Harry Greb

[sonnyboyx2]

i wonder what happened to that dempsey- greb bout. maybe after dempsey annilhated firpo, greb was figured not to have a chance. actually for 8 rounds id have bet on greb; not 15 though. i think the pryor analogy to greb's style is very appropro. greb best ever- i too go with robinson, but greb i think was number 2.

yes over 8 rounds you would have to give Greb an excellent shout of winning

[Kid McCoy]

What hasn't been mentioned is the role of Billy Gibson. He was in Greb's corner as his second for the first fight but by the second fight he was Tunney's manager.
Gibson lobbied the New York boxing commission to protect Tunney against Greb's fouling.
This certainly loomed large over the fight and before the fight began there was the amusing sight of Tunney standing still while Greb demonstrated on Tunney's body various blows he would use and asking for the refereee Haley's ruling.
Though it undoubtedly inhibited Greb and Tunney had certainly wised up after the first fight and Greb felt Tunney hit him low in every round.
The judges were split and the referee having the deciding vote gave it to Tunney.
The next day Haley declared "that Greb's foul tactics, including holding and butting, influenced the verdict which he and the judges gave to Tunney, despite the Pittsburgher's apparent margin on points"

I certainly shared Sonny's view for many years and it was the concensus that Greb won the first then Tunney sussed him and won the other 4. Over the years the 4th fight has been changed to a draw and a lot of doubt has been cast on the second fight so it doesn't look as clear cut as it was

Tunney was no angel either. One tactic he was repeatedly criticised for was pulling Greb's head towards him and then claiming he'd been butted. Nor was he beyond embellishing accounts of their series to make himself look better, especially when Greb wasn't around to refute them, in particular Greb's dirtiness and his claim that Greb didn't want to fight him again after their fifth bout.

I also used to believe that Tunney pretty much got Greb's number after the fight fight, but then I started looking into it more and came to the conclusion that history has done Greb a disservice. At worst the series should have ended dead even.

Far be it for me to challenge IBRO but am I the only one who thinks that maybe Greb is a little low on this:


He had wins over 6 of the top 20 I have little doubt he would of added Carpentier to that list as well.
Factor in his win over Kid Norfolk who many would put in the top 20 and 13 seems a little low to me

I find it ironic that Greb rarely features in all-time light-heavyweights lists considering he spent much of his career fighting within the light-heavy limit and beat more men on that list than any of the others

[Heavy Bag]

I have no problem with Greb being called the greatest fighter of all time.

[QueensburyRules]

your correct GJC there is definate fight-film footage of Harry Greb vs Mickey Walker but wether it will ever be unearthed and shown in our lifetimes is another story, Greb complained about the heat of the lights above the ring after the Walker fight with the lights being there for the filming of the fight. the most likely owner of that footage will be Walt Disney who bought the Big Fights Inc. there is footage of Greb signing to fight Walker on Youtube along with some sparring footage so its my guess the fight is archived by them to protect there investment yet boy would i like to watch that.

- -Interesting filming intrigue. Keep Hope Alive...

[QueensburyRules]

i think it will have been transfered over the years.. Walt Disney bought Big Fights Inc. for around $160 million there is no way they was paying that kind of money for fights of Joe Louis & Muhammad Ali etc... it is the turn of the century footage which they have invested in of fighters like Greb, Leonard, Gans, Langford etc.. i have Johnson vs Willard full fight and the quality is as good as anything i have seen from the 1960s if not better, i cannot see how Harry Greb and Mickey Walker would not be filmed.

- - Interesting how boxing "experts" on the forum today show no interest in this potential gemstone.

Perhaps they ain't boxing film history experts. Only a few years ago lost Langford vs Jennette footage filmed for the Heavy title stripped by the French from JJohnson was unearthed in a fine stylistic clash fight that greatly favored Sam.

[JAB5239]

- - Interesting how boxing "experts" on the forum today show no interest in this potential gemstone.

Perhaps they ain't boxing film history experts. Only a few years ago lost Langford vs Jennette footage filmed for the Heavy title stripped by the French from JJohnson was unearthed in a fine stylistic clash fight that greatly favored Sam.

I'd say there is more chance of any surviving film of this fight than any fictitious film of the Pep-Robinson amateur fight....wouldn't you?

[QueensburyRules]

I'd say there is more chance of any surviving film of this fight than any fictitious film of the Pep-Robinson amateur fight....wouldn't you?

- - Naysayers always gonna poot out a horse's behind.

[JAB5239]

- - Naysayers always gonna poot out a horse's behind.

And conspiracy theorists and liars are always gonna make claims they can never back up with facts.

[QueensburyRules]

And conspiracy theorists and liars are always gonna make claims they can never back up with facts.

- - You have no facts, just a horse's patootie...

[JAB5239]

- - You have no facts, just a horse's patootie...

Here is a fact for you. It's a FACT that you can't show anything stating the Pep-Robinson amateur fight was ever filmed, let alone trying to prove film exists. If this isn't a FACT, feel free to prove it.