They were same size really, so I don't even have to concern myself with the "p4p" conundrum. I give Langford the edge at 165 pounds.
It's a toss-up for me. I could go either way on any given day. They are numbers 1 and 2 for me. Today I say Sam.
Greb for me. Looking through their records I think Greb was a more consistent fighter. Generally you had to be a top shelf fighter to get the W over Greb. Sam had some losses to dubious fighters that may indicate a degree of inconsistency when compared to Greb. Others may not feel that that is as big a deal as it is to me.
In fairness from 1907 to 1916, a 9 year period He had A 1910 NWS loss to Flynn, which he avenged the next month. A 1911 loss to Sam McVea, who he beat the next year 4 times A 1913 loss to Gunboat Smith, which he avenged the next year A 1914 NWS loss to Jeff Clark 1915 losses to Joe Jeannette and Sam McVea, and a NWS loss to Harry Wills 1916 3 losses to Harry Wills The only one that wasn't to top class a fighter was the loss to Fireman Flynn, and he beat all of them at some point, which is pretty extradonary, and in this period he went 85-10-17. For what it's worth I pick Greb too, though I won't die on that hill.
They are essentially my top two pound for pound of all time. I tend to come down on the side of Langford, because he clobbered legit ATGs in their primes, from lightweight to heavyweight, often while well outside his own prime. I have no problem with anybody picking Greb. If Greb had never been born, then Mickey Walker might have been a consensus to three!
Each of them have impressive resumes. Each are the subject of legends. Where I separate the two is how they would match up head to head in a fight. I personally would favor Langford over Greb. For one thing, they share at least three common opponents, two of them Langford defeated while Greb lost and struggled with both-Kid Norfolk and Tiger Flowers. Although Greb has a win over Flowers in their first fight, most of the press and fans in attendance felt Flowers was robbed. I don’t think Greb’s dirty tactics and clinching would be enough to win against Langford who was a superior boxer-puncher.
