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1924 LH Title Bouts

WBA

Jack Delaney CH (24-0) vs Harry Greb #1 (39-7)

Compelling matchup of the unbeaten, younger current Champ ("Bright Eyes" Delaney) and the higher rated, ex-Champ Greb.

After a close round one, both men come out swinging in round two, with a slight edge to Greb who forces the inside action. Round three, more of the same, with the more accurate punching by the Challenger making the difference. The "Human Windmill" keeps up the pressure in round four, and Delaney sustains a bad cut over the right eye. Greb targets the cut, which is patched up between rounds, but is reopened again in round 6, leading to a quick stoppage. Greb by TKO 6 (cuts) to regain the belt.

Harry Greb CH (40-7) vs Kid Norfolk #2 (33-7-2)

Greb defends versus Norfolk. who was the last man to defeat Greb (for the title) and who holds two UDs over the Champ. Revenge match, perhaps?

Greb comes on strongly to take round one. He moves inside to punish Norfolk with some strong shots to take the second as well. Norfolk bounces back, delivering some inside blows of his own with a strong round three. Round four sees some ferocious toe-to-toe action, and the results also favor the challenger. After an even round five, the unofficial card has it knotted up at 48-all. More toe-to-toe fighting inside by both men in round six, and this time Greb has the better of it. More of the same in round seven, and Norfolk's right eye starts to puff up as a result. Norfolk comes back to take round eight and, after an even round nine, Greb unleashes a barrage of blows that startles an overly-aggressive Norfolk. Thus, Greb carries a 97-94 edge into the final rounds, according to our ringside expert. Norfolk battles back strongly to take rounds 11 and 12. After an even round 13, Greb catches Norfolk with a hook and puts him down for a 4-count in round 14. Although Norfolk battles back in a close final round, the KD may have sealed his fate. Scorecards read 142-143, 144-141, 144-141, and Greb hangs on to the title via a SD 15.

Harry Greb CH (41-7) vs Kid Norfolk #3 (33-8-2)

Given the closeness of their prior fight, a rematch is arranged a few months later. This time Norfolk has the better start, taking round one and, after an even round two, he also takes the third. Greb dominates the inside action in round four, opening a gash over Norfolk's right eye. Good cornerwork and the cut is patched up, and it's 48-48 (another close bout) after five. Greb seizes the edge with an inside attack in round six. Norfolk is the aggressor in round seven, but Greb holds his own. The cut over Norfolk's eye is reopened in round eight, but again good cornerwork saves the day. It's still anyone's fight when Norfolk is called for a blatant low blow in round 10, and Greb is awarded the bout via a controversial DQ 10 call.

Harry Greb CH (42-7) vs Battling Siki #14 (30-14-3)

Having seen enough of Norfolk, Greb defends versus a familiar opponent, the Senegalese, who has slipped a bit in the rankings. Greb enters the bout with a 2-1 edge in three prior meetings. Siki, who has won his last four against lesser opponents, is probably fighting for the last time at Prime.

Great start by Greb, who dominates the action in the opening round. Greb presses the attack in round two, earning his moniker "Human Windmill" and putting Siki on the defensive. More of the same in round three, and Siki's right eye has started swelling but he battles back in the later stages of the round. A better round for the challenger in round four, as Siki is working his way back into the bout. Greb decks Siki with an uppercut in round five, and is ahead by two (48-46) on the unofficial card at this point. Another strong round for the Champ in round six, and Siki's eye looks dramatically worse in the seventh. Greb takes charge in the eighth, scoring another dramatic knockdown. Siki is up quickly -- perhaps too quickly -- and Greb puts him down again. Siki is willing to continue, but the ref has seen enough. Greb by TKO 8 to retain the belt, in what is probably Siki's last shot for the brass ring.

NABF: Greb defended early in the year against "Duluth" Jimmy Delaney, ripping open a cut early in the bout that led to a 7th round TKO stoppage. Greb then vacated the belt after winning the WBA crown, and Jeff Smith was matched with veteran Tommy Gibbons for the vacant belt. A late rally in the last three rounds gave Gibbons the nod via a MD 12. Gibbons defended last in the year against USBA titleholder, the smooth boxing Tommy Loughran. A late KD when a wild overhand right landed for Gibbons proved the difference, as Tommy eked out a SD 12 win over the impressive looking Loughran.

USBA: Loughran retained this belt with three successful defenses during the year. First up was Joe Lohman, whom Loughran totally outboxed and outclassed in a solid UD 12 win. Then, Mike McTigue offered a tougher challenge, particularly when he opened a split lip on Loughran early in the bout. But Tommy recovered, and the die was cast when McTigue suffered a cut over his left eye that eventually led to a cuts stoppage, TKO 8 for Loughran. Loughran finished the year out with another masterful performance against Ted Jamieson, with the result being another late cuts stoppage, TKO 9 for Loughran.

CBU, GBU: Both belts were at stake as GBU Champ Len Harvey was matched up with Tom Berry for both the GBU belt and the CBU title vacated by Jack Delaney when he annexed the WBA title in late 1923. A solid showing by Harvey won him the second belt, and the bout ended on a cuts stoppage, going down as a TKO 9 for Harvey. Harvey defended both title belts late in the year versus Gypsy Daniels, who was emerging as a top UK LH prospect and had just won the EBU title (see report below). Harvey dominated the early action, but Daniels did well to keep the bout close, losing by a MD 12 to Harvey, who kept both belts.

EBU: Swiss Charles Baechli defended versus Brit Jack Bloomfield, who survived an early cut to register a narrow SD 12 win. Later in the year, Bloomfield faced Daniels, who outboxed Bloomfield, sealing the win with a strong 11th round en route to a UD 12 triumph.