Do you think Harry Greb was the most aggressive of the historically noteworthy fighters?

[DeeMoney]

I know we have no footage of Greb, but based on what you know, do you think he was the most aggressive fighter of all the historically noteworthy fighters? I was thinking, who of all the top line non stop pressure were the most aggressive? Armstrong, Berg, Pryor, etc?

Do you think Greb was even moreso than these? I know we've read about him being aggressive, do you think he was more than these? If not who was the most?

[Willie Pep 229]

When the press names you "The Human Windmill" you got to figure somethings up.

I still wonder if Greb was in fact 'feather fisted' and made up for it with wreckless abandoned.

In giving up only seven pounds to Tommy Gibbons (a 1922 UD win for Greb) one report read "Greb threw a million punches but never hurt Gibbons as he seldom set."

[Biledriver]

I know we have no footage of Greb, but based on what you know, do you think he was the most aggressive fighter of all the historically noteworthy fighters? I was thinking, who of all the top line non stop pressure were the most aggressive? Armstrong, Berg, Pryor, etc?

Do you think Greb was even moreso than these? I know we've read about him being aggressive, do you think he was more than these? If not who was the most?

Look up Henry Armstrong. I think he edges Greb.

[QueensburyRules]

I know we have no footage of Greb, but based on what you know, do you think he was the most aggressive fighter of all the historically noteworthy fighters? I was thinking, who of all the top line non stop pressure were the most aggressive? Armstrong, Berg, Pryor, etc?

Do you think Greb was even moreso than these? I know we've read about him being aggressive, do you think he was more than these? If not who was the most?

- - One of the best aggressive fighters not to mention productive ever if not the best.

[Bronson66]

I know we have no footage of Greb, but based on what you know, do you think he was the most aggressive fighter of all the historically noteworthy fighters? I was thinking, who of all the top line non stop pressure were the most aggressive? Armstrong, Berg, Pryor, etc?

Do you think Greb was even moreso than these? I know we've read about him being aggressive, do you think he was more than these? If not who was the most?

Ketchel? Maidana? Dempsey? Dillon? Walker?

[Mr Mitts]

When the press names you "The Human Windmill" you got to figure somethings up.

I still wonder if Greb was in fact 'feather fisted' and made up for it with wreckless abandoned.

In giving up only seven pounds to Tommy Gibbons (a 1922 UD win for Greb) one report read "Greb threw a million punches but never hurt Gibbons as he seldom set."

I think that happens a lot, since few swarmers ever make it far in a power poll and, in general they throw a lot of chatter punches more defensive than offensive. A more inventive defense might have saved a lot of energy. However I think it is just an inherent feature of the swarming style.

IMO Greb is not even in the poll. Too much of his punching was not aggression in its purest form, it was just aggressive defense. Greb was not there to knock you out but tire you out.

Young Foreman is the most aggressive I know of, with perhaps the premier example of ring aggression in ring history to his credit in Zaire.

Marciano because he still threw his hardest shots in the first round with little chance of them landing on a fresh opponent. Showed his intentions early. The goal was the same--get 'em outta there.

Duran, as an example of someone whose raw aggression was controlled and more classical but unrelenting. Always ready to knock you out and possessed the single punch to do it. His classical defense served him well too, while he created or searched for openings. Great counterpuncher who was never idle even under the heaviest of fire. Duran always managed to find a way to at least be punching with his opponent even during the opponent's best moments.

[DeeMoney]

I think that happens a lot, since few swarmers ever make it far in a power poll and, in general they throw a lot of chatter punches more defensive than offensive. A more inventive defense might have saved a lot of energy. However I think it is just an inherent feature of the swarming style.

IMO Greb is not even in the poll. Too much of his punching was not aggression in its purest form, it was just aggressive defense. Greb was not there to knock you out but tire you out.

Young Foreman is the most aggressive I know of, with perhaps the premier example of ring aggression in ring history to his credit in Zaire.

Marciano because he still threw his hardest shots in the first round with little chance of them landing on a fresh opponent. Showed his intentions early. The goal was the same--get 'em outta there.

Duran, as an example of someone whose raw aggression was controlled and more classical but unrelenting. Always ready to knock you out and possessed the single punch to do it. His classical defense served him well too, while he created or searched for openings. Great counterpuncher who was never idle even under the heaviest of fire. Duran always managed to find a way to at least be punching with his opponent even during the opponent's best moments.

Fair point, maybe I shouldn't interchange the words "aggressive" and "pressure"

[them_apples]

I think that happens a lot, since few swarmers ever make it far in a power poll and, in general they throw a lot of chatter punches more defensive than offensive. A more inventive defense might have saved a lot of energy. However I think it is just an inherent feature of the swarming style.

IMO Greb is not even in the poll. Too much of his punching was not aggression in its purest form, it was just aggressive defense. Greb was not there to knock you out but tire you out.

Young Foreman is the most aggressive I know of, with perhaps the premier example of ring aggression in ring history to his credit in Zaire.

Marciano because he still threw his hardest shots in the first round with little chance of them landing on a fresh opponent. Showed his intentions early. The goal was the same--get 'em outta there.

Duran, as an example of someone whose raw aggression was controlled and more classical but unrelenting. Always ready to knock you out and possessed the single punch to do it. His classical defense served him well too, while he created or searched for openings. Great counterpuncher who was never idle even under the heaviest of fire. Duran always managed to find a way to at least be punching with his opponent even during the opponent's best moments.

I'm glad you brought this up about Grebs brilliant style. He was labelled the octopus at times, he would flurry with such speed and ferocity - but the goal was to keep the opponent occupied and overwhelmed ( he would hit everywhere including arms) while trying to shoot in short cutting shots in between these. It sounds like a fascinating and brilliant idea though and it makes sense to me imo

[DeeMoney]

I'm glad you brought this up about Grebs brilliant style. He was labelled the octopus at times, he would flurry with such speed and ferocity - but the goal was to keep the opponent occupied and overwhelmed ( he would hit everywhere including arms) while trying to shoot in short cutting shots in between these. It sounds like a fascinating and brilliant idea though and it makes sense to me imo

Thats kind of what I was driving at. Do we put him more towards the Calzaghe, Rosenbloom end of the spectrum (offense as defense)?

I always figured he was definitely not the Foreman, Ketchell, Marciano style- aggressive power punchers.

Though I feasibly couldve considered him possibly being an Armstrong, Berg type- bloodbath aggressive, win via attrition.

[them_apples]

Thats kind of what I was driving at. Do we put him more towards the Calzaghe, Rosenbloom end of the spectrum (offense as defense)?

I always figured he was definitely not the Foreman, Ketchell, Marciano style- aggressive power punchers.

Though I feasibly couldve considered him possibly being an Armstrong, Berg type- bloodbath aggressive, win via attrition.

All we can really go by are 2 videos (I posted the second video thats 14 seconds or so a while ago) and the many written descriptions about him, including his own.

he says a few interesting things:

Greb states his immense offensive payload was to keep the opponent overwhelmed and on the back foot. This allowed him to essentially to do whatever he wanted against even pretty high caliber oponents.

and second. Most men would tire out from doing this, but Greb for some reason was able to keep this up for the entire fight. In many fights the last round was his most frantic and intense of them all. He would sometimes even feint being tired at times it is said and jump on fighters later in the fight with overwhelming ferocity.

he also says he developed a style where if he kept moving perpetually he actually got LESS fatigued than if he stopped. It can be likened to dancing I suppose.

as with everything involving Greb. Its all speculation though.