Harry Greb, do you really know him in the ring?

AntonioMartin1 · Dec 17, 2022

I read the book on him.

Stevie G · Dec 18, 2022

Mendoza said: ↑

Part II

The second fight between Greb and Tunney was arranged for February 23, 1923, again at Madison Square Garden. And again, Tunney had bad luck in training coming down with the ‘flu. The Garden was a sell-out and there was no question of a postponement as far as Tunney was concerned.

That second battle was one of the most bitterly fought contests ever seen in New York. Greb was at his roaring best, using every trick and foul he had learned in the fight jungles across America.

After doing well for six rounds, Tunney felt the strength drain from his body. As if sensing his opponents weakness, Greb batted the New Yorker all over the ring. But his foul tactics did not escape referee Patsy Haley.

In the eighth round, Haley stopped the fight and told Harry to watch his step… or else. Greb promptly told Haley where he could go as they glared at each other, Tunney caught a welcome breather.

At the end of the twelfth, Haley threatened to disqualify Greb.

Harry turned to Red Mason, his then manager, and said, “Didya hear what this two bit ––– said about heaving me out’n the ring? I’ll turn him inside out if he tries it!”

At the end of fifteen vicious rounds, Tunney got the nod from the referee and one of the judges, making him American champ again. Then all hell broke loose in the Garden as the Pittsburgh and New York elements clashed.

More from the ref nearly DQing Greb. Researching Greb and the series with Tunney . In a fight vs another man, Greb got behind his man, and fried several foul punches.

Greb also, at least according to some observers, possessed a particular talent for getting away with underhanded tactics, mixing fouls in with the flurry of non-stop punches he launched at his opponents. At different times he was accused of utilizing headbutts, elbows, low blows, and thumbs to the eyes. It was also noted that he often intimidated referees by yelling at them when they attempted to break up the fighters, as he enjoyed mauling and wrestling on the inside, all the better to land shots south of the border or an inadvertent elbow to the larynx.

https://www.thefightcity.com/fight-c...-city-wildc

The truth is some historians didn't consider Greb to be great not because he wasn't skilled but because he was dirty. I don't

At different times he was accused of headbutts, low blows and thumbs to the eyes? I guess you need more quotes from the opponent accusing him of the above...if they were bothered to be questioned and interviewed by the press.

As for the lack of DQ's speculation on my end, it was difficult for the gamblers to lay odds in the timeline, a reason why it was not often called in the 1918-1920's in the no-decision era of boxing. That is of course reasonable speculation but Greb fouling often in fights as reported by several others is not speculation.

A rough, anything-goes
fighter, Greb reached his
peak in the roaring 'twenties.
when prize-fighters,
ginsters, Jazz, flappers,
and bath-tub gin dominated
the scene.

To clinch his claims, he
met and disposed of the
highly - rated Gunboay
Smith and Tommy Gibbons.

For the benefit of the
first he initiated the eye gouging
tactics for which
he was to become notorious.

With his thumb overlapping
his glove, he hit
Smith with a solid right to
the face. The thumb sank
into Smith's left eye, paralyzing
the optic nerve,

~ Smith slipped to the
canvas ... in agony „ and was! —.
counted out, while the
elated Greb, confident he
had found a match-winning
tactic danced a victory-
jig in his corner.

Then he brought up his
head with a sickening thud
and broke Tunney's nose.
The following round he
repeated the maneuver,
and "opened a gash like a
second mouth over Tunney's left eye."

Mauling, slapping,
while he heeling and hitting
artistically in the breakaways, using his
thumbs and knees. At the end of 15 rounds he, was
acclaimed easy winner. That's how Greb officially beat Tunney.

Continued part III
Click to expand...

A fast and durable busy fighter who can take a good shot, All these attributes would have seen him to victory against a lot of fighters in the middleweight division over the years.

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Harry Greb, do you really know him in the ring?

AntonioMartin1 Jeanette Full Member

Stevie G Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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Harry Greb, do you really know him in the ring?

AntonioMartin1 Jeanette Full Member

Stevie G Obsessed with Boxing Full Member