What would Harry Greb look like on film?

That's the big question, isn't it? According to contemporary accounts Greb was almost comically quick (I believe it was Dempsey who claimed Greb was quicker than lightweight champion Benny Leonard) with remarkable reflexes and a tireless, aggressive style. I still hold out hope that some day, some hoarding collector will finally see fit to release his long-hidden copy of boxing's Holy Grail - footage of Harry Greb in the ring, perhaps against Mickey Walker or Gene Tunney.

 

We all live in hopes!

 

This is just a guess on my part, but I always view Harry Greb like Henry Armstrong. Just a guess but Armstrong is the closent we have of Greb in regards to Style. The heavyweights dont have Greb or Armstrong's punch out put, so I omitted Fraizer and Marciano in this regard.

 

I've always thought of Greb as a little less powerful than Hank, but with more versatility and perhaps a little more speed.

 

I think Greb was MORE powerful than Armstrong because unlike Armstrong, Greb jump all the way to heavyweight and was beating the top contenders in his era. He was doing BETTER vs the heavyweights than Dempsey did vs the same foes. All this with no film in regards. Both were weight jumpers, but I feel Greb's wins at the heavyweight level would make Greb more stronger. Of couse Armstrong started out as a lightweight.

 

Well there ya go, i always thought Hank started more at Featherweight. I also thought Greb had average power. He's got under 50% stoppage rate while Hank sits around 66% and both scaled the divisions.

 

Because of the ban enacted on the interstate transport of boxing contest footage in effect throughout Greb's career, the places to look for this historic footage would be in the states and communities where they actually took place. With the exception of a handful of matches in Canada, Harry boxed his entire career in the U.S.A. (He was no world traveler like Jack Johnson and Sam Langford. The main reason we have the film of Walker/Milligan is because Mickey sailed to the U.K. to defend his MW Title in London.)

 

He would have to look great because you can't have a record that good with that many great boxers names on it and not look great. Is there really no film of this great middleweight? I find that hard to believe.

 

While some of Greb's fights were indeed filmed, the question is, do they still exist, and if so, are they salvagable?

 

Oh sure, I've heard the rumors, the second-and-third-hand accounts, the vague whispers, etc. etc. etc.

And yet I haven't seen so much as a single captured frame from this supposed footage. That places it pretty low on my list of things that may or or not exist. Lower than this guy:

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I think you are right.

Greb's knockouts tended to be death by a thousand cuts. He might not knock you out but your face would look worse than if you fought George Foreman.

 

The event is prety well documented.

 

I knew that they sparred , and that Harry supposedly got the better of Jack ,but didnt know it was filmed Janitor ,thats good news at least!