Harry Greb vs. Jack Johnson

The prime 210lb Johnson would throw any 165lber around the ring like a ragdoll.

Physical mismatch.

 

When did this mythical 210 lb prime Johnson exist? For how many fights? 3 or 4 fights against scrubs and a fat old hasbeen? He was 190 against Burns, and less than that in his battles against McVea, Jeanette and Langford.

Greb beat 45 guys in 1919 alone, including Bill Brennan (x2), Mike Gibbons, Battling Levinsky (x2), Willie Meehan, Billy Miske, Leo Houk...That was pretty prime. He also beat Tunney and Loughran, two guys I would pick over Johnson.

We know for sure Greb would show up with no excuses and give a performance consistent with the legacy garnered through a long, impressive prime.

 

Johnson,by ko. Too big for the 'Human Windmill'

 

Look at these physical freaks of nature!

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Johnson took his lickin' from smaller boxers and greb would certainly be able to serve him up in similar fashion :deal

plus greb had a cheen strong enough to take Johnson's best:deal

 

When was he too big? He was only 192 for Burns.

Hart and Choynski handled him. O'Brien frustrated him. Ketchell found his sweet spot.

Greb is better than all these guys combined by a magnitude of 50.

Now, I am not saying Greb is a shoe-in to win, but he did defeat 16... SIXTEEN... Hall of Famers, many over his own weight.

Mickey Walker, Jack Dillon, Maxie Rosenbloom, Gene Tunney, Jimmy Slattery, Mike Gibbons, Tommy Gibbons, Jeff Smith, Al McCoy, Johnny Wilson, Mike McTigue, Tiger Flowers, Kid Norfolk, George Chip, Battling Levinsky, Tommy Loughran.

 

agree 100%. while i'm not sold entirely that greb wins, size along should not discount his chances and i don't think johnson would have the same success with his "spoiler" style against greb. for ever one blow he parries, another 3 follow, all from a different angle

 

Here are some the real giants that troubled Johnson...

185 pounds of pure Kentucky muscle with a massive 74 inch reach (is that a world record?)...

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162 pounds of Irish Steel! Fought Champion Johnson to a draw.

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167 Massive pounds (pounds reportedly were heavier in those days) The Jewish Hercules KO'd Johnson in 3.

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You didn't say the Johnson would be bringing his bag of built-in excuses. In that case, certainly no way Greb would win.

 

The result?

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well, it's certainly possible. let's take size out for a minute: how do their resumes compare at the weight? How did both fair against heavyweight (or even 180 pound plus) competition?

 

That ain't how Marvin Hart, O'Brien, Choynski or O'Brien ended up.

The only wrong answer here is a sure answer.

It boggles the mind that people still don't have a comprehension of what Greb achieved and who he achieved it against.

 

That's quite a list of qualifiers there to explain all those wanting performances of Johnson against smaller opponents. I'm impressed. In that regard, he seems the most "qualified" champ of all time.

Do you really think that Hart could do something that Greb could not? If anything, what I have read of Hart's style was that he was a sloppy, awkward, slower action fighter... whereas Greb was a lightning fast, skilled, exacting action fighter. If that is Greb in the ring in San Francisco instead of Hart, does not Greb pull it out?

Furthermore, Greb was incredibly durable, only being KO'd ONCE by the great George Chip in 110-odd fights. And he fought them at all sizes.

I think Greb is being dismissed here far too hastily.

 

I don't really get how anyone makes assumptions about how Greb versus anyone would go.