The Omaha morning bee., 1925-04-12
NV Hardest Battle

GEN T. T y n n {. Y
Light Heavyweight Champion of Ameriea)

TN THE first round of my 15round
meeting with Harry Greb at
u Madison Square Garden. New
York, on the night of May %. 1922.
Harry and | started at each other
with both hands swinging. Getting
into close quarters, a clineh resulted,
with Harry hurting himself at me
headlong. He WAS shorter than
and, as we came together. his head
causing a double fracture and a
heavy flow of blood.
This occurrence. coming early in
the round, ushered in the hardest
battle of my eareer-a battle which
might have been very disastrous for
me. but from which l gained one
very important bit of information.
This was that Greb couldn't knock
me out and that | could lick him.
In the intermission between the
first and second rounds. my seconds
tried hard to stop the flow of blood
from my nose. They weren't success.
fu. It continued throughout the
fight.
But this wasn't all. In the fourth
round We had another head.on COLI.
sion This time Grebs skull laid
open my left eye. severing an artery.
We were never able to close that
wound either.
In the fifth round. Harry opened
up my right eye-another one Of
those eollisions-but between rounds
we could stop the bleeding from 1t.
Needless to say. however. he kept re-
opening it frequently thereafter.
Holding my own under such conditions
was task. believe me. GraduAlly
became blinded that ! had to fight
more by the sense and feel of things than
by any other means.
| had TO chan nse NV whole plan OF bat
tie. Every time Grab got close to me
started TO punch and kept Il up until
frst 10 back out OF our mfX-ups right
down 10 the final bell
but 1t wasn't only hampered vision with
which | had to contend. GRADUALLY the
loss Of blood was making me weaker =
50 weak was afraid my opponent would
rea lize my condition and take advantage
OF n.
Only my nervous energy aud the fact
that / was trained 10 the minute were
carrying me along.
Then; IN the. laih round. surprising
thing happened.
helnless. but. although several times
Harry measured me for punches they all
went over my head.
had hooked him with a left 10 the
body. when ] saw out Of my right owe
that he was starting a right hand swing
at me.
My purpose was 10 step outside this
ewing. but my legs were weary nd didn L
function properly. Greb landed flush on
my chin
RIght then and there I learned a great
thing. Harry's swing had no more effect
on me than the snap Of finger
knew that thereafter would he able
TO beat him II didn't get The bad
breaks. or II the breaks We're evenly
distributed.
] held him pretty we'll through the 1fth
and 18th rounds but OF course hs got
the decision. However, NY dope was
right He gave return match and
defeated him In Is rounds. We fought
= rubber contest and again l was the
victor.
But that MAY night IN 1922 scarcely
had strength enough TO stagRer over to
Greb's corner at the finish TO congratulate
him and ask him for another chance
He promised II and / started for my
dressing room At its door I cola psed
was conscious but ] couldn't move.
My seconds and doctor worked over
me two hours The doctor said I had
lost mora blood than would have been
cost me by a major operation.
IT IL a fact that I weighed 17s pounds
before the fight and that | came out
of the ring seven pounds lighter. or