Harry Greb
Harry Greb ( born June 6 1894 in Pittsburgh as Edward Henry Greb, † October 22, 1926 in Atlantic City ) was an American middleweight boxer.
Career
Greb played from 1912 to 1926 299 fights, many of them in the so-called "No Decision era." He did not lose a fight by knockout, but two prematurely by injury.
He won as a typical Pressure Fighter, among others, against the light heavyweight " Battling " Levinsky, Tommy Loughran ( four out of five fights ), Maxie Rosenbloom, Tommy Gibbons ( two out of three battles ) and his brother Mike ( one win, one defeat ) and before mainly Gene Tunney, the world heavyweight champion later. Against Tunney in 1922 was made American light heavyweight champion, and later defeated him but still four times, two results, however, apply to be controversial. Other renowned light heavyweight he had defeated Hoosier Bearcat and Jack Dillon, whom he beat twice. Other known opponents were defeated George Chip, Al McCoy, Jeff Smith, Mike McTigue, Eddie McGoorty and Jimmy Slattery.
Bill Brennan and " Gunboat " Smith were even heavyweights. He was, according to legend, once briefly sparring partner for Jack Dempsey and looked so good that he was sent away.
In 1923, he was against the southpaw Johnny Wilson world middleweight champion, defended the title in 1925 against one of the best welterweight of all time with Mickey Walker and lost him in the year of his death in 1926 the black southpaw Tiger Flowers. It was unusual to southpaw boxing at that time and boxers like Dempsey boxed against any colored people, that was no problem for him.
His last few fights, he played with a blind eye. Greb died at age 32 after complications of nasal surgery.
The Ring Magazine considers him the third-best middleweights of all time, according to Sugar Ray Robinson and Carlos Monzón but before Stanley Ketchel and Marvin Hagler. The sister magazine KO Magazine elected him in 1994 but behind the welterweight Fritzie Zivic also to zweitunfairsten boxer of all time. Greb is also a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame.