Harry Greb: GOAT?

Was Harry Greb a sadist?

One week he’s literally involved in kill or be killed death battles vs bigger men like Soldier Jones or Kid Norfolks then its blow outs vs your Billy Hirsch’s or Ray Nelson’s or your Tom Burns’s who very well might be worse than some of Floyd Mayweather Jr’s youtube opponents

Otis Bryant 1925 Oklahoma

"Greb cuffed his opponent at will. Bryant took the count of "nine" several times before the fight was stopped. John B. Old, in the Tulsa World, said that Bryant was one of the most miserable set-ups that ever has been thrown in the ring.." Bryant was "apparently badly frightened" and "scarcely able to lay a glove on the champion." Greb scored a knockdown in round one, then let up and was apparently "more than willing" to let Bryant go on. However, Bryant kept rushing at him and Greb opened up and finished it in round three."


These men were the poodles with taped mouths that Gerald McClellans pitbull dog Deuce tore apart.I cant remember his exact words but it was something like "Sometimes you've gotta get a taste of that blood"

 

Did Sam Langford have any thoughts on Greb?

 

They sparred many times, I don't think it's impossible for Dempsey to have gotten the best of atleast one of them

 

They sparred I believe four times , three times in consecutive days in one training camp for Miske in Michigan in 1920 and once before that in 18 or 19 ... this is specifically about one of the three fabled sessions that have underpinned the legend that Greb completely outclassed Dempsey and as a result sabotaged his own title shot ... it could also be a false report .. I'm sure others may have insight into it .. I just found it interesting ...

 

You know who will be along soon.lol

 

(Jaws theme)

Here's another ..

https://ibb.co/Gtkm5d5

 

Weird thing is that I've seen newspaper descriptions of those same exact dates in the article you sent that describes Greb out fighting Dempsey, so I guess we'll never truly know what happened. Unless someone finds footage of their spar, which might actually exist somewhere

 

Totally agree with you ... they can be false planted articles ... I am curious about their origin ...

 

What if a newspaer decision at the time was written by an Adalaide Bird. Those results aren't to be trusted.

 

Present @ringside 100 years ago were professional cigar smokers,Big 8cm circumference Al Capone specials of pure fire stuffed to one side of their mouths,Mean Robert Mitchum looking fellows who didnt care where they flicked their ash.

Behind them is a new on the beat Jr reporter armed with a 20lb typewriter who cant see the other side of the battlefield due to the thick smoke from the platoon in front of him.

Who do you trust,The grizzled Platoon with bum lamps on the the frontline or nervous Jr 5 rows back with a K missing on his typewriter?

 

Who are the best 7 fighters he beat with experience at the time of the fight?

Basically in the prime of their fighting career so a green Maxie Rosenbloom is out of the question unless you can brainwash me


1.Mickey Walker (Title Fight)

2 Tommy Gibbons (Eliminator?)

3.Tommy Loughran (Newspapers + American Light Heavyweight title)

4.Kid Norfolk (Disputed Newspaper Fight)

5.Tiger Flowers (Disputed Newspaper Fight)

6.Ted Moore (Title Fight)

7 Gene Tunney #1? (American Light Heavyweight title)

Or should Battling Levinsky be in the top 3?

Mike Gibbons,Jeff Smith,Johnny Wilson for the Worlds middleweight title and a successful defence?

 

P4P I'd rank the following as the 7 x greatest fighters Greb beat (not specifically the versions Greb beat):

1) Mickey Walker
2) Gene Tunney
3) Tommy Gibbons
4) Tommy Loughran
5) Jack Dillon
6) Mike Gibbons
7) Kid Norfolk

 

Apologies but screenshotting a newspaper report is proving to be some task on here,What happened to the classic photograph thread?


New Britain Herald 1925

Battling Barrister To Meet Harry Greb


Detroit lawyer-boxer will fight Champion for title-Has slim Chance

Detroit Michigan January 9th

Bob Sage "The Battling Barrister" who fought his way through the University of Detroit law school here will face a handicap of weight and experience when he meets Harry Greb in a bout which the promoters declare is for the middleweight title.

Sage is down to 160 pounds while friends of Greb make the statement he will weigh at least 165 when he faces the scales.When the final arrangements were attempted Greb displayed a contract calling for Sage to enter the ring "Weighing more than 160 pounds"

The copy in the hands of the Michigan boxing commission called for local youth being "under 160 pounds" In the course of discussion in which the bout was all but cancelled the matchmaker Joe Sarno admitted allowing the clause to written into Greb copy.

As a reward for allowing Sage to enter the ring at middleweight poundage,Greb received the right to name the referee and one judge.His choice was Al Foss Pittsburgh for referee and Bernard Albacker Pittsburgh as judge.It is expected the Michigan commission will name Elmer McClellan as the 3rd man to decide the contest.

Fight reports

Report from the Pittsburgh Post: There is no indication that this was a title fight. Greb won every round easily. In the closing rounds. Harry was landing ten blows for every one that Sage got through. There was a capacity crowd on hand and they cheered every punch that Sage landed. Greb fought at top speed and "fully lived up to his name of being the Pittsburgh whirlwind." Sage was always trying and was unmarked at the end except for swollen lips.

Washington Times Jan 10

"......Sage took the first two rounds by boring in,But Greb held the edge from the 3rd round on.Greb was aided by a weight advantage of approximately 10 pounds and was permitted to hit and hold at the same time by the Referee Al Foss of Pittsburgh"

 

Oh boy you're in BIG trouble now. Klomtons Dempsey app just triggered him....

 

Another fighter mentioned in the same breath as Greb by the newspapers as a "Anytime anyplace" type of man is Paul Berlenbach.He looked a magnificent fighter on film.Strange that they didnt face off vs each other as they both held titles at the same time

Also "Berlenbach excelled in wrestling and won the 1922 and 1923 AAU national championship" Did up close and personal Greb know?

Did Berlenbach and his press men shout for a Heavyweight shot too?