A Summary of Greb

**Cressa121** · 05-18-2011 01:32 PM

Thanks for that. Looking at his accomplishments, hearing how highly other fighters thought of him at that time and seeing footage of some of the fighters he beat certainly indicates he was something special.

That website link you posted in the other thread has a few newspaper articles about the possibility of Greb fighting Dempsey. It mentions the sparring sessions and of a deal being close at one point around 1922, but doesn't say why they never fought. Why was that? Did Dempsey just decide against it and to continue touring the country? The articles date to about 1920 when it talks of a possible Greb-Dempsey match, and Dempsey only fought 6 times between 1920 and 1926 against Miske (for whom he sparred with Greb), Brennan, Carpentier, Darcy, Gibbons and Firpo.

Or was it because Greb lost twice to Tunney and once to Loughran in 1923, killing the possibility of a Dempsey fight? Just curious as to why it never happened when the articles indicated it was almost a done deal

**KananKrus** · 05-18-2011 04:03 PM

Harry Greb is best known as the only fighter to defeat the great "fighting marine" Gene Tunney! These boxing icons fought five times...

Greb wins the first - ... American Light Heavyweight Title Bout broadcast on radio by KDKA
"Pittsburgh Post reported that Tunney fought extremely well. He made a great fight for 10 rounds, but Greb set a pace in the last five that overwhelmed Gene. Tunney's eyebrows were cut and he bled at the nose and mouth. Greb fought his usual fight, all over his man, and chopping him up. Tunney fought Greb much better than Tommy Gibbons had done in New York."

They rematched four more times... with Tunney winning two in a row... a NC, and ending the saga with a win.

The first rematch - "Most experts thought that Tunney had an edge by his cleaner blows. Regis Welsh of the Pittsburgh Post thought that Greb was robbed. Greb was the aggressor and Tunney the counterpuncher. Greb was made to observe the rules closely and this undoubtedly curbed his usual free-wheeling style. The fight was undoubtedly closely contested"

The second rematch - "The concensus was that Tunney won 9 rounds, Greb four, and two were even. Tunney mounted a body attack that allowed him to dominate the fight from rounds 8 to 14. The first seven rounds were evenly fought and Greb rallied strongly to win the 15th. Greb landed many more punches but Tunney's were harder and cleaner. There were no knockdowns."

The third rematch -"Referee stated he would have ruled a draw;
Stuart M. Bell from Cleveland Plain Dealer scored for Greb 6-3-1;
Lima News (AP) called it a draw, but reported that many ringsiders, including those from Pittsburgh thought Tunney had the edge; Lincoln State Journal stated majority of ringside reporters had it a draw; Oakland Tribune said majority thought it a draw, although Tunney "possibly entitled to the shade"; Ray Coll in Pittsburgh Gazette-Times scored it a draw;
Zanesville Signal (INS wire) gave edge to Greb 5-4-1; Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune/Milwaukee Journal (United News wire) said newspapermen gave Greb "all but the tenth round"; Jim Jab from Pittsburg Press scored for Greb 7-3"

The last -"Tunney gave Greb as thorough a beating as he has ever received. So completely was Greb outclassed and outfought in six of the ten rounds that he resorted to a defensive fight after the third and thereafter was guilty of persistent holding and stalling varied only by rare flashes of offensive fighting, which Tunney quickly terminated by a devastating attack. Tunney concentrated his fire almost entirely on Greb's heart and body, landing with deadly accuracy and telling effect. After a flashy start, Greb went on the defensive and let entire rounds go by without making more than a weak show of attack, without landing a decisive punch, even on those rare occasions when he undertook to do the leading." (Associated Press)

Harry Greb videos:

Gene Tunney highlight videos

"The Long Count."...
Tunney vs Dempsey

**marbleheadmaui** · 05-18-2011 05:22 PM

Originally Posted by KananKrus

Harry Greb is best known as the only fighter to defeat the great "fighting marine" Gene Tunney! These boxing icons fought five times...

Greb wins the first - ... American Light Heavyweight Title Bout broadcast on radio by KDKA
"Pittsburgh Post reported that Tunney fought extremely well. He made a great fight for 10 rounds, but Greb set a pace in the last five that overwhelmed Gene. Tunney's eyebrows were cut and he bled at the nose and mouth. Greb fought his usual fight, all over his man, and chopping him up. Tunney fought Greb much better than Tommy Gibbons had done in New York."

They rematched four more times... with Tunney winning two in a row... a NC, and ending the saga with a win.

The first rematch - "Most experts thought that Tunney had an edge by his cleaner blows. Regis Welsh of the Pittsburgh Post thought that Greb was robbed. Greb was the aggressor and Tunney the counterpuncher. Greb was made to observe the rules closely and this undoubtedly curbed his usual free-wheeling style. The fight was undoubtedly closely contested"

The second rematch - "The concensus was that Tunney won 9 rounds, Greb four, and two were even. Tunney mounted a body attack that allowed him to dominate the fight from rounds 8 to 14. The first seven rounds were evenly fought and Greb rallied strongly to win the 15th. Greb landed many more punches but Tunney's were harder and cleaner. There were no knockdowns."

The third rematch -"Referee stated he would have ruled a draw;
Stuart M. Bell from Cleveland Plain Dealer scored for Greb 6-3-1;
Lima News (AP) called it a draw, but reported that many ringsiders, including those from Pittsburgh thought Tunney had the edge; Lincoln State Journal stated majority of ringside reporters had it a draw; Oakland Tribune said majority thought it a draw, although Tunney "possibly entitled to the shade"; Ray Coll in Pittsburgh Gazette-Times scored it a draw;
Zanesville Signal (INS wire) gave edge to Greb 5-4-1; Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune/Milwaukee Journal (United News wire) said newspapermen gave Greb "all but the tenth round"; Jim Jab from Pittsburg Press scored for Greb 7-3"

The last -"Tunney gave Greb as thorough a beating as he has ever received. So completely was Greb outclassed and outfought in six of the ten rounds that he resorted to a defensive fight after the third and thereafter was guilty of persistent holding and stalling varied only by rare flashes of offensive fighting, which Tunney quickly terminated by a devastating attack. Tunney concentrated his fire almost entirely on Greb's heart and body, landing with deadly accuracy and telling effect. After a flashy start, Greb went on the defensive and let entire rounds go by without making more than a weak show of attack, without landing a decisive punch, even on those rare occasions when he undertook to do the leading." (Associated Press)

Harry Greb videos:

Gene Tunney highlight videos

"The Long Count."...
Tunney vs Dempsey

Great post. Thanks!

**marbleheadmaui** · 05-18-2011 05:21 PM

Originally Posted by Cressa121

Thanks for that. Looking at his accomplishments, hearing how highly other fighters thought of him at that time and seeing footage of some of the fighters he beat certainly indicates he was something special.

That website link you posted in the other thread has a few newspaper articles about the possibility of Greb fighting Dempsey. It mentions the sparring sessions and of a deal being close at one point around 1922, but doesn't say why they never fought. Why was that? Did Dempsey just decide against it and to continue touring the country? The articles date to about 1920 when it talks of a possible Greb-Dempsey match, and Dempsey only fought 6 times between 1920 and 1926 against Miske (for whom he sparred with Greb), Brennan, Carpentier, Darcy, Gibbons and Firpo.

Or was it because Greb lost twice to Tunney and once to Loughran in 1923, killing the possibility of a Dempsey fight? Just curious as to why it never happened when the articles indicated it was almost a done deal

There are conflicting reports on why that fight didn't happen. One of course is Greb scared the crap out of Jack Kearns, Dempsey's manager. A second is Greb at 165 or so just wouldn't be sellable as heavyweight material for an "event fight." The second is a little tougher to swallow given he had beaten several men Dempsey later fought for the crown. I think you're right on Tunney. Greb lost that spot when he lost to Tunney a couple of times.

There is one other thing to remember. Back then the heavyweight crown was so important and so visible the champion made as much or more money doing ancillary things, movies, vaudeville, exhibitions without risk that only event fights really made financial sense.