What would Harry Greb look like on film?

[Mendoza]

What would Harry Greb look like on film? All I have seen is a walk though training session. Has anyone ever read the Greb book tilted, “ Give Him to the Angles “. Does it shed light what Greb fought like?

No less authority than Jack Johnson called Greb the fastest fighter he ever saw.

[UpWithEvil]

That's the big question, isn't it? According to contemporary accounts Greb was almost comically quick (I believe it was Dempsey who claimed Greb was quicker than lightweight champion Benny Leonard) with remarkable reflexes and a tireless, aggressive style. I still hold out hope that some day, some hoarding collector will finally see fit to release his long-hidden copy of boxing's Holy Grail - footage of Harry Greb in the ring, perhaps against Mickey Walker or Gene Tunney.

[mcvey]

That's the big question, isn't it? According to contemporary accounts Greb was almost comically quick (I believe it was Dempsey who claimed Greb was quicker than lightweight champion Benny Leonard) with remarkable reflexes and a tireless, aggressive style. I still hold out hope that some day, some hoarding collector will finally see fit to release his long-hidden copy of boxing's Holy Grail - footage of Harry Greb in the ring, perhaps against Mickey Walker or Gene Tunney.
We all live in hopes!

[Dempsey1238]

This is just a guess on my part, but I always view Harry Greb like Henry Armstrong. Just a guess but Armstrong is the closent we have of Greb in regards to Style. The heavyweights dont have Greb or Armstrong's punch out put, so I omitted Fraizer and Marciano in this regard.

[JohnThomas1]

This is just a guess on my part, but I always view Harry Greb like Henry Armstrong. Just a guess but Armstrong is the closent we have of Greb in regards to Style. The heavyweights dont have Greb or Armstrong's punch out put, so I omitted Fraizer and Marciano in this regard.

I've always thought of Greb as a little less powerful than Hank, but with more versatility and perhaps a little more speed.

[Dempsey1238]

I think Greb was MORE powerful than Armstrong because unlike Armstrong, Greb jump all the way to heavyweight and was beating the top contenders in his era. He was doing BETTER vs the heavyweights than Dempsey did vs the same foes. All this with no film in regards. Both were weight jumpers, but I feel Greb's wins at the heavyweight level would make Greb more stronger. Of couse Armstrong started out as a lightweight.

[JohnThomas1]

I think Greb was MORE powerful than Armstrong because unlike Armstrong, Greb jump all the way to heavyweight and was beating the top contenders in his era. He was doing BETTER vs the heavyweights than Dempsey did vs the same foes. All this with no film in regards. Both were weight jumpers, but I feel Greb's wins at the heavyweight level would make Greb more stronger. Of couse Armstrong started out as a lightweight.

Well there ya go, i always thought Hank started more at Featherweight. I also thought Greb had average power. He's got under 50% stoppage rate while Hank sits around 66% and both scaled the divisions.

[Duodenum]

Because of the ban enacted on the interstate transport of boxing contest footage in effect throughout Greb's career, the places to look for this historic footage would be in the states and communities where they actually took place. With the exception of a handful of matches in Canada, Harry boxed his entire career in the U.S.A. (He was no world traveler like Jack Johnson and Sam Langford. The main reason we have the film of Walker/Milligan is because Mickey sailed to the U.K. to defend his MW Title in London.)

[Street Lethal]

He would have to look great because you can't have a record that good with that many great boxers names on it and not look great. Is there really no film of this great middleweight? I find that hard to believe.

[Duodenum]

He would have to look great because you can't have a record that good with that many great boxers names on it and not look great. Is there really no film of this great middleweight? I find that hard to believe.While some of Greb's fights were indeed filmed, the question is, do they still exist, and if so, are they salvagable?

[Mendoza]

Greb can be seen sparring with Dempsey, but the collectors of the video are scared to death of their prized property becoming a 24 x 7 peek show on you tube. Believe it our not, Greb gets the better of Dempsey in the session.

As to what Greb would look like in a filmed fight, one can use the news papers and imagination. One writer said Greb never stopped throwing punches and was hard to time due to his unpredictable herky-jerky movements. The writer said Catching Greb was like trying to catch a fisherman’s cork in stormy seas.

My best guess is Greb is a mix of the following fighters:

Wayne McClough’s energy / stamina.
Battling Siki’s aggressiveness
Fritz Zivic’s roughness and foul tactics
Benny Leonard’s speed
Jake LaMotta’s chin

[UpWithEvil]

Greb can be seen sparring with Dempsey, but the collectors of the video are scared to death of their prized property becoming a 24 x 7 peek show on you tube. Believe it our not, Greb gets the better of Dempsey in the session.

Oh sure, I've heard the rumors, the second-and-third-hand accounts, the vague whispers, etc. etc. etc.

And yet I haven't seen so much as a single captured frame from this supposed footage. That places it pretty low on my list of things that may or or not exist. Lower than this guy:

[Only registered and activated users can see links]

[janitor]

Well there ya go, i always thought Hank started more at Featherweight. I also thought Greb had average power. He's got under 50% stoppage rate while Hank sits around 66% and both scaled the divisions.

I think you are right.

Greb's knockouts tended to be death by a thousand cuts. He might not knock you out but your face would look worse than if you fought George Foreman.

[janitor]

Oh sure, I've heard the rumors, the second-and-third-hand accounts, the vague whispers, etc. etc. etc.

And yet I haven't seen so much as a single captured frame from this supposed footage.

The event is prety well documented.

[mcvey]

The event is prety well documented.
I knew that they sparred , and that Harry supposedly got the better of Jack ,but didnt know it was filmed Janitor ,thats good news at least!

[UpWithEvil]

The event is prety well documented.

I certainly don't doubt that it happened.

[OLD FOGEY]

While some of Greb's fights were indeed filmed, the question is, do they still exist, and if so, are they salvagable?

Probably not. I think in those days film was on a nitrate base and it was unstable over the years. One can hope, but I think not.

[McGrain]

It's ridiculous this thing with Greb it makes me furious.

I bet he looked - looked - something like Glen Johnson in the the Roy Jones fight.

[Sonny's jab]

I imagine Harry Greb looking very unorthodox is his style.
Punches coming from ridiculous angles at ridiculous speed, with a load of fouls flying in perpetual motion.
Michael Spinks, Roy Jones Jr, and Rocky Marciano all rolled into one - with less power than those big hitters but considerably more volume.
I imagine him doing something like what Calzaghe did to Lacy against most his opponents, but with more fouls and more speed.
Defensively I see him as slick as Duran, or slicker than any aggressive fighter than ever lived.

[JohnThomas1]

I think you are right.

Greb's knockouts tended to be death by a thousand cuts. He might not knock you out but your face would look worse than if you fought George Foreman.

Armstrongs got some underrated power, especially in his earlier divisions. Greb mainly wore you down thru surreal accumulation from what i can gather.

[UpWithEvil]

Probably not. I think in those days film was on a nitrate base and it was unstable over the years. One can hope, but I think not.

The rumor, of course, is that some footage *has* survived and is being hoarded by a handful of collectors. There is at least one vendor online who claims to have footage of Dempsey and Greb sparring, but when you inquire you get hemming and hawing. Until I see at least a single frame captured from the footage I'm more inclined to believe that it has been lost to time and neglect, like the known-to-be-filmed footage from Greb vs Walker (last viewed in the 1950s), and any claims to the contrary are based on misidentification.

[Drew101]

By most accounts, he was a tricky pressure fighter who was difficult to catch with a clean punch, and who relied on volume punching (and a lot of dirty tactics) to overwhelm an opponent. Something tells me that a fighter like that wouldn't have been easy for any middleweight to fight.

[Dempsey1238]

By most accounts, he was a tricky pressure fighter who was difficult to catch with a clean punch, and who relied on volume punching (and a lot of dirty tactics) to overwhelm an opponent. Something tells me that a fighter like that wouldn't have been easy for any middleweight to fight.

Assuming he didnt get DQ first.