Tommy Burns vs Harry Greb

Greb based on accomplishments and the fact that Greb wasn't at a size disadvantage...

 

Greb.
Because he tended to beat everyone.
(And some of them were better than Burns.)

 

Tommy certainly seems to hit a lot harder and is a little underated. I think he would definitely trouble Greb, and maybe cause an upset here. Certainly i am quite confident it would be a close and controversial newspaper Decision.

Greb did win a 10 round newspaper decision against Tommy Burns, but i think the real thing might be a little harder.

 

Based on the video evidence.............I dont know, lean towards Greb, he probably had more about him, impossible to tell

 

Burns all the way... Burns was really built better for wrestling cuz of that short, stocky build with thick legs, etc... However, Burns was very strong for a dude 5' 7" tall and a conditioned 175 to 182 pounds... Greb would feel the wrath / heat from Burns...
:bbb
Somebody needs to go paint a big red "S" on Harold Greb's tombstone....:yep:good

MR.BILL:hat

 

There is a book on Tommy Burns called: Tommy Burns Canada's forgotten heavyweight champion. its a good book you learn alot about Burns from his lacrosse goaltending days, he broke alot of records he was very underrated and he got a bad wrap from the public cuz he allowed coloured fighters to challenge for his belt. But in this fight its a hard choice

 

Burns will try and draw his right hand, but I fancy Greb to be too quick, stay on Burns' chest and use his odd angles to stop Burns timing him when he's at mid-range to win a clear decision.

If Burns cracks him, Greb can come through it, and at 180lbs or so Burns is just about the right size of meal Greb liked to snack on. Greb W UD.

 

Like many here, I unfortunately have never seen greb in action.

So I have to go off the next best thing when trying to rate his skillset and that is information of his fights against walker and the first two with tunney. They paint a very very good picture but the ferocity with which he dismantles gene tunney in the first paints a great picture.

I'm convinced beyond doubt that if there was footage of the first fight between harry and gene he might well be regarded as the goat by a lot more people.

His career isn't quite as mysterious as langford's which is why I think he sometimes gets overlooked. If people research greb with the same detail they research langford, it has to be concluded that greb was the greater man.

I still believe ray robinson is the most skilled fighter in history but that's based on available footage. Perhaps if the footage of greb v tunney was available that opinion of mine would change, who knows?

To the question at hand, tommy was really a lhw and was actually the best lhw in the world for a while in my opinion, from top of my head I think it was from 06-08.

For a while greb was also the best lhw in the world and from top of my head that was from the victory over gibbons until the 3rd fight with tunney.

Based on what i've read about greb in action I can fairly rank him as a very skilled lhw who was highly active, very durable had brilliant reflexes and quick footspeed. Burns has available footage and I think his victories over o'brien, ruhlin and hart are testament to the ability tommy possessed. His status as hw champ is somewhat misleading imo as for the most part he was a lhw fighting lhw's and considering the circumstances of hart v johnson it's hard considering any man above johnson during this timeframe.

Greb should be able to outpoint tommy over any distance but I don't see him stopping him. Tommy was able to overcome the aggressiveness of hart but greb will present a much more difficult challenge.

 

I'd rather see the Greb-Walker fight. The 2nd round was described as 'the best in history' and Greb beat the **** out of Walker in the 14th by all accounts.

Essentially the Welter and Light Heavyweight champ' taking on the Middleweight champ. Both prime. It's a war. I've always preferred the Walker fight as a dream discovery myself.

 

Welcome back from retirement. Yes, Burns hit harder, but Greb has a very good chin so Burns power edge is a huge factor. I think Greb is the better skilled and faster of the two, and would win a decision.

 

Do you think walker deserved to win the lhw crown? It was something I had a hard time coming to a conclusion on...

 

Meh, he won a 12 round decision in a title fight, where the reports I've read said if a decision could've been rendered then Walker would have pissed it. Even if it was added hyperbole to make my claim more appealing an argument can be made. I'm actually struggling to remember what Walker did between that fight and his fight with Greb, so don't know what his form was at the weight, but he defended his welter title in between did he not? Maybe I'm wrong.

Anyway, would prefer to see Greb in a fight rather than trouncing a badly cut, and still learning, Tunney.

 

I also struggle to recall from the top of my head. I just know that he doesn't have a place in my premiere lhw timeline so I must not have been able to find enough to make his claim.

In some ways I totally understand what you say about greb v walker, I just feel that out of all his victories the first against tunney would be the best showcase of his talents.