Harry Greb
American professional boxer, world middleweight champion, known as the Pittsburgh Windmill.
Harry Greb (June 6, 1894 – October 22, 1926) was an American professional boxer who fought from 1913 to 1926. He held the American light heavyweight title from 1922 to 1923 and the world middleweight champion from 1923 to 1926. Nicknamed "the Pittsburgh Windmill," Greb fought 299 times during a 13-year career, taking on any opponent that would fight him, and defeated many of the top rated fighters of his era from welterweight all the way up to heavyweight. He is considered one of the greatest boxers of all time.
Born Edward Henry Greb to German immigrant parents in a working-class Pittsburgh household, he began his professional career in 1913 under manager James "Red" Mason. By 1915, he was facing world-class opposition, including Hall of Famer Tommy Gibbons and middleweight champion George Chip. In 1917, Greb fought an unmatched 37 times, winning 34 of those bouts. Among those he defeated that year were reigning light heavyweight champion Battling Levinsky, former champion Jack Dillon, and heavyweight Willie Meehan. Despite these results, he was initially denied title shots, but after a 52-fight winning streak he finally secured a championship opportunity.
Greb employed a highly aggressive, swarming style aided by quick movement and notable toughness, often resorting to dirty tactics like spinning opponents and using the heel and laces of his gloves. He suffered only two TKO losses in his career: the first in his seventh fight against the much heavier Joe Chip, and the second when he broke the radius of his left arm against Kid Graves but finished the round. In 1921, during a fight with Kid Norfolk, Greb was thumbed in the right eye, causing a retinal tear that eventually led to permanent blindness. He kept this injury secret from all but his wife and closest friends, memorizing eye charts to fool physicians. He later lost some vision in his left eye and always slept with the light on.
Greb is notable for regularly accepting fights against top-rated black fighters of his era, a rarity among champions of his generation. He holds the record for fighting the most boxing hall of fame opponents, defeating 16 of 17. BoxRec ranks him the fourth greatest pound-for-pound boxer as of May 2025, and Sports Illustrated named him the fifth best pound-for-pound boxer of all time in 2012.
- born
- June 6, 1894
- died
- October 22, 1926
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- Aggressive swarming style, fighting 299 bouts, defeating 16 of 17 Hall of Fame o
Verified Timeline
Quick Facts
- Birth Name
- Edward Henry Greb
- Nickname
- The Pittsburgh Windmill / The Smoke City Wildcat
- Weight
- Middleweight / Light heavyweight
- Height
- 5 ft
- Reach
- 71 in
- Birth Date
- 1894-06-06
- Birth Place
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
- Death Date
- 1926-10-22
- Death Place
- Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
- Stance
- Orthodox
- Total
- 299; with the inclusion of newspaper decisions
- Wins
- 261
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Harry Greb was born as Edward Henry Greb to a German immigrant father and mother of German descent, Pius and Annie Greb, who raised him in a working-class household. He began his professional boxing career in 1913 under manager James "Red" Mason, fighting mostly around his hometown of Pittsburgh. By 1915, he was fighting world-class opposition, notably Hall of Famer Tommy Gibbons and reigning middleweight champion George Chip, whom he faced twice during 1915–1916 in non-title fights. Greb would lose both fights by "newspaper" decision, which he would later avenge. Greb fought 37 times in 1917 (a record), winning 34 of those fights either officially or unofficially. Among his defeated opponents that year were the reigning light heavyweight champion Battling Levinsky (in a non-title fight), former light heavyweight champion Jack Dillon, middleweight George Chip and heavyweight Willie Meehan. Despite these results, Greb was still denied a chance to fight for a title. In 1921, during a fight with light heavyweight Kid Norfolk, he was thumbed in the right eye, which is believed to have resulted in a retinal tear. The injury would eventually lead to permanent blindness. He kept the injury a secret from all but his wife and closest friends, fooling physicians during pre-fight physicals by memorizing the order of the letters on the eye chart. Greb would later lose some vision in his left eye and his gradual loss of sight led him to always go to bed with the light on.
Reader's Guide
Harry Greb's significance lies in his relentless activity and willingness to face any opponent. He is notable for being one of the only champions of his generation to regularly accept fights against the top rated black fighters of his era. Greb holds the record for fighting the most boxing hall of fame opponents, defeating 16 out of 17 of them. His five-fight series with Gene Tunney is legendary: on May 23, 1922, Greb fractured Tunney's nose in two places and opened a deep gash over his left eye, winning a unanimous decision and handing Tunney his only professional loss. The bout was hailed as the Fight of the Year for 1922 by the Ring Magazine. Tunney regained his title in a highly controversial split decision in February 1923, with the crowd booing heavily when Tunney was announced as the winner. They fought three more times, including a no-decision newspaper draw. Greb's middleweight title win over Johnny Wilson on August 31, 1923, came after Greb feigned intoxication in a theatrical spectacle to lure Wilson's manager into arranging the bout. Greb won a 15-round decision. He defended the title against Mickey Walker in July 1925 at the Polo Grounds, winning a unanimous decision. Greb is ranked by BoxRec as the fourth greatest boxer of all time, pound for pound, as of May 2025, and was also named the fifth best pound-for-pound boxer of all time by Sports Illustrated in 2012.
Did You Know?
- Greb fought 37 times in 1917, a record, winning 34 of those fights.
- He held the world middleweight title from 1923 to 1926.
- Greb is the only man to have defeated Gene Tunney, doing so in 1922 in a bout hailed as Fight of the Year.
- He feigned intoxication in speakeasies to trick Johnny Wilson's manager into giving him a title shot.
- Greb lost sight in his right eye after being thumbed during a 1921 fight with Kid Norfolk, but kept the injury secret by memorizing the eye chart.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Harry Greb?
Harry Greb was an American professional boxer who competed from 1913 to 1926 and is widely regarded as one of the sport's all-time greats. He earned the nickname 'the Pittsburgh Windmill' for his relentless, aggressive approach in the ring.
What made Harry Greb's fighting style unique?
Greb was famous for his swarming, pressure-based style that kept opponents on the back foot from the opening bell. He was unafraid to cross weight classes, fighting everything from welterweight to heavyweight and accumulating 299 bouts over his career.
How did Harry Greb die?
Greb was fatally shot on October 22, 1926, at the age of 32. His death cut short a career that had just seen him defend the world middleweight title for three years.
Why is Harry Greb considered one of the greatest boxers ever?
He defeated 16 out of 17 opponents who are in the Hall of Fame, a record that underscores the elite caliber of competition he faced. He also remains the only boxer in history to have beaten Gene Tunney.
What championships did Harry Greb hold?
Greb captured the American light heavyweight title in 1922 and then moved up a division to claim the world middleweight championship in 1923. He held that world title until his death in 1926.
More in Boxing Legends 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record