hall-of-Famer Larry Holmes.

Pepeli got his only shot at a title belt on March 21, 1995 when he faced Russian World Ranked Contender – Alexander Zolkin (20-2, 14) for the vacant NABF Heavyweight Title. It was a wild affair with Zolkin scoring the 3rd round TKO to take the title that had been vacated by Joe Hipp.

Pepeli also faced James Buster Douglas losing a 10 round unanimous decision to the former World Heavyweight Champion.

His final pro bout came on April 2, 1998 in Buffalo, NY. Rocky was stopped in the first round by undefeated and world ranked Kirk Johnson (23-0, 17 ko’s).

After a professional boxing career that spanned 11 years, Rocky Pepeli ended with a final record of 19 wins, 11 losses, 1 Draw, winning 18 by Knockout.

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