Harry Greb, head to head vs. the great middleweights

What an absolute ******.

 

Loved reading your posts, thanks.

The description of the Tunney fight, christ.

Having no fight footage is a huge loss for the sport and history but how anyone can look at his record then look at footage of the fighters he did beat and still not think he is one of the greatest fighters ever defies logic.

I'm sure some might hate hearing this but whenever i imagine Greb's style i can't help but envision some similarites with Calzaghe. How accurate do you think that is? When reading descriptions i'll often picture Calzaghe in the Lacy fight.

 

Appreciated, I think it will hard to find any type of editorial comment, but will be interesting none the less. I remember the Walker comment

Did Greb die on the operating table? If he didnt I wouldnt be suprised if Tunney defended against him for a 4th match and then we'd actually have footage of him

 

wOULD BE THE 5TH:good

 

There were actualy negotiations for a fifth fight.

 

6th I think :huh, no? I dont know why I put 4th, regardless if the surgeon didnt mess up we probably would have that illusive footage

 

What stopped it Grebs death?

 

I thought Greb's career was over at the time he died. Didn't he go to surgery to fix the damage that had been done during his ring career?

 

I think many people who judge calzaghes quality on his 'unorthodox' (some would say ugly/incorrect) style would struggle to see how he beat all his challengers and remained undefeated. In the win against hopkins joe showed how will to win could overcome even as skilled a technician as vaunted as b-hop. (many consider hopkins one of the greatest all round technicians of all time.)
Now joe was a strange fighter in that he had at least three distinct styles and could implement which style he thought would win him the fight.
Now with mister harold greb we have a guy whose resume is mind boggling,whose wins over hall of famers AND bigger guys over 299 fights is unparalelled in boxing history,with only sammy langford giving him any competition.
Harold greb is joe calzaghe to the power 365,and a bag of chips......
We have little footage of jesse owens or edmund hilary but we know they were all time greats from their resumes and reports.....

 

I think that even if Greb had not died it is verry likley that he would have been forced to retire for medical reasons.

 

To even mention Joe Calzaghe in the same breath,is ludicrous.Would Calzaghe would still be talked about if he fought another 200 or more bouts,against the very top lt.heavies.and larger men? What would his record be if he did survive such a marathon schedule? I hate to think...One other point, I have been reading old boxing reports about the amazing Greb for over sixty years now...My father who saw Greb lambast Tunney in their first fight,MSG,1922,would always rave about his abilities...What made him unique,besides his non-stop attack,from every conceivable punching angle,was his tremendous leg speed,bouncing,darting,in and out,sideways,never in one spot,more as Tunney related for "more then a second"...Calzaghe was a fast punching Southpaw,and never was able to bounce to and froe,thus avoiding getting timed to be hit solidly...This rare ability to be so difficult to hit SOLIDLY,and a granite set of whiskers,when tagged by even heavyweights,allowed Greb to have 300 fights,and beat the best fighters of his time...I must rate him P4P greatest, not because he was as beautiful to watch as Ray Robinson, but I say that Everone That Robinson Beat in hisgreat career,so would have Greb...Conversely.would Robinson lick all of Greb's larger opponents ,time and again? Think Tunney,Gibbons,Dillon,Loughran,Levinsky,Gunboat Smith{KO'D Langford],Big Bill Brennan,etc...I sincerely think not.....Greb for the agea...