HARRY GREB VS. TIGER FLOWERS
August 21, 1924
February 26, 1926
August 19, 1926
Boxing Secretary Bert Stand weighs in Harry Greb while Tiger Flowers looks on. This was for the February 26, 1926 meeting. Although this was the second time they fought, it was the first time for the Middleweight Championship.
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Challenger Tiger Flowers got a crack at the title and won it questionable from Greb in a 15 round split decision on February 26, 1926.
Jim Farley, the New York State Boxing Commissioner in 1926, weighs in Harry and Tiger Flowers for their last meeting. Boxing Secretary Bert Stand is next to Farley.
When Joe Humphreys anuounced Flowers as the winner-the
judges, but not the referee, voting for him-the fans stormed the ring,
littering it with bottles, hats, paper and everything they could find
to throw, in protest. Jim Crowley, the referee, walked over to Greb.
"Tough, Harry," he said.- "A tough one to lose. It was your fight."
Tunney said, "Harry won by a substantial margin. It was an un-
jutistified decision."
William Muldoon said Greb had won, adding, "but the decision will
stand. If we (the New York Athletic Commission) reversed it, the
Negro people might think they were being discriminated against."
Before Greb entered the ring he had said that, no matter what the
outcome, this was his last fight.
----taken from "Give Him to the Angels" written by James Fair
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Harry Greb fought Tiger Flowers 3 times. The last 2 times were when Greb's sight was extremely diminished and were Greb's final bouts of his career. Here is a newspaper article describing the first encounter, 2 years before they're final two bouts:
August 22, 1924
Middleweight King Has Little Trouble In Beating Flowers
Newspaper Article Info Newspaper Name: The Oklahoman Date Printed: Aug 22, 1924 Page 12
HARRY GREB USES WHIRLWIND ATTACK TO CAPTURE EIGHT OF TEN ROUNDS
Fremont, Ohio, Aug 21.- Harry Greb, champion middleweight of the world, Thursday night retained his title, getting the newspaper decision in a ten-round no-decision bout here with Tiger Flowers of Atlanta. Greb easily outpointed his negro opponent in eight of the ten rounds.
Greb staged one of his characteristic slam-bang fights, doing practically all of the leading and forcing the battle at practically all stages. He landed his blows from any and all angles.
In the first round Flowers' southpaw boxing seemed to puzzle the champion, but after that he gauged this style correctly and was the leader in all but two rounds.
Greb drew blood from his opponent early in the contest. His hitting was cleaner and harder than Flowers' throughout the bout.
www.harrygreb.com