Did Greb fight black fighter?

Uh… yeah.

 

Hall of Fame blacks, actually. Tiger Flowers (3 times), Kid Norfolk (twice), Jack Blackburn. Plus Allentown Joe Gans, Willie Langford and I think a couple more. He tried to get a fight with Battling Siki but they wouldn't go near Harry.

Greb avoided no one.

 

Did Tunney ?

 

Tunney no.

 

Yes Greb was 1-2 vs Flowers at end of career. 1-1 with Norfolk the loss was a debatable DQ. 1-0 vs Blackburn (joe Louis trainer) 1-0 vs Allentown Joe Gans and 1-0 vs Willie Longford

Tunney no although he was willing to fight Harry Wills who declined the match.
Tommy Loughran no as well.

 

Did Wills offer a reason for declining Tunney?

 

Wills already won two fights billed as title eliminators and still was unable to get Dempsey in the ring with him. This was billed as yet another eliminator. Tunney wanted it but Wills (rightfully) felt he had done enough to warrant a fight, with the champion, without going through any other top shelf fighters.

 

This is why Greb deserves every accolade he gets...IMO. Truly an ATG.

 

Greb ducked no one, and that is why he has to be at the top 3 of anyone's middleweight or super-middleweight list. Funny but most accounts of the Flower fights say Greb got the short end of the scoring stick in their fights.

 

Tunney later admitted in court that he never had any intention to fight Wills and that his public challenge was devised to garner him publicity and establish him in the minds of the public as a challenger to Dempsey.

 

Why would anyone rank him at super middle?

 

Never heard this. Please to elaborate or is it in your book?

 

This surprises me a bit.

Tunney was a contender chasing a title shot, and Wills was the #1 challenger.

Surely he would have fought Wills if it was the only way to a title shot?

 

A black fighter never fought in a world heavyweight title bout during a period of twenty-two years after Jack Johnson lost the title to Jess Willard in 1915. Harry Wills was a heavyweight contender for close to a decade while Gene Tunney was one for only a year or two before getting a shot at Jack Dempsey's title. Tunney never fought a black fighter during his career. Considering these facts, I think Joe Louis, even with his tremendous record and drawing card ability, would have had a tough time getting a shot at the title during 1920s.

- Chuck Johnston