Marciano vs Greb

...Bad idea to write off Greb. I would not count him out against anyone under 190lbs. Anyone.

This doesn't mean that I would carelessly pick him over Marciano based on reputation and myth. In fact, it would be based on facts. Consider carefully that Greb handled Dempsey. In July 1920. When Dempsey was at his most ferocious. Greb handled him. He split his eye wide open in the third "exhibition". Dempsey wanted to try him again and so they got Harry back while Jack was in training for the Miske fight in September. Greb handled him again. And it wasn't easy sparring. It was an absolute fight in NYC. Dempsey simply couldn't keep up. The reporter who was there was as shocked as any of us would've been had we seen it.

Greb's style was like nothing else. A swarmer, yes, but he was incredibly fast, elusive, and agile. Marciano would find himself in there with a veritable swarm of bees because Harry did not stop punching from any angle, was very difficult to hit, and was impossible to measure or predict. He also had stamina that was second to none.

 

Without picking Greb over Marciano/"insert fighter" I would feel verry uncomfortable betting against him in prety much any fight.

This was a fighter who bent the normal rules of engagment where boxing technique was concerned.

The sluggers found they couldn't hit him when he was standing in front of them while the technical boxers found that they could only get anywhere by attacking and aplying pressure.

When he was finaly beaten he had often bent his oponents style into something they wouldn't recognise.

 

Look Greb was exceptionally fast and well conditioned. We dn't know how he would have done against Dempsey over 15 because Kearn's would not let the fight happen, another key fight Dempsey managed to avoid.

Greb was nothing like Frazier. In fact , I have often made the analogy that the only fighter in recent memory anything like Greb was Calzaghe and he was a poor man's version. Greb proved himself against much larger men and his chin was exceptional.

I could easily see him giving Rocky fits but again I stress against Marciano he would be meeting the one guy with stamina equal to his own . Greb would not run him to exhustion. A great deal on this match up would be the ring size and the ref ...

 

"Where Have You Gone, Harry Greb?" Try this on, see if it fits:
http://www.thesweetscience.com/boxing-article/6785/where-you-gone-harry-greb/

 

I never saw Greb fight, but my late Dad and late Uncle did. Based on what they both told me, I pretty much agree with janitor. I would not feel comfortable betting against Greb. If he was fighting Marciano, and I had a choice, I wouldn't bet at all...just enjoy the fight. Greb would be a huge pain in the ass to anyone trying to fight him...in my opinion.

If I HAD to bet on a Greb - Marciano fight, I would bet on Marciano, but it would NOT be a comfortable bet! According to my Dad, Greb's work rate, overall speed, chin, and stamina, in a real fight, were almost superhuman...and I have no reason to doubt his opinion.

 

Awsome awsome article.

It put a couple of things into perspective for me.

Like that Gene Tunney probably only lasted the distance in that first fight because he was given so many supressants and stimulants that it risked killing him.

"At the end of Greb-Tunney fight, Tunney collapsed and had to be carried into his dressing room. Stubbornly refusing to go to the hospital, doctors on the scene stitched up Gene’s face, reset his nose, and used a stomach pump to remove about two quarts of blood, brandy and orange juice, and adrenalin chloride. Greb, unmarked, didn’t look like he even had a fight. He spent the night drinking ginger ale (his preferred beverage) in a speakeasy surrounded by friends."

I might quote a few more lines in one of the other Greb threads circulating at the moment.

 

Greb should have his early moments ,but eventually Marciano lands some heavy shots and even Greb can be stopped.Body shots would take the steam out of Greb, short punches as Tunney threw.Marciano by 9rd ko.

 

Completely agree...

 

Thanks very much for that excellent ,informative read:good

 

Interesting, what did they say about Greb's style?

 

Me too.

 

People leave out what trouble Greb had with Norfalk, a compact, very strong, hard punching light heavy ... sound like someone ?

 

It would be a a KO much like the way Marciano Ko'd Harry kID MATTHEWS BUT A LATER ROUND LIKE ko IN 5-6

 

Likely Marciano by KO, just a guess obviously.

 

Joe Louis would stop Rocky I think, he was roughly 200 lbs.... so in a way your right, it wouldnt go 15.