Tunney v Greb by Rob Snell

[Mofo2]

Tunney-v-greb

Bridgeport Telegram

24 Feb 1923

Tunney Regains Light Heavyweight Title

Crowd booes Decision; Greb landed three blows to Gene’s one

But ails to hold title

Tunney, idol of Greenwich Village, regained the American light heavyweight championship tonight when .he gained the judges' -decision over Harry Greb. of Pittsburgh, the title holder, in a fifteen round contest at Madison Square Garden tonight.

Decision Booed.

The decision met with mingled booes and applause, despite Tunney's popularity among the great majority of fans and came as a surprise to those at the ringside who had given Greb a wide margin on points in most of the rounds.

Tunney was baffled by Greb's whirlwind style of attack throughout the early part, of the bout. He finished the last two rounds, however, with the only effective aggressiveness

he had shown, dazing the champion once with a hard right smash to the jaw. This closing rally of the challenger, plus consideration, probably given to alleged foul holding tactics employed by Greb in several rounds, was believed to have swayed the judges verdict however, unsatisfactory it was to a large portion of the crowd.

While Greb landed at least three blows to one of his rival, few of them did much damage. Tunney's 'body attack especially in the 14th round, at times checked Greb's

rushes, but the Pittsburgher blocked most of the New Yorker's blows. Tactics used, by Greb which his opponents handlers claimed were unfair -were the subject of a lengthy

parley at the start of the bout. Referee Patsy Haley was vigorous in warning Greb for holding in several rounds, going- to the Pittsburgher's corner at the' end of the 12th round

to emphasize his -warning.

Won Only One Round.

The only round which Tunney earned decisively in the opinion of ringside critics was the 14th. He showed aggressiveness in the fourth, tenth and fifteenth, but except In

these two or three rounds of the early part of the bout which were classed as even Greb's forcing tactics gave him a substantial margin on points, in the remaining rounds.

Tunney's victory' restored to him the crown he lost to Greb in a 15 round bout at the Garden last May.

ROUND ONE

The opening round was preceded by a prolonged conference over Greb's ring tactics, claimed by Tunney's supporters as unfair The champion took the aggressive at the tap

of the gong and cut loose with a flurry of rights and lens to Tunney's head. They both mixed willingly but landed Few telling blows.

Tunney Bewildered.

ROUND TWO

Greb bewildered the challenger with his whirlwind attack. He rocked Tunney's head from side to side with a succession of rights and lefts The challenger missed most of his attempts to land on his shifty opponent.

ROUND THREE

Greb was cautioned by the referee for holding. He shot over several left Jabs to the jaw and cuffed Tunney about the head as he danced in and out of the challenger's reach.

ROUND FOUR

They mixed at a furious pace. Greb landing three blows to one but Tunney twice shot in jolting: lefts to the face. The challenger forced the fighting for the first time and drove

Greb to a corner with a body attack. Greb’s mouth was slightly cut ,and blood trickled from a scratch over Tunney’s eye as a result of the mix-up.

ROUND FIVE

The champion bounded about in characteristic fashion Swinging both fists like flails but Tunnney seized an opening to Shoot home stiff right the ribs. They were mixing at a fast pace as the bell closed the round.

ROUND SIX

Greb forced Tunney to miss repeatedly and landed a hard right to the jaw without drawing a reply. Tunney jabbed lightly and absorbed a stiff punch to the ribs.

ROUND SEVEN

Greb set the pace with a rushing attack to Tunney's and body. He opened a slight cut over the challengers right eye and shook him with a series rights and lefts to the jaw. Tunney seemed baffled by his rival's –shifting antics.

Tunney Good Catcher.

ROUND EIGHT

Greb snapped the challenger's head back With several right swings. He cut loose with a flail like attack that drove Tunney to the ropes but was booed by the crowd in

the belief that he was holding.

NINTH ROUND

Greb shot in a terrific bow to the body sending Tunney back on his heels , but was again cautioned for holding. Tunney run into a flurry of blows as he tried to fight back and was severely punished by the champion as they mixed at close quarters. A fresh cut was opened under Tunney’s right eye during the melee.

TENTH ROUND

Tunney upset the champion for a moment with one of the few sustained attacks he had shown. The Pittsburgher came right back, however and traded stiff blows to the body.

Greb pummeled his rival about the head as the round closed.

ROUND ELEVEN

Tunney appeared to lose confidence under the rain of blows let loose by Greb and offered little resistance to the champions aggressiveness. Greb peppered his opponent

about the head and body, occasionally shooting in damaging rights to the chin and ribs.

ROUND TWELVE

Tunney was admonished in emphatic terms for failing to break from a clinch. He blocked Tunney’s drives for t h e body and punished the Challenger with hard swings to the

head . The referee went to Greb’s corner as the round ended to repeat his warnings against the champions tactics.

Greb Forces Fighting

ROUND THIRTEEN

Greb continued to forced he fighting, driving Tunney About the ring with rights and lefts that landed with damaging effect. Tunney's attempts to retaliate were futile and in exchanges at close quarters the champion landed twice as often as the challenger.

ROUND FOURTEEN

Tunney sent the champion to the ropes with a right that landed flush on the jaw. He followed this shot with an aggressive atack that apparently weakened the champion. Greb was on the defensive for the first time in the bout but succeeding in blocking most of Tunney s punches.

ROUND FIFTEEN

Greb crime back strong as the final round opened and hooked Tunney with a succession of right uppercuts us they mixed at a speedy pace. Tunney punished the

champion about the body but was jolted by several smashes to the head in return.