HARRY GREB VS. JOHNNY WILSON

#1- AUGUST 31, 1923 -----------#2- JANUARY 18, 1924

-Round by Round description at bottom of page-

 

 

Greb's victory over Johnny Wilson, the middlweight champion in 1923, was a masterpiece of not only fighting, but acting. Wilson was not the brightest of fighters, by any means, so greb took advantage of him. "The sonovabitch stayed champion three years by keeping away from me," said Harry resentfully and truthfully. "I'll fix him!"

Enlisting the aid of some New York bartenders, all of whom liked him, Harry spent hours drinking colored water and acting like a drunk. The news got around that he was "training" as usual, and finally reached the ears of Wilson. Johnny said to his manager, "Now's the time for me to fight that bum. The only time."

So they were matched, with Wilson certain that Greb was in such terrible condition that he'd be carted out of the ring in a strecher.

Greb, well-rested and full of energy, nearly murdered the astounded champion, who felt lucky to emerge from the 15-round assault alive.

-----from Boxing Illustrated/Wrestling News Nov. 1960 -written by Stanley Weston

 

 

 

Harry poses with Johnny Wilson, announcer Joe Humphries, and referee Jack O'Sullivan before contesting the title on August 31, 1923 in New York.

 

 

 

 

Also in 1923 against Johnny Wilson

This is an August 31, 1923 original press photo from Pacific and Atlantic Photos Inc taken at the Polo Grounds in New York of Harry Greb vs. Johnny Wilson in one of their many clinches during the middleweight championship fight.

 

 

Unrestrained actions of joy when greb won the middleweight title.

 

 

 

HARRY GREB VS. JOHNNY WILSON #1

AUGUST 31, 1923

-Round by Round description-

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Harry Greb became the world's middleweight champion on the night of August 31, 1923, at the Polo Grounds, New York City, when he was awarded a decision over Johnny Wilson, who held the title since 1920...Greb has been in the fistic limelight for many years. The title was the second Greb had earned, as he was the American light heavyweight champion before shorn of his laurels by Gene Tunney.

He had won the American light heavyweight championship from Gene Tunney in May, 1922, only to lose it again to Gene last February.

He has been boxing for more than ten years. Harry was born in PittsburghJune 7, 1894. He has fought about 200, and has suffered but one knockout in his long career. That K.O. was recieved at the hands of Joe Chip during the first year Greb was boxing.

The fight by rounds follows:

 

-Round #1h

Greb rushed out of his corner in the first round. Wilson met him with a left to head and right to body. As Greb went into one of those tigerish clinches. Wilson ripped a hard left to body. Greb retorted with a right to the jaw and rushed Wilson to the ropes, where he landed another hard right to the head. Wilson rushed, landing two lefts in rapid succession, one to the head and one to the body. Three times they rushed into clinches and in the last one Greb shot a hard uppercut to Wilson's jaw. Again in a clinch, Greb held Wilson's head with his left and hammered away with his right.

 

-Round #2h

Wilson came out eagerly for the second, but ran into a right hook. Greb tried to get in close, but Wilson lashed him back. Greb sent Wilson's head back with a hard right uppercut. As Greb rushed, Wilson drove him back with a stiff left. Greb wavered, but came on, driving Wilson to the ropes. Another left hook from Greb jolted Wilson considerably. As Wilson missed a long swing, Greb grinned and hooked a left to the champions jaw . Greb seemed to have a shade of the second round.

 

-Round #3h

Greb came out smiling in the third and drove Wilson into a nuetral corner. Greb seemed all confidence, while Wilson looked harassed and worried. Greb shot a hard right to Wilson 's body, causing the champion to clinch. Wilson swung a hard right to Greb's jaw, but the only sign Greb gave was a grin. Greb landed a left low and was warned by referee O'Sullivan. A moment later Wilson landed a low left. Both were playing for the body and were hitting dangerously close to the foul line.

 

-Round #4h

Greb started the fourth by landing a a right over Wilson's heart. Greb drove Wilson to the ropes, landing solid right and lefts to the face. At this point a fight in the crowd in the left field bleachers drew all attention from the ring. Greb continued to force the fighting and Wilsons very prominent nose became bulbous and swollen. Wilson landed a left to the body, but Greb immediately rushed him to the ropes. As they came out Wilson landed a long left to body, but Greb only grinned.

 

-Round #5h

Greb came out of his corner to begin the fifth wearing the same scornful smile. After a series of brief clinches he rushed Wilson to the ropes and almost threw him. Greb began to walk arround the champion as though looking for an opening. Wilson seemed utterly bewildered. Greb showered Wilsons head with rights and lefts and again jammed him against the ropes. Referee O'Sullivan had plenty of work prying them loose from the clinches.

 

-Round #6h

They started the sixth by exchanging rights and lefts at long range and then went into the inevitable clinch. Greb finally measured Wilson and brought over a hard right to the jaw, but the blow seemed to make no impression. Wilson's seconds shouted for him to step in; he did, but it was into a clinch. Every time Greb shifted his feet Wilson covered in bewilderness.

 

-Round #7h

They opened the seventh by peering intently at each other at long range, then the clinching started as usual. Wilson landed his left to the body twice and Greb ducked under a left swing and swung a right to Wilsons body. There was a loud smack as Greb hung a hard right on Wilsons jaw, but it seemed to make no impression. Wilson retorted with a left to Grebs jaw and another left, hard, to the body as the bell rang.

 

-Round #8h

Greb rushed out at the start of the eighth and planted a hard left to Wilsons ribs. Just before they rushed into a clinch Greb hung a right on Wilsons eye, which began to swell. Greb quickened the pace and shot a volley of rights and lefts to Wilsons head. Wilson was just a little short with a right uppercut to Grebs jaw. Greb hammered two rights to the body and shot a right uppercut to the jaw. He followed this with more rights and lefts that had Wilson bewildered at the bell.

 

-Round #9h

Greb started the ninth with a right to the jaw and Wilson went into a clinch. The champion seemed very depressed. Greb drove him to the ropes with a right to the body and left to the head. Greb missed a lunge with his right and slipped to his knees. He was up in an instant. Greb landed another hard right to Wilsons ribs and it sounded like the beat of a bass drum. Wilson landed two light lefts and recieved a very healthy right to the head from greb as the bell rang.

 

-Round #10h

There was a loud howl from the multitude as Greb landed a hard right to Wilsons overhanging nose. Wilson held on as Greb showered the champions beak with rights and lefts. At this point Wilson seemed very content to cover up. Suddenly Wilson came to and landed two straight lefts to Greb's jaw.

 

-Round #11h

The taunts of the crowd seemed to rouse wilson and he shot two more lefts to Grebs body. Greb seemed to become deliberate in his punching. He moved around Wilson looking for a chance to land one that would end it. Wilson landed a very low left, but Greb made no complaint. Instead he measured Wilson and shot a hard right to Wilson's jaw.

 

-Round #12h

Wilsons seconds shouted, "Let's go!" as the twelfth started, but Wilson did not go very far, as Greb hung a hard right on Wilsons sore eye. The champion was fighting very sluggishly. If he realized that his title was slipping he did not appear to care very much. One clinch followed another, and Greb had all the better of the in-fighting. The round, like the rest of the fight, was just one clinch after another.

 

-Round #13h

The pair started the thirteenth with impersonations of Strangler Lewis. Suddenly Wilson seemed to show a flash and rushed in, planting two lefts to Grebs ribs. Greb quickly evened this this up during the in-fighting and Wilson became listless and bewildered again. Toward the end of the round Wilson rammed a hard left to greb's ribs. Wilson tried to lash himself into a fury, but Greb forced him into a neutral corner with lefts and rights to the head.

 

-Round #14h

Wilson came out for the fourteenth with his left eye practically closed. Greb ran in, shooting rights to the body and whipping more up to the sore eye, with a hard right to the jaw. Greb continued to do all the landing in this round. They seemed to realize in Wilsons corner that the title was passing and were shouting hysterically to their man.

 

-Round #15h

Wilson seemed ready to take a desperate chance in the fifteenth, but was met with a hard right to the head. Greb followed this with another right and left to the body. Greb was fresh and alert, while Wilson still seemed bewildered. There was a smile of confidence on Grebs face. He seemed to feel that he was a winner. Greb landed a hard right to the body and Wilson held him convulsively. Greb continued to press in and now it was Wilson who seemed to be doing the holding. The champion threw a hard right to grebs head at the end. Greb threw his arms around Wilsons shoulders at the end. He seemed to know that he had won.

 

 

 

 

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