I have a new theory on Harry Greb

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Mendoza, Feb 21, 2008.


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  1. Mendoza

    Mendoza Hrgovic = Next Heavyweight champion of the world. banned Full Member

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    I have been thinking about Greb lately, and I have a new theory. Greb gets a lot of credit for being tough as nails, throwing non-stop punches, and having a great chin. Yes.

    But what about his defense! Greb must have been very good on defensive. Perhaps he had a bit of Godoy, and Pep in him. There is no way to fight 299 times ( I predict Greb will hit 300 offical matches ) without being proficient on defense.

    Greb was only stopped twice in 299 fights. One was due to a broken arm, the other was his 7th pro fight when he was 142 pounds! After his broken arm TKO loss, Greb went 252 matches without being stopped. Amazing stuff for a middle or light heavy who style was to get in there and mix it up.
     
    Mendoza, Feb 21, 2008
    Mendoza, Feb 21, 2008
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  2. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    I agree, in fact i've always assumed this to be the case. NOBODY is that tough, it just doesn't happen. It sounds to me an awful lot like he's excellent at crowding his opponent and if you add serious tactical acumen (which, if he didn't have it at the begining, he certainly did by the end) I think he'd be as awkward as hell to hit.

    Add serious speed and a good understand of leveridge/judge of distance and you have a figher that would be very difficult to hit properly.

    But we do have to be a bit careful with Greb. A very, very good poster once wrote of him that, "he was able to leap in, fire of a barrage of punches and leap out again without being hit", which is a little over the score. It is possible to diefy him without serious footage to critique.

    But Greb did not have serious power himself, but fought big punchers. This being the case, he'd have to use tremendous smarts/skills, rather than the threat of retalitory punches, to keep his opponents from busting him up.
     
    McGrain, Feb 21, 2008
    McGrain, Feb 21, 2008
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  3. Luigi1985

    Luigi1985 Cane Corso Full Member

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    Exactly, I also think that his "Offense is also the best defense"- tactic worked, and he was also pretty good with his head movement, he never gave his opponents a target for their punches, he moved non stop...
     
    Luigi1985, Feb 21, 2008
    Luigi1985, Feb 21, 2008
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  4. Senya13

    Senya13 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    He didn't like to get hit, that's why he scored relatively few knockouts also, because he didn't want to put too much into his punches and get hit in the process.
     
    Senya13, Feb 21, 2008
    Senya13, Feb 21, 2008
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  5. Russell

    Russell Loyal Member Full Member

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    Maybe he was a combination of LaMotta and Pep.

    Not quite as proficient as Pep maybe, but with an unusually tough chin for the type of fighter that he was.

    Think about how long Duran fought, how many years, and how rarely he was stopped.

    Greb's chin was more than likely better than Duran in a pure sense, AND he was great on the defensive.
     
    Russell, Feb 21, 2008
    Russell, Feb 21, 2008
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  6. Mendoza

    Mendoza Hrgovic = Next Heavyweight champion of the world. banned Full Member

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    It was said Greb was so fast and bouncy that hitting him was like trying to bare hand a fishing cork that was moving up, down, and around in a stormy sea. Jack Johnson with his huge ego and all, called Greb the fastest fighter he ever saw. But there has to be more than this. I think Greb must had has super flexibility and springy legs to lean and bend at all angles to avoid getting hit.
     
    Mendoza, Feb 21, 2008
    Mendoza, Feb 21, 2008
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  7. Mendoza

    Mendoza Hrgovic = Next Heavyweight champion of the world. banned Full Member

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    Are you saying Greb was more like Max Rossenbloom?
     
    Mendoza, Feb 21, 2008
    Mendoza, Feb 21, 2008
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  8. Mendoza

    Mendoza Hrgovic = Next Heavyweight champion of the world. banned Full Member

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    I think Greb might have had some of Duran's defense, and willingness to bend the rules a bit. Duran had 180 less fights then Greb, and was stopped 2 more times.
     
    Mendoza, Feb 21, 2008
    Mendoza, Feb 21, 2008
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  9. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    :lol:
     
    McGrain, Feb 21, 2008
    McGrain, Feb 21, 2008
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  10. Senya13

    Senya13 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I simply spoke with my own words what he once said in an interview.
     
    Senya13, Feb 21, 2008
    Senya13, Feb 21, 2008
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  11. mcvey

    mcvey VIP Member Full Member

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    If he didn,t like to get hit ,he was in the wrong business especially as he often fought once a week and had nearly 300 fights! Greb was all over you ,head,shoulders ,elbows ,thumbs he didn,t give his opponents time to get set,Greb made a fool out of Dempsey for 3 rounds in sparring,and Jack never took it easy on spar mates.Fast forward ,all -out offence was Grebs defence.The Pittsburgh Windmill.
     
    mcvey, Feb 21, 2008
    mcvey, Feb 21, 2008
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  12. Mendoza

    Mendoza Hrgovic = Next Heavyweight champion of the world. banned Full Member

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    I beleive Dempsey vs Greb sparring on film exsists, and yes, Greb got the better of the sparring.
     
    Mendoza, Feb 21, 2008
    Mendoza, Feb 21, 2008
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  13. Russell

    Russell Loyal Member Full Member

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    True, but some of those stoppages are ones like the Joppy stoppage where he was 47 years old.
     
    Russell, Feb 21, 2008
    Russell, Feb 21, 2008
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  14. Mendoza

    Mendoza Hrgovic = Next Heavyweight champion of the world. banned Full Member

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    Good point. However Duran was a light weight, welter weight and middle weight for most of his fights. Greb was a middle , light heavy, and fought heaives. The further up the ladder we go, the better chin the fighter needs to avoid getting knocked out.

    Hearns one punch KO over Duran ruins his unbreakable reputation.
     
    Mendoza, Feb 21, 2008
    Mendoza, Feb 21, 2008
    #14
  15. joe33

    joe33 Guest

    Does any body else hate talking about greb?,im only saying this because it so wants me to be able to go over to youtube and see some of his fights,im almost willying to bet that in some old dark and forgotten room of a gym,or someones house lies the holy grail i:e some of his fights on film,one day before im gone i so hope something,bar that mucking about training bit of him shows up
     
    joe33, Feb 21, 2008
    joe33, Feb 21, 2008
    #15
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