Tunney 1st fight : "I had never bled so much before, nor have I since. For most of this fight, I saw Greb as a red-filmed phantom bouncing before me. When the 12th round ended. I believed it was a good time to take a swallow of orange juice and brandy. I had no sooner done so when the ring started swirling around. I had never taken anything during the fight up to that time. Nor did I ever again. When the thirteenth round started, I saw two bobbing red opponents rushing in at me. I don;t know to this day how I ever survived."
Damon Runyon: "Fighters who lose fights have cut eyes, broken noses, torn lips and broken bones. Tonight, Gene Tunney simply had a broken face
(
). He had no business being around for the full 15 rounds but, he was and you have to take your hat off to this boy. He has the kind of courage of which great champions are made."
William Muldoon of fight II(NYC boxing commis) "The decision in Tunney's favour was simply unjustifiable"
Gene Tunney on fight II - "No one was surprised as I when Joe Humphreys lifted my hand in token of victory. Greb relentlessly battered me around the ring from the sixth to the twelfth round. They told me in my corner I was losing and that if I wanted to win I would have to capture the remaining rounds or knock him out. In sheer desperation I came out at the start of the twelfth and luckily hit Greb with a long right on the cheekbone that had everything I had in it. It knocked him to the ropes, he slowed up considerably. Fight, fight; hit, hit. I kept on repeating to myself - and did. Realizing there was some justice in his claim of a bad decision I offered him a return engagement."
They fought a third time ten months later and Tunney won clearly.
Greb: Post fight 5th fight: "You've become a helluva good fighter, Gene. Tonight you hurt me more than I was ever hurt before, and I'm lucky I was still around at the end of 10 rounds. You'd stop me for sure next time, I'm satisfied to call it quits as far as fightign you is concerned."
Greb on Tunney vs Dempsey: " I fought them both-Dempsey only in the gymnasium but, for the kill- and Gene's too smart for him, He'll counter-punch him silly. He's tough as hell too and the best body puncher I ever fought.
To the shock of most it turned out Greb was indeed correct.
Sources: Kings of the Ring: The History of Heavyweight Boxing. - Gavin Evans.
Damon Runyon: "Fighters who lose fights have cut eyes, broken noses, torn lips and broken bones. Tonight, Gene Tunney simply had a broken face
(
). He had no business being around for the full 15 rounds but, he was and you have to take your hat off to this boy. He has the kind of courage of which great champions are made."William Muldoon of fight II(NYC boxing commis) "The decision in Tunney's favour was simply unjustifiable"
Gene Tunney on fight II - "No one was surprised as I when Joe Humphreys lifted my hand in token of victory. Greb relentlessly battered me around the ring from the sixth to the twelfth round. They told me in my corner I was losing and that if I wanted to win I would have to capture the remaining rounds or knock him out. In sheer desperation I came out at the start of the twelfth and luckily hit Greb with a long right on the cheekbone that had everything I had in it. It knocked him to the ropes, he slowed up considerably. Fight, fight; hit, hit. I kept on repeating to myself - and did. Realizing there was some justice in his claim of a bad decision I offered him a return engagement."
They fought a third time ten months later and Tunney won clearly.
Greb: Post fight 5th fight: "You've become a helluva good fighter, Gene. Tonight you hurt me more than I was ever hurt before, and I'm lucky I was still around at the end of 10 rounds. You'd stop me for sure next time, I'm satisfied to call it quits as far as fightign you is concerned."
Greb on Tunney vs Dempsey: " I fought them both-Dempsey only in the gymnasium but, for the kill- and Gene's too smart for him, He'll counter-punch him silly. He's tough as hell too and the best body puncher I ever fought.
To the shock of most it turned out Greb was indeed correct.
Sources: Kings of the Ring: The History of Heavyweight Boxing. - Gavin Evans.
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