The human windmill was known for being active. Are there any punch stats on him? Also, could Greb have fought a bit like Roosenbloom or Meehan? One of those types who quickly hits than backs away, clinches, or ducks? With so many punches landed, one would think Greb would have more attrition stoppages.
I suspect he was at least an occassional arm-puncher and slapper. I picture him to be like Calzaghe, but dirtier and more active wrestling free in the clinches.
I have CompuBox numbers from Jeffries-Ruhlin. In seriousness, it wasn't just Greb's hand speed and activity on the offensive end. It was his feet that really set him apart. As he aged, and accumulated damage, he was forced to sit down more and more... still was wildly successful in that mode.
"The earliest punch stats (of sorts) that I've read were from the early days of the sport was when the referee of the controversial Jack McAuliffe/Young Griffo fight, Maxey Moore (who, I believe, was a friend or at least an acquantance of McAuliffe's), tried to use his counting of punches as a defense as to why he gave McAuliffe the ten round decision in that one. Apparently he used an indicator in each hand, counted only the "clean blows" landed (said he didn't count Griffo's "slaps"), wrote them down on a round-by-round basis, and at the end of the fight he was said to have a 137 to 123 count in favour of McAuliffe. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle has those stats in their postfight writeups. "
Yes my dad who saw Greb decimate Tunney in their first fight in MSG in 1922 described Greb bouncing around in all directions like a rubber ball. In his only training film with Phil Jack O'Brien, we can see a hint of his amazing bouncy legs when he is playing handball. By instinct ,when Harry is waiting for the handball, he is seen bouncing on both legs, even when the average handball player is grounded waiting for the ball...A tell tale sign of what energy Greb, had THOUGH THIS GREB way past his peak with about 275 bouts , would be DEAD in 13 months...
Always look for your postings Burt! I noticed also in those brief clips we have of Harry his surprising speed of foot and hand and energy. As your father and others fortunate enough to have watched Greb said he did those things pretty much non stop for entire bouts.
