Sugar Ray Robinson v Harry Greb

Tough call, not having seen any film of Greb fighting.

Both were fast, skilled, tough, possessing plenty of stamina and all the heart of a great champion. Their respective records boast victories over a who's who of the elite fighters of their eras.

Greb routinely fought and beat middleweights, light-heavies, and heavyweights. He is the only man who holds a win over Gene Tunney and he defeated most of the heavies Dempsey defended against.

Robinson was a marvel at welterweight. By the time he challenged for the middleweight title, he had only one loss on his record - a decision loss to the same man who now held the middleweight title whom he had defeated four times after that lone loss. But after moving up in weight, Robinson was not so unbeatable anymore. In his first defense he lost to Randy Turpin and was fortunate to beat Turpin in the return as a bad cut threatened stoppage. In his step-up against the durable but light-hitting Joey Maxim for the light-heavy title, he was ahead in the scoring when he suffered the only stoppage loss in his long and distinguished career. The intense heat at ringside is often blamed for that loss, but Sugar Ray never again challenged for the light heavy title. He retired later that year. He came back a couple years later to regain the middle title but lost a tune-up to Ralph 'Tiger' Jones. He was in his mid-30s now and he won and lost the title to Gene Fullmer, Carmen Basilio, and lost it finally Paul Pender when he was close to 40.

So comparing the careers of these two greats, I would conclude that as middleweights Greb had the better record. He was more consistent in his success against world-class opposition in heavier divisions. Robinson may have been the better puncher of the two, but Greb's windmill style of attack would keep the pressure on Ray throughout the fight. A younger, welterweight Robinson would probably make for a closer fight, but here I believe the size differential would tip the advantage to Greb. A Greb-Robinson matchup promises an evening of boxing, punching, grit and determination that make for an all-time classic. I see a hard-fought battle that goes the limit with Greb winning the decision.

 

P4P King.

 

At MW - Greb.

 

Think greb beat tunney once out of 3or4?? Fights maybe I can't recall he was unbeatable at heavyweight retired very early I think he was and would of proven himself one of best heavy weight of all time don't know if u agree?? I see Robinson beating greb with his great skills at his very best I don't know enough on greb for me to analyse whether he could so I base it on that I know what you mean about the weight very good point sugar was better at welter middle was more to grebs advances and he was bigger. some that did see him swore he was greatest fighting machine that ever lived it's shame we didn't get to see this very special boxer .

 

Would it be fair to conclude that the middleweight Ray Robinson was far too old and inconsistent to be favoured over Harry Greb.

And the prime vesion was simply too small.

 

Greb beat Tunney and Mickey Walker, 2 guys who would have given SRR a handful.

 

What?

 

And a young Tommy Loughran.

 

Great point.