1920
Showing posts with label greb. Show all posts
Showing posts with label greb. Show all posts
Bagley
"It my first fight with Greb. I had taken a frightful beating. Awful. But the next morning my then-manager Doc Bagley said 'You certainly gave me a hard time last night, kid. Working on those cuts. It was rough.' While Bagley talked to me, the doctor was sewing up my eyebrows with a big needle. It felt as if he were pulling my eyeballs out. 'Yes,' I told Bagley, 'you had it rough.' But in my mind I said, 'I'm going to get rid of this fellow.'
(Gene Tunney)
Oct 28, 1920.
"Harry Greb, light-heavyweight of Pittsburgh, won the newspaper decision over Mickey Shannon of Newark N.J. in their ten round bout here Thursday night. Greb scored a knockdown in the ninth round, but Shannon recovered and was able to stay the limit." (Decatur Daily Review) The Pittsburgh Post reported that Greb went in and simply traded blows with the heavier Shannon, making little effort at defense. Shannon held his own in the first round and clearly won the second. Greb handed out a lot of punishment in the next four rounds. Shannon rallied in the 7th, but Greb fought back and cut his eye. Greb socked Shannon all over the ring in the last three rounds, flooring him for a 3-count in the 9th. Shannon was badly marked at the end.
And these are the gloves that Greb wore...
"Harry Greb, light-heavyweight of Pittsburgh, won the newspaper decision over Mickey Shannon of Newark N.J. in their ten round bout here Thursday night. Greb scored a knockdown in the ninth round, but Shannon recovered and was able to stay the limit." (Decatur Daily Review) The Pittsburgh Post reported that Greb went in and simply traded blows with the heavier Shannon, making little effort at defense. Shannon held his own in the first round and clearly won the second. Greb handed out a lot of punishment in the next four rounds. Shannon rallied in the 7th, but Greb fought back and cut his eye. Greb socked Shannon all over the ring in the last three rounds, flooring him for a 3-count in the 9th. Shannon was badly marked at the end.
And these are the gloves that Greb wore...
An epic comeback by Harry Greb in his 1923 fight with Soldier Jones.
..........
The first round began with Greb forcing the fight while Jones “missed with lefts and rights.” Greb hooked lefts and rights to the body and face while Jones continued to miss. According to the Pittsburgh Post, “Both were swinging wild and Jones sent a left to the chin, which backed Greb up to the ropes. Jones hooked a left to the head and Greb went down.” It was just one minute into the first round. Being blind in his right eye, he probably didn’t even see the left punch coming. While he was being counted out, Greb “lolled and rolled about on the lower ropes.” While the count continued Greb was able to “regain his feet after a count of eight and wobble about like a drunken man.” Jones continued his attack “and another right caught Greb’s chin.” Greb went down again, this time holding on to Jones’s legs. Referee Joe Keally had counted to four when Greb finally staggered to his feet. Greb went in for a clinch to try to clear his head. While Greb was still “groggy” Jones landed two more left hooks. Mason called for Greb from a corner since he was “staggering and did not know which corner to go to.”
In between rounds Greb sat “limp” on his chair while Mason tried to revive him. “Mason worked frantically but wisely over him, rubbed his tired legs back into life, massaged his ears and brought color back into his pale face.”
Greb came out at the start of the second round still blinking, tired and groggy, but slowly recovering due to the help of his manager. After a minute of the round Greb had seemingly recovered, and it looked like he would survive. Then Jones landed two more left hooks to the head which rocked Greb again. Greb went in for a clinch then later landed a left and right of his own. These punches were able to delay Jones’s attack until the bell rang to end the round.
When in his corner Greb was silent, but then halfway through the rest time he began to “straighten up in his chair and began talking to Mason.” When the third round started the crowd was “standing on chairs, yelling and howling for Greb.” This seemed to refresh Greb, who then “began moving, swinging, jabbing, hooking and throwing with both hands.” With one of the best chins in boxing history, Greb had shaken off the cobwebs and finally recovered. Throughout the third round his energy continued to replenish itself with Greb throwing “right and left overhand punches to Jones’ head and face.” Near the end of the third round Greb threw a punch that caused a “gaping cut” over Jones’s right eye. The third round was awarded to Greb.
By round four Greb was not only fully recovered but was dominating Jones. He was even able to stagger Jones with a right to the chin. The Post wrote: “Greb was battering Jones to all sides of the ring at the bell. It was a terrific round and Greb had a big margin, sending Jones to his corner with his right eye closed.” Now, unbeknown to most people, both boxers were fighting with only one eye.
For the rest of the fight Greb proceeded to punish Jones so badly it was described as “a slaughter.” Greb landed twenty unanswered punches in the fifth round, and by the sixth round “Jones was wobbling around. It was another round for Greb and Jones seemed more tired even than Greb was in the first two rounds.” By the seventh Jones was “leg weary” and only managed to land two blows. Greb was back to his normal self and was completely dominating his opponent, who was staggering around groggily. At the end of the round the referee had to ask Jones if he wanted to continue. In round eight “Greb hooked a hard right to Jones’ chin and Jones went down for the count of nine, Jones arose and seemed helpless as Greb pounded.”
Jones continued to stagger around at the start of round nine. During the round Greb punished Jones severely, “which made the soldier’s face a mass of blood.” Jones had one eye closed while blood flowed from his nose and mouth. The tenth round was much the same. When the fight ended Greb had lost the first two rounds but won the remaining eight in a very one-sided finish. It was said to be one of the biggest massacres Greb had dished out. A headline in the Post the next day read, “Pittsburgh’s great boxer displays wonderful gameness and recuperative powers. Tears into Soldier Jones, earning verdict by taking last eight rounds.”
(by Bill Paxton)
..........
The first round began with Greb forcing the fight while Jones “missed with lefts and rights.” Greb hooked lefts and rights to the body and face while Jones continued to miss. According to the Pittsburgh Post, “Both were swinging wild and Jones sent a left to the chin, which backed Greb up to the ropes. Jones hooked a left to the head and Greb went down.” It was just one minute into the first round. Being blind in his right eye, he probably didn’t even see the left punch coming. While he was being counted out, Greb “lolled and rolled about on the lower ropes.” While the count continued Greb was able to “regain his feet after a count of eight and wobble about like a drunken man.” Jones continued his attack “and another right caught Greb’s chin.” Greb went down again, this time holding on to Jones’s legs. Referee Joe Keally had counted to four when Greb finally staggered to his feet. Greb went in for a clinch to try to clear his head. While Greb was still “groggy” Jones landed two more left hooks. Mason called for Greb from a corner since he was “staggering and did not know which corner to go to.”
In between rounds Greb sat “limp” on his chair while Mason tried to revive him. “Mason worked frantically but wisely over him, rubbed his tired legs back into life, massaged his ears and brought color back into his pale face.”
Greb came out at the start of the second round still blinking, tired and groggy, but slowly recovering due to the help of his manager. After a minute of the round Greb had seemingly recovered, and it looked like he would survive. Then Jones landed two more left hooks to the head which rocked Greb again. Greb went in for a clinch then later landed a left and right of his own. These punches were able to delay Jones’s attack until the bell rang to end the round.
When in his corner Greb was silent, but then halfway through the rest time he began to “straighten up in his chair and began talking to Mason.” When the third round started the crowd was “standing on chairs, yelling and howling for Greb.” This seemed to refresh Greb, who then “began moving, swinging, jabbing, hooking and throwing with both hands.” With one of the best chins in boxing history, Greb had shaken off the cobwebs and finally recovered. Throughout the third round his energy continued to replenish itself with Greb throwing “right and left overhand punches to Jones’ head and face.” Near the end of the third round Greb threw a punch that caused a “gaping cut” over Jones’s right eye. The third round was awarded to Greb.
By round four Greb was not only fully recovered but was dominating Jones. He was even able to stagger Jones with a right to the chin. The Post wrote: “Greb was battering Jones to all sides of the ring at the bell. It was a terrific round and Greb had a big margin, sending Jones to his corner with his right eye closed.” Now, unbeknown to most people, both boxers were fighting with only one eye.
For the rest of the fight Greb proceeded to punish Jones so badly it was described as “a slaughter.” Greb landed twenty unanswered punches in the fifth round, and by the sixth round “Jones was wobbling around. It was another round for Greb and Jones seemed more tired even than Greb was in the first two rounds.” By the seventh Jones was “leg weary” and only managed to land two blows. Greb was back to his normal self and was completely dominating his opponent, who was staggering around groggily. At the end of the round the referee had to ask Jones if he wanted to continue. In round eight “Greb hooked a hard right to Jones’ chin and Jones went down for the count of nine, Jones arose and seemed helpless as Greb pounded.”
Jones continued to stagger around at the start of round nine. During the round Greb punished Jones severely, “which made the soldier’s face a mass of blood.” Jones had one eye closed while blood flowed from his nose and mouth. The tenth round was much the same. When the fight ended Greb had lost the first two rounds but won the remaining eight in a very one-sided finish. It was said to be one of the biggest massacres Greb had dished out. A headline in the Post the next day read, “Pittsburgh’s great boxer displays wonderful gameness and recuperative powers. Tears into Soldier Jones, earning verdict by taking last eight rounds.”
(by Bill Paxton)
Sept 2, 1920 -
Dempsey tackled Bill Tate, Harry Greb and Marty Farrell in sparring this afternoon. He took them on in that order, boxing two rounds with Tate and three each with Greb and Farrell. The bout with Greb was a real one. It was the best work-out Dempsey has had. The Pittsburgher was in prime shape, and although he weighs only 165 pounds he gave the champion a real honust-to-goodness battle. Dempsey hasn't seen so many gloves in a long time as Greb showed him. Greb was all over him and kept forcing him around the ring throughout the session. Dempsey could do but little with the speedy light heavyweight, while Greb seemed to be able to hit Dempsey almost at will. Time and again Greb made the champion miss with his famous right and left hooks to the head and countered with heavy swings to the head and hooks to the body.
Greb was a veritable whirlwind. Twenty-five pounds lighter than the champion and about four inches shorter, Harry made the champion step lively. He had to jump off the floor to hit Dempsey in the head when the latter was standing straight, but managed to do it and landed without leaving himself open to Jack's snappy hooks and short swings. One of the most notable things about Dempsey's boxing is the fact that he is not hitting as straight as he did in Toledo. This is not a particularly good sign. Why he should hook and swing his blows more is a mystery. He can hit straight when he wants to, and when he does his blows carry a wealth of power behind them, for the champion knows how to put his powerful shoulders behind his punches and how also to get the necessary asistance from his legs by rising to the ball of the rearward foot when the punch gets over. It may be that Dempsey does not care to hit straight from the shoulder, fearing to punish his partners too severly.
Sept 3, 1920 -
Dempsey sparred three sessions with Harry Greb, Pittsburgh lightweight, and another trio with Marty Farrell, Pacific Coast middleweight. Miske felt the lack of capable sparring mates and he was compelled to set the pace himself. He stepped the first two rounds with George Wilson, a negro heavyweight, the second two with Jack Heinen.
Early in the third round Greb's head collided with Dempsey's mouth, cutting the champion's tongue so severly that he spat blood for the remainder of the round.
The Pittsburgher was in fine fettle after the excellent showing he made against the champion. He was full of pep. With the call of time signalizing the beginning of activities, Greb promptly rushed Dempsey. The onslaught was so sudden that Jack was caught off his guard and it took a solid left hook into the body, plied with all the force at Greb's command, which is considerable, to jolt Dempsey into action. Then the fur began to fly.
It was a whirlwind three rounds that these two fighters staged for the edification of the biggest crowd that has yet shoe-horned its way into the grandstand at the baseball park in front of which the ring is built. There were fully 2,000 people present, and they were treated to as much action in those three rounds as is usually crowded into eight of a real bout.
The bout caused the crowd to burst into cheers and prolonged applasuse. In fact, during the intermission between the second and third rounds Ted Hayes, who acts as announcer at the Dempsey camp, was compelled to request the spectators to refrain from urging either of the men to greater efforts.
Although Dempsey insists that his wind is perfect and that he is not troubled by shortness of breath while working out, to those who have studied him closely it appears as if his wind might be in better shape. He was puffing very hard after boxing Greb. Of course, it was an unusually fast workout, but it seemed to take him longer than it should to recover his wind even after so strenuous a session.
Sept 4, 1920 -
Harry Greb, looking as chipper as ever in his U.S. Navy Jersey and his black tights, climbed into the ring to take Dempsey over the jumps for two rounds of three minutes each.
Just as soon as they squared off it was apparent that there was to be none of the continuous slam-bang stuff which had accompanied their previous engagements. Greb did not rush the champion and they feinted and pranced about for a full minute before either made a real lead. Toward the close of the round they met near mid-ring and there was a sharp exchange of body punches. The second round was a little livelier, but it wasn't a cyclone, and the crowd was somewhat dissappointed. The fans had expected to see more of a real battling than had featured the jousts between these two.
"Doc Kearns, who was managing Jack Dempsey, refused to let his tiger in the ring with Harry Greb. They did spar on two occasions. The first time was when Dempsey was getting ready for his title defense against Billy Miske in Benton Harbor, Michigan. Greb ripped into dempsey, punching the heaveyweight champion as he pleased, until Kearns finally threw him out of the ring for being too rough."
"It is not generally known however, that Greb and Dempsey did actually meet in the ring. It was at Jack's Atlantic City training camp. They were to box four rounds with sixteen ounce training gloves. Jack Kearns refereed. Harry came snorting out of his corner raising hell with the heaveyweight champion's middle. Dempsey looked confused, he hesitated about throwing punches at first. But he became desperate along about the second round and started putting ginger behind his left hooks. But Greb raced around so fast and poked so many jabs into Jack's face that the great Mauler couldn't land one solid wallop during the entire exhibition. The next day, in bold black type the size off an egg, some papers carried the headline "GREB MAKES DEMPSEY LOOK LIKE A KITTEN."
(Quotes taken from - New York Times / The Washington Post / Ring Magazine / Boxing and Wrestling Magazine)
Dempsey tackled Bill Tate, Harry Greb and Marty Farrell in sparring this afternoon. He took them on in that order, boxing two rounds with Tate and three each with Greb and Farrell. The bout with Greb was a real one. It was the best work-out Dempsey has had. The Pittsburgher was in prime shape, and although he weighs only 165 pounds he gave the champion a real honust-to-goodness battle. Dempsey hasn't seen so many gloves in a long time as Greb showed him. Greb was all over him and kept forcing him around the ring throughout the session. Dempsey could do but little with the speedy light heavyweight, while Greb seemed to be able to hit Dempsey almost at will. Time and again Greb made the champion miss with his famous right and left hooks to the head and countered with heavy swings to the head and hooks to the body.
Greb was a veritable whirlwind. Twenty-five pounds lighter than the champion and about four inches shorter, Harry made the champion step lively. He had to jump off the floor to hit Dempsey in the head when the latter was standing straight, but managed to do it and landed without leaving himself open to Jack's snappy hooks and short swings. One of the most notable things about Dempsey's boxing is the fact that he is not hitting as straight as he did in Toledo. This is not a particularly good sign. Why he should hook and swing his blows more is a mystery. He can hit straight when he wants to, and when he does his blows carry a wealth of power behind them, for the champion knows how to put his powerful shoulders behind his punches and how also to get the necessary asistance from his legs by rising to the ball of the rearward foot when the punch gets over. It may be that Dempsey does not care to hit straight from the shoulder, fearing to punish his partners too severly.
Sept 3, 1920 -
Dempsey sparred three sessions with Harry Greb, Pittsburgh lightweight, and another trio with Marty Farrell, Pacific Coast middleweight. Miske felt the lack of capable sparring mates and he was compelled to set the pace himself. He stepped the first two rounds with George Wilson, a negro heavyweight, the second two with Jack Heinen.
Early in the third round Greb's head collided with Dempsey's mouth, cutting the champion's tongue so severly that he spat blood for the remainder of the round.
The Pittsburgher was in fine fettle after the excellent showing he made against the champion. He was full of pep. With the call of time signalizing the beginning of activities, Greb promptly rushed Dempsey. The onslaught was so sudden that Jack was caught off his guard and it took a solid left hook into the body, plied with all the force at Greb's command, which is considerable, to jolt Dempsey into action. Then the fur began to fly.
It was a whirlwind three rounds that these two fighters staged for the edification of the biggest crowd that has yet shoe-horned its way into the grandstand at the baseball park in front of which the ring is built. There were fully 2,000 people present, and they were treated to as much action in those three rounds as is usually crowded into eight of a real bout.
The bout caused the crowd to burst into cheers and prolonged applasuse. In fact, during the intermission between the second and third rounds Ted Hayes, who acts as announcer at the Dempsey camp, was compelled to request the spectators to refrain from urging either of the men to greater efforts.
Although Dempsey insists that his wind is perfect and that he is not troubled by shortness of breath while working out, to those who have studied him closely it appears as if his wind might be in better shape. He was puffing very hard after boxing Greb. Of course, it was an unusually fast workout, but it seemed to take him longer than it should to recover his wind even after so strenuous a session.
Sept 4, 1920 -
Harry Greb, looking as chipper as ever in his U.S. Navy Jersey and his black tights, climbed into the ring to take Dempsey over the jumps for two rounds of three minutes each.
Just as soon as they squared off it was apparent that there was to be none of the continuous slam-bang stuff which had accompanied their previous engagements. Greb did not rush the champion and they feinted and pranced about for a full minute before either made a real lead. Toward the close of the round they met near mid-ring and there was a sharp exchange of body punches. The second round was a little livelier, but it wasn't a cyclone, and the crowd was somewhat dissappointed. The fans had expected to see more of a real battling than had featured the jousts between these two.
"Doc Kearns, who was managing Jack Dempsey, refused to let his tiger in the ring with Harry Greb. They did spar on two occasions. The first time was when Dempsey was getting ready for his title defense against Billy Miske in Benton Harbor, Michigan. Greb ripped into dempsey, punching the heaveyweight champion as he pleased, until Kearns finally threw him out of the ring for being too rough."
"It is not generally known however, that Greb and Dempsey did actually meet in the ring. It was at Jack's Atlantic City training camp. They were to box four rounds with sixteen ounce training gloves. Jack Kearns refereed. Harry came snorting out of his corner raising hell with the heaveyweight champion's middle. Dempsey looked confused, he hesitated about throwing punches at first. But he became desperate along about the second round and started putting ginger behind his left hooks. But Greb raced around so fast and poked so many jabs into Jack's face that the great Mauler couldn't land one solid wallop during the entire exhibition. The next day, in bold black type the size off an egg, some papers carried the headline "GREB MAKES DEMPSEY LOOK LIKE A KITTEN."
(Quotes taken from - New York Times / The Washington Post / Ring Magazine / Boxing and Wrestling Magazine)
Aug. 21, 1924 : Fremont, Ohio, USA
"In a well-noted and controversial contest for such a local show, the world middleweight champion Harry Greb met the "colored" scrambler Tiger Flowers for a 10-round bout in the small metropolis of Fremont, Ohio, and the "Georgia Deacon" so confused the "master boxer" Greb with a style reminiscent of Greb's own, but from a southpaw, that the fight descriptions varied dramatically. The defensive skills of both men gave some the impression that one or the other was having no effect with his powerful attacks. The results were portrayed as a "no decision" by some while other reporters gave as many as 8 rounds to the white man, yet the champ himself commented following the bout, "Flowers is the greatest boxer I ever faced in the ring. He can beat heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey in a contest of 10 rounds," as quoted by B.W. Dickerson, a referee and sports editor for the Grand Rapids Herald. Wire reports published the next day affirmed the view that Greb had controlled the action, but Greb's admissions otherwise were well-circulated, too. Based on this battle, Flowers would rise to challenge Greb for a title shot in February of 1926, when the African-American would wrest the crown from the supposed "master" by decision after a fierce 15 rounds in Madison Square Garden, and then successfully defend it against him six months later in the same venue. Neither of these decisions was popular among those in attendance, nor in the press afterwards, and Tiger Flowers's triumphs are little known today." (Western States Ticket Service)
*despite the headline from the associated press, this was a non-title fight.
"In a well-noted and controversial contest for such a local show, the world middleweight champion Harry Greb met the "colored" scrambler Tiger Flowers for a 10-round bout in the small metropolis of Fremont, Ohio, and the "Georgia Deacon" so confused the "master boxer" Greb with a style reminiscent of Greb's own, but from a southpaw, that the fight descriptions varied dramatically. The defensive skills of both men gave some the impression that one or the other was having no effect with his powerful attacks. The results were portrayed as a "no decision" by some while other reporters gave as many as 8 rounds to the white man, yet the champ himself commented following the bout, "Flowers is the greatest boxer I ever faced in the ring. He can beat heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey in a contest of 10 rounds," as quoted by B.W. Dickerson, a referee and sports editor for the Grand Rapids Herald. Wire reports published the next day affirmed the view that Greb had controlled the action, but Greb's admissions otherwise were well-circulated, too. Based on this battle, Flowers would rise to challenge Greb for a title shot in February of 1926, when the African-American would wrest the crown from the supposed "master" by decision after a fierce 15 rounds in Madison Square Garden, and then successfully defend it against him six months later in the same venue. Neither of these decisions was popular among those in attendance, nor in the press afterwards, and Tiger Flowers's triumphs are little known today." (Western States Ticket Service)
*despite the headline from the associated press, this was a non-title fight.
They met in mid-ring and Greb sent a right to the body. Greb blocked left and right and when Walker insisted on mauling at close quarters, Greb gave him some of his own medicine. Walker sent a left swing low. Walker outslugged Greb at close quarters and Greb broke up his attack by forcing him to the ropes , holding with his left and pummeling with his right to the body, landing solidly, Greb suddenly stood his ground and traded punch for punch with walker, making mickey back up. A right to the head almost sent mickey to the floor. It was a great slugging bee and had the crowd cheering. They continued the furious fighting until the bell. It was another Walker round, on his clean punching. Greb's seconds worked furiously on his arms and legs during the intermission.
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