Great Dempsey video

I agree but Wills and the times precluded him getting that shot, and it's well documented. There is also Wills and manager who can share in the blame. When Wills finally was near the shot he blew it by his own performance and then time just ran out. We almost 100 yrs can say it's not fair but it doesnt change the facts that Greb, Wills and how many others throughout boxing history never got that chance to fight for the title. I am not condoning it and but being realistic it happens. How many uncrowned champions have been denied a shot that they earned and in every division? Life in general isnt fair and boxing that is and has been ruled by money is hugely unfair.

 

You've loved quoting Edgren lately, so I think I should add some quotes to your collection...

"Greb has whipped one man who was being carefully groomed and provided with a knockout record so that he could be matched against the champion (DEMPSEY). Looks as if he deserves some sort of chance to show what he can do."

"Dempsey was asked what fighter he thought would give him the most trouble. 'Greb', he said. 'He's a busy bee. He's stinging all the time.'
The way Greb handled Tom Gibbons, the man with the KO record, made it look as if Dempsey knew something."

"... if Greb wants to change his style and hit harder he can do it. He has plenty of strength. If he picks openings and sets himself to punch he ought to his as hard as any man of his weight. He's built for hitting and has speed to put into a punch."

"(Greb) can beat a lot of heavyweights. He thinks he can beat any heavyweight. This isn't conceit."

"Greb is a HARD HITTER. He knocked out Gunboat Smith in two rounds a while ago... As a fighter Greb is very much like Jack Dilllon when Jack was known as the 'Giant Killer'. "

 

I have liked Robert Edgren for a long time now, and love reading him. I recently posted something he wrote in the early '30's I believe where he said who was the harder puncher Louis or Dempsey, and supposedly it was measured by some contraption. Everybody straighten me out on that one. The same here.

"Greb has whipped one man who was being carefully groomed and provided with a knockout record so that he could be matched against the champion (DEMPSEY). Looks as if he deserves some sort of chance to show what he can do."
The first quote since you dont name the ko artist, I will assume it's either Billy Miske or Tommy Gibbons. From what he wrote, he seems to be saying the guy had a "built up record", which really means a BS record. If it was Tommy Gibbons or Miske, Greb, was fighting Gibbons over a 7 yr period, Miske over 4yrs, I would think they got to know each pretty well. Neither one of them could handle Greb's speed, and lost. So, Greb beat guys he already knew, and for the most part they were LHW's to the biggest in the '80's. He also wrote in other columns mentioning Greb's size, I recently posted an Edgren column that mentioned Greb was smaller than Carp.

"Dempsey was asked what fighter he thought would give him the most trouble. 'Greb', he said. 'He's a busy bee. He's stinging all the time.'

Dempsey was being honest here and from other reports he was on the money

The way Greb handled Tom Gibbons, the man with the KO record, made it look as if Dempsey knew something."

So did everyone else, Edgren was pointing out the obvious and just put in Dempsey's name.

"... if Greb wants to change his style and hit harder he can do it. He has plenty of strength. If he picks openings and sets himself to punch he ought to his as hard as any man of his weight. He's built for hitting and has speed to put into a punch."

True, but Greb knew better, setting himself would expose him to danger, just as Greb used his rivals getting set to punch against them. Arm punching doesnt require getting set and you can throw fast punches, getting set slows you down.

"(Greb) can beat a lot of heavyweights. He thinks he can beat any heavyweight. This isn't conceit."
Yes cos he has the speed of a fast MW, but the question should be has Greb fought anyone with Dempsey's combination of size, speed and power? Roy Jones, beat John Ruiz but he was smart enough not to stay there. I am sure Greb could beat the John Ruiz's of that era.

Greb is a HARD HITTER. He knocked out Gunboat Smith in two rounds a while ago... As a fighter Greb is very much like Jack Dilllon when Jack was known as the 'Giant Killer'. "[/QUOTE]

I guess even Edgren makes mistakes and tended to exaggerate, Boxrec says one rd. Just cos you can punch doesnt mean you can land it, and by the time got a hold of the Gunboat he was well past it. Did anybody at that time think it was a match?