Heavyweight Champions You Figure Greb Would Beat

[Kid Cauliflower]

For starters I think he beats Tommy Burns.

[Bronson66]

For starters I think he beats Tommy Burns.

Braddock?

[Kid Cauliflower]

Marvin Hart.

[QueensburyRules]

- - Tubby Lar 4 sure…

[Kid Cauliflower]

- - Tubby Lar 4 sure…

So when you triangulate that (as you are wont to do) Tunney beats Tubby Lar too.

[JAB5239]

Wins

Fitz
Hart
Burns
Schmeling
Sharkey
Braddock
Johansson

Possible wins

Sullivan
Corbett
Willard
Dempsey
Louis
Carnera
Baer
Patterson
Ellis
Spinks (both brothers)
Weaver
Coetzee
Thomas
Berbick
Smith
Seldom
Moorer
Ruiz
Byrd

[Willie Pep 229]

Wins

• Fitz (NEVER)
• Braddock (Braddock at his best? No! Would take him apart like Tunney did in the end; yet a larger man than Tunney)
• Johansson (Maybe, so long as he doesn't eat too many right hands.)
• Willard (Unlikely over 45; he can't hurt the giant if Johnson couldn’t; maybe steal a fight over 12, running away)
• Dempsey (Never; hits too hard; Greb can't hurt him. Eventually succumbs to the blows. Greb has said pretty much the same himself. Greb envisioned winning a decision if he could surrive, but had serious apprehension he would.)
• Louis (Never)
• Baer (Too many rights hands)
• Patterson (Great fight; Patterson because of size; the one guy who can match Greb's hand speed; exciting fight)
• Spinks (Loses to Michael UD; beats Neon over 12)
• Moorer (Never; too strong, hits too hard; Greb the feather duster can't hurt him. Moorer would beat him down.

"Featered Fisted." Every big man on the list beats him down. He can't go face first into Max Bear, he'd tear his head off.

The few I left-off at the top I have no opinion. The bottom part of the list I don't consider champions. (See your edited post above.)

Greb struggled with MWs strength wise and even found Mickey Walker difficult. Big HW fighters who can punch would wear him down and finish him. He lacked the punch to keep them off him. Greb usually supplemented his lack of power with relentless activity, i.e. the infamous windmill attack. He can get away with that in sparing with Dempsey, and look good doing it. It would be a different story if Dempsey doesn't spar with him, but instead attacks him.)

He can't get away with the windmill against large men who can punch, i.e. HW Champions.

[Willie Pep 229]

How about giving Harry Greb his proper due and run him against the great MWs.

I think Hager would give him a real hard time. I could see it going 2-1 Hagler's way, with Greb winning the first fight only, close. I think Hagler figures him out after that, the way Tunney did. Greb was ready made for a great counter puncher.

Monzon
Griffith
Benvenuti
LaMotta
SRR

are some others to look at.

I believe everyone on that list gives him a difficult fight. Winner undetermined. Even Benvenuti.

Benvenuti went 64 straight wins at Jr. MW until he was jobbed in South Korea. Also his straight up classic European Style at 5' 11" (Tunney like style) would prove difficult.

I think this whole HW thing is overreach. We try too hard to make certain fighters superman.

[JAB5239]

"Featered Fisted." Every big man on the list beats him down. He can't go face first into Max Bear, he'd tear his head off.

The few I left-off at the top I have no opinion. The bottom part of the list I don't consider champions. (See your edited post above.)

Greb struggled with MWs strength wise and even found Mickey Walker difficult. Big HW fighters who can punch would wear him down and finish him. He lacked the punch to keep them off him. Greb usually supplemented his lack of power with relentless activity, i.e. the infamous windmill attack. He can get away with that in sparing with Dempsey, and look good doing it. It would be a different story if Dempsey doesn't spar with him, but instead attacks him.)

He can't get away with the windmill against large men who can punch, i.e. HW Champions.

Never over Fitz, Really? I'm interested in the reasoning for this opinion.

[them_apples]

For starters I think he beats Tommy Burns.

Because Greb is a gladiator, his personality would figure out ways to beat many heavyweights. Greb isn’t a fighter who would just run in a brawl with bigger men, he would overpower smaller men, run circles around larger men. One of the reasons he only had about a 40 percent Ko ratio is because he was often fighting far outside of his weight class.

for example against a heavyweight like Holyfield, he stands a very good chance of overwhelming him for 12 rounds while Holyfield swings at air. Greb didn’t fight like any other boxer, he had moves he made up all by himself and worked them into his craft by fighting 40+ times a year. Greb was a unicorn. He was shunned by boxings largest promoters it seems, but people really don’t understand this guys personality or the type of man he was.

against a taller heavyweight like Lewis, once again instead of only thinking about what happens if Lewis lands, consider thinking how much he may struggle hitting a short speedy buzzsaw with no fear of heavyweights. A true gladiator. He died young.