In the annals of boxing history, few years stand as tall as Harry Greb’s remarkable 1919 campaign. Known as the ‘Pittsburgh Windmill,’ Greb carved his name into the sport’s lore with an astonishing 45-0 record, a feat that remains unmatched to this day. Over the course of that year, Greb battled through a staggering 426 rounds, showcasing a level of endurance and skill that has become the stuff of legend.

Greb’s path to greatness was not without its obstacles. Throughout his undefeated year, he endured a litany of injuries that would have sidelined lesser fighters: two broken hands, a broken nose, cracked ribs, torn ankle ligaments, and infected cuts. As if these physical trials were not enough, Greb also survived being hit by a car outside the ring. Each bout was a grueling war against top-tier, Hall of Fame-level competition, a testament to Greb’s unyielding spirit and unparalleled toughness.

Even after his first loss to Mike Gibbons, Greb demonstrated his resilience by embarking on another incredible run, this time going 56-0. Throughout his career, Greb never lost more than one bout in any 100-bout stretch, a testament to his consistency and dominance. Despite his extraordinary achievements, Greb did not hold a world title during these stretches, competing in an era where each of the eight established weight classes had only one champion.

Harry Greb’s final record stands at an impressive 109-9-3 with 50 knockouts. He eventually claimed the World Middleweight Championship, holding the title from 1923 to 1926. Tragically, Greb’s life was cut short when he passed away in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on October 22, 1926, following complications from eye surgery. Born a humble tin roofer earning a mere $12 a week, Greb rose to become Pittsburgh’s first sports superstar.

Greb’s legacy is cemented in numerous Hall of Fames, including the Ring Magazine Hall of Fame (1955), the Pennsylvania Boxing Hall of Fame (1958), the Western Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame (1970), the World Boxing Hall of Fame (1980), and the International Boxing Hall of Fame (1990). The Sporting News honored Greb as the ‘Fighter of the Decade’ for the 1920s, recognizing his decade-long dominance in the ring.

Ranked by BoxRec as the fourth greatest fighter of all time, pound for pound, Greb’s impact on the sport is undeniable. He has been named the second greatest fighter of the past 80 years by Ring Magazine, the third greatest fighter of all time by historian Bert Sugar, and the fourth greatest fighter of all time by historian and boxing commentator Max Kellerman. The International Boxing Research Organization (IBRO) ranked Greb as the #1 middleweight, the #13 light heavyweight, and the #2 pound-for-pound fighter of all time in 2006. In a 2019 poll by IBRO, Greb was once again ranked as the #1 middleweight, the #9 light heavyweight, and the #3 pound-for-pound fighter of all time.