Henry Armstrong or Harry Greb - who had the more impressive peak runs?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by My2Sense, May 30, 2011.


Page 1 of 3
  1. My2Sense

    My2Sense Boxing Junkie Full Member

    11,935
    92
    Aug 21, 2008
    I believe Armstrong and Greb may have had the two most incredible peak-year runs of any fighters in history. Which would you say was more impressive?

    Armstrong, 1937-1938 - Went 26-0 in 1937, with all but one of his wins by KO. Stopped Petey Sarron for the only time in his lengthy career to unify the FW title, also reportedly scored the only outright KO of HOFer Benny Bass' career, and scored other stoppages over contenders Mike Belloise and Tony Chavez. In '38, he scored one of the biggest and most impressive wins in all of boxing history when he jumped up two major weight classes and completely trounced a long-reigning, ATG champion in Barney Ross. He followed that up by pulling off the unduplicated feat of holding three world title simultaneously, when he beat another HOFer in Lou Ambers. He followed all that up by beating #1 WW contender (and future MW champ) Ceferino Garcia. Also that year, he beat two other HOFers in Baby Arizmendi and future FW champ Chalkey Wright, the latter by a crushing KO.

    Harry Greb, 1918-1919 - Following a "loss" (according to some reports) in a competitive no-decision with MW champ Mike O'Dowd, Greb embarked on an extensive "winning" (albeit often unofficially) streak over the next two years, spanning from MW through HW. In that time, he was credited with beating HOF MW contender Mike Gibbons, HOF LHW champs Jack Dillon & Battling Levinsky, and HOF HW contender Billy Miske. He also beat HW contender Bill Brennan, MW contenders Eddie McGoorty & Joe Chip (the latter a former conqueror), ex-MW champ Al McCoy, future LHW champ Mike McTigue, former top HW contender Gunboat Smith, and notable HW journeymen like Willie Meehan & Bartley Madden. Virtually all of these wins were considered clear and decisive, and in many cases he beat them more than once in this span.

    I think Armstrong may have had the greater individual feats, but Greb had the greater volume of quality wins.

    Thoughts?
     
    My2Sense, May 30, 2011
    My2Sense, May 30, 2011
    #1
  2. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

    113,032
    48,147
    Mar 21, 2007
    Funny because i've thought about this before and it totally tortures me. I think I like the Armstrong run better. I guess i'm a little more impressed by the Armstrong names than you, although yeah it's still a shade to Greb, but Armstrong's achievements are eye-watering.

    I also want to say that Armstrong's style needs to be taken into account. The amount of momentum you have to generate to steamroll three divisions plus get robbed against a MW champ with that style is eye-watering, even allowing for Armstrong's perfection of that style.

    Do you think McGovern perhaps had a comparable run?
     
    McGrain, May 30, 2011
    McGrain, May 30, 2011
    #2
  3. lufcrazy

    lufcrazy requiescat in pace Full Member

    81,670
    21,957
    Sep 15, 2009
    Tough question! What these guys did over this span is more than most achieve in a whole career. Phenomenal stuff.

    I'm edging to greb purely because his run was so fearsome the champs didn't give him his shot.
     
    lufcrazy, May 30, 2011
    lufcrazy, May 30, 2011
    #3
  4. SLAKKA

    SLAKKA Boxing Addict Full Member

    3,829
    25
    Jun 4, 2009
    Ask Homicide if he wants to wage a 100 or so battles minus sight in one eye.
     
    SLAKKA, May 30, 2011
    SLAKKA, May 30, 2011
    #4
  5. DonBoxer

    DonBoxer The Lion! Full Member

    8,063
    34
    Apr 28, 2010
    Armstrong. The names he stacks up over that time frame are astounding.
     
    DonBoxer, May 30, 2011
    DonBoxer, May 30, 2011
    #5
  6. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

    61,758
    46,448
    Feb 11, 2005
    Greb. He didn't just beat those names in that span, but most of the best of those names he beat several times. He also fought about once a week in that span.
     
    Seamus, May 30, 2011
    Seamus, May 30, 2011
    #6
  7. Trixie

    Trixie Active Member Full Member

    1,356
    0
    Oct 11, 2009
    Armstrong shellacking Barney Ross is the greatest achievement between the two but Greb decimated guys far too big for him to be fighting and he did it fighting almost once a week. He near erased Battling Levinsky, who was light heavy weight champ at the time too, no?
     
    Trixie, May 30, 2011
    Trixie, May 30, 2011
    #7
  8. SLAKKA

    SLAKKA Boxing Addict Full Member

    3,829
    25
    Jun 4, 2009
    Near erased Bat?
    See thats the Greb handicap. He fought during the ND era. His 1917 fight vs Bat in Pittsburgh was an annihilation of the then lt heavyweight champ who was saved by the
    bell at the end of the tenth round.
     
    SLAKKA, May 30, 2011
    SLAKKA, May 30, 2011
    #8
  9. Rise Above

    Rise Above IBHOF elector Full Member

    8,038
    39
    Sep 20, 2007
    I think the fact that Armstrong beat these guys when they were champions gives him the slight edge.
     
    Rise Above, May 30, 2011
    Rise Above, May 30, 2011
    #9
  10. Rise Above

    Rise Above IBHOF elector Full Member

    8,038
    39
    Sep 20, 2007
    Also I see boxrec lists Grebs weight at 150 for the fight against Miske. Seems very light for Greb considering he was going up against a bigger man. Anyone know anything about that ?
     
    Rise Above, May 30, 2011
    Rise Above, May 30, 2011
    #10
  11. Flea Man

    Flea Man มวยสากล Full Member

    82,426
    1,467
    Sep 7, 2008
    Same here:-(
     
    Flea Man, May 30, 2011
    Flea Man, May 30, 2011
    #11
  12. SLAKKA

    SLAKKA Boxing Addict Full Member

    3,829
    25
    Jun 4, 2009
    Its a boxdreck typo
     
    SLAKKA, May 30, 2011
    SLAKKA, May 30, 2011
    #12
  13. JAB5239

    JAB5239 Boxing Junkie Full Member

    14,470
    58
    Feb 23, 2008
    Ross was a great, great fighter and champion, but he was finished and knew it. Im not trying to take anything away from Armstrong, but I think a case can be made for Grebs fight with Mike Gibbons being a greater win. There was no title at stake but Gibbons gave Greb loads of trouble and was and is highly thought of.
     
    JAB5239, May 30, 2011
    JAB5239, May 30, 2011
    #13
  14. My2Sense

    My2Sense Boxing Junkie Full Member

    11,935
    92
    Aug 21, 2008
    :huh I thought Greb didn't start losing his sight until a year or so later?

    Incidentally, I believe Armstrong did also suffer from vision problems in the later stages of his career.
     
    My2Sense, May 30, 2011
    My2Sense, May 30, 2011
    #14
  15. Flea Man

    Flea Man มวยสากล Full Member

    82,426
    1,467
    Sep 7, 2008
    What run did Greb go on with a shattered arm?
     
    Flea Man, May 31, 2011
    Flea Man, May 31, 2011
    #15
Page 1 of 3