Fitz had freakish power for his weight ,but Greb fought a lot of rated heavies and beat them,the way to beat Greb was " to stay with him"as he accelerated and hit to his body as Tunney did,Loughran too,Tunney hurt Greb badly as he got bigger and stronger but Fitz was slower than those guys and not a pressure fighter either if he caught Harry clean he might stop him but chances are Greb out hustles him for a split dec,imo.
Last week I finished the book "In The Ring With James J. Jeffries". Now on Pollack s Fitz book. Great matchup. Fitz, who may be the greatest fighter pfp ever, KOs, yes KOs Harry Greb.
I bring threads out of the past that interest me. Why else keep them there? This is an exciting thread.
Fitz would have to basically get lucky and stop him to win. Id hate to gamble on the odds of that happening against someone as slippery, durable, and busy as Greb.
Fitz had issues with Corbetts movement and speed and Greb had speed and movement in spades over Corbett and had no issues with dealing with punchers to my knowledge....no matter what some here say unless Fitz is the greatest puncher in the history of mankind who defied physics proven by the last 100+ years of middleweight/ltheavyweight punchers though some are gullible to fairytales he won't bother Greb with his power as I believe he is thoroughly smothered ....I have Greb by savage mauling...one of Fitz issues as recorded was he did not like to train he was all about the angles, science, and pacing but fitness not so much hence his move above middleweight to the bigger slower less fit/active heavyweights had he been into fitness he would have stayed a middleweight it was this that would cause Fitz a nightmare mauling from the GOAT middleweight. His nose alone proves he wasn't immune to punches and Fitz was a KO puncher for sure but I don't feel his power is as prevalent in later eras I believe the competition and heavyweights got better. Greb had no issues fighting anyone any size proven by his record and reputation....no one his own size in his prime without freakish speed, volume and stamina is beating Greb.
Fitz would have studied films of Greb's two losses to Tiger Flowers and do the same kind of stuff....whatever that stuff was. Unfortunately Fitz died 9 years before the Flowers fights. So I don't know who would have won.
1. Bob stayed in great shape. He trained very hard and always even at 39 could fight and punch like a demon. 2. Yes, Bob was possibly the greatest puncher ever at any weight. Great punchers crack great chins. Bob is a monster for any middleweight ever. 3. Very scientific and mybe pfp the greatest ever. Your statement s Rich are going against the truth and what was historically proven.
Very interesting match-up...Fitz had the power to take anyone out...Greb would be a tough task to take out and a hard guy to outpoint but hurt a guy & he fights a different fight. Tunney was a pretty big boned heavyweight fighting light, Greb was a middleweight fighting bigger men because he was that good...This could be a series of fights...Grebs my man but Fitz is a freak much like Bob Foster would be later & always dangerous
We have film on Fitz, but no fight film on Greb. Crazy !!. My opinion is Fitz's mid-1890's MW style won't be able to solve the whirlwind attack, who got inside on Gene Tunney...a master boxer.
Bob did not like to train for fights he practiced techniques, sparring etc....but fitness was not his thing roadwork, etc....were not his idea of training scientifically.....I think your claim is fairly bold since there is no video or photographic evidence of the obviously embellished claims...the beauty of the era was it could not be disproven....you cannot be so gullible but in that era of fighters you can choose to believe what you want.....fighting to old age has nothing to do with fitness he was naturally skinny but picture evidence shows his lack of tone as he moved up not unlike James Toney as he moved up and ignored fitness
It is based in books, old newspaper coverage and eyewitness accounts. Not good enough for you? I've read books, mags, vintage newspaper 50 years on boxing and this guy, but that is all meaningless hey? I guess you know more than what was written and seen.
Bob Satterfield could not crack LaMottas Hart, Roldan, Hearns, Sibson, Lee could not crack Haglers, Jackson, Toney, RJJ could not crack McCallums
None of those fighters hit as hard or were half as good, much less great as Bob Fitzsimmons. Fitzsimmons could KO LaMotta (one of my favorites) and Hagler. He just is on the highest level w/ Robi, B. Leonard Armstrong, as a fighter. And maybe above them all.
According to his friends, Fitzsimmons is the possessor of no bad habits. Fitzsimmons has wisely remarked that if he couldn't keep himself straight with the prospect of a fortune before him no trainer could. Fitz had a visitor one time who wanted to know all about his mode of training. All Fitzsimmons did was to hand him the following schedule: 6.30am - Rises, bathes, dresses. 7.00 - Sherry and egg 7.05 to 8.15 - Rides on bicycle (15 Miles) 8.15 - Breakfast 9.30 - Goes 15 miles afoot 11.30 - Has rubdown and rests 1.00pm - Dinner 3.00 - Works in gymnasium 5.00 - Showerbath and rubdown 6.00 - Supper 8.00,9.00,10.00,11.00 - Bed In the October 12 edition of the Dallas Morning News, it was reported that Fitz, after an ocean swim, a walk, a romp with Pat - his two hundred pound St Bernard, and some wood splitting, settled down to a breakfast table usually stocked with "oatmeal, muffins, steak, chops or chicken. He does not believe in diet or special foods." After exercising and a cold sponge bath there was a hearty dinner of "every vegetable the markets far and near can produce. These are flanked by generouis roasts of beef, mutton and pork. This content is protected Jim Jeffries it was reported while training for one fight ran some 14 miles in the morning, alternating between a jog and a 100-yard sprint, without stopping to walk or rest. In the afternoon, he played three games of handball, punched the bag for 20 or 25 minutes straight, and skipped rope 1,500 to 2,500 times. He would then box from 12 to 16 rounds, and 'wrestle around' or toss an 18-pound medicine ball. Regardless of advancements in modern “sports science” this type of workout would make one tireless in the ring. This content is protected