Harry Greb vs. Gene Tunney (3rd meeting)

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Harry Greb (left) vs. Gene Tunney

Harry Greb 172 lbs lost to Gene Tunney 175 lbs by UD in round 15 of 15

  • American Light Heavyweight Championship (1st defense of 2nd reign by Tunney)

Notes

  • Tunney was a 2 to 1 betting favorite.
  • Greb biographer Bill Paxton wrote:
    Tunney again focused on Greb's body and did some more leading in this bout compared to the last one. At times during the fight "Greb's tactics bewildered the champion," but it didn't stop Tunney's "steady body fire." Greb's best round was the fifteenth when he "unleashed a furious attack that threatened for a moment to topple the champion. Setting a terrific pace in the closing round, Greb pummeled Tunney on the head and body, jarring the champion to his heels with several smashes." However, it happened too late in the fight and Tunney was awarded a unanimous decision. Most of the critics awarded nine rounds to Tunney, four rounds to Greb and had two rounds even.
  • Tunney biographer Jack Cavanaugh wrote:
    Greb eschewed many of his customarily rough, and illegal, tactics he had used during the first two fights, and which he felt may have cost him the decision in the second fight. Indeed, the fight was remarkably clean, with Tunney continuously repelling Greb's whirlwind attack and ripping punishing blows to his body. Still, there was considerable booing when ring announcer Joe Humphreys proclaimed that Tunney had retained his American light heavyweight title. Most boxing writers had Tunney well ahead.
  • Westwood Pegler of the United News and Regis M. Welsh of the Pittsburgh Press were among the few who thought Greb had won.
  • Jack Lawrence of the New York Tribune gave Greb only three of the fifteen rounds, scored three even and gave the remaining nine to Tunney. Fred Keats of the New York Herald had it even more one-sided, crediting Tunney with eleven rounds.
  • Jack Cavanaugh wrote:
    Referring to the negative response from much of the crowd, both Lawrence and Keats made the valid point that most boxing fans—particularly those far from ringside—place too much credence on punches to the head, where Greb landed most of his blows, none of which seemed to hurt Tunney, and fail to take into account the damage done by solid punches to the body. That Greb, as always, finished strong, winning the last two rounds, also appeared to have had considerable impact on the crowd, as strong finishes usually do in boxing.

See Also

External Links

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