Harry Greb vs. Rocky Marciano

Thief!! :good

 

As pointed out at the scene I'd probably favor Rocky. But its tough to discount Greb going by written reports of his sparring eith Dempsey who i think was much faster than Marciano.

 

What did Tunny weigh in at when he lost to Greb? I read he was young and green at the time.
No middleweight in history beats Marciano imo.

 

Nobody can answer. OK.

Ko loss for Greb (Peter Pan) in round 2.

 

one thing is sure Greb was tough enough. could he out work Marciano? At the middle distance where Marciano often had the shorter space advantage Greb could have the edge and smother a power advantage. I always thought Greb was a clever inside fighter who neutralised bigger foes with his work rate and smothering their leverage. You never know, if anyone had the right combination of experience and work rate it could be Greb?

 

Harry Greb was great but he could be hit and when Marciano hit he hurt his opponent probably like no other opponent Greb faced. The difference in punching power would have made Rocky the victor by a KO. Greb was a swarmer and also liked to fight inside. This would prove his doom against Rocky who would have belted Harry hard to the body as Tunney did but with much more force.

 

I would bet on Greb over 6. Dempsey, who was lightning quick, couldn't lay a glove on him for the few rounds they sparred.

I think the scales tip somewhere between 8 and 10. Over the championship distance, Marciano takes it.

 

i'd love to offer an opinion on greb....i have read so much about him, and listened to opinions from people who's opinions i respect about him....but without having footage its impossible to make an opinion for me...i usually go with "well, by all i have heard and read harry greb was arguably the best p4p boxer there was"....but its no way to form an honest opinion really..its just repeating others opinions......if any of that makes sense

 

I love the Greb lore as much as anyone, but I have trouble pitting a light-punching middleweight (no matter how great) against a guy at least 20lbs heavier who has knockout power in both hands and shares Greb's volume, conditioning, chin, and willpower...

To beat Marciano on points (with the safe assumption that Greb wouldn't be knocking him out), you have to hit hard enough to make Rocky respect you a little. Greb doesnt have that. He won't be able to keep him off.

On paper and according to lore, if any MW could, Greb could.

 

It's a matter of his speed and if he could keep it up over 15 rounds .. to begin with for most of his success Greb fought at light heavy and he fought and defeated many heavyweights … Greb had his biggest troubles with Kid Norfolk who had weight, strength PLUS speed ..

A Marciano/Greb fight would be very interesting .. you have to go w Rocky over 15 but who knows if he was fighting a 1919 or 1920 version ?

 

This may be true but Dempsey didn't throw a 100 punches a round like Marciano could for 15 rounds. It is clear by Grebs heavy scar tissue and flattened nose he took punches. Dempsey was a destroyer but he didn't hurt people the way Marciano did, Marciano was a 187 pound mass of rock hard muscle with heavy hands and he punched anything you gave him whether it be arms, elbows, gloves, hips or ears Rocky intended to damage you anywhere he could hit you. Unless Greb suddenly developed Willie Peps elusiveness he is getting hit somewhere and at 160 pounds Marciano hurts him bad inside 10. As for the Dempsey story their is debate that Greb was pulled while Dempsey was off guard and bewildered by his speed before Dempsey could figure him out and hurt him besides the fact that it was a PR disaster for the myth of Dempsey if the word got out. Marciano had no issue with figuring a fighter out because he wasn't a finesse fighter. On top of that Greb would still have to commit to reaching for Rocky to hit him because of Rocks movement and stance.

 

Neither did Marciano. Where does this **** come from? Go back and watch Walcott I. Marciano breaks 80 punches a round once or twice. A few rounds he throws around 40. Another delusional myth about Marciano.

Dempsey thought Marciano and his whole era was mediocre. It's in the first chapter of his book How to Fight Tough.

Greb's genius was in the speed and agility of his footwork, things Marciano did not possess in the slightest.

Look, Marciano would catch up to him over 15. But over 8 or possibly 10, Greb might tie him in knots. Two all time great fighters but an interesting style match-up.

 

What prevents Marciano from landing a punch early on that changes/ends the fight?