Tom Sharkey vs. Hart, O'brien, Ketchel, and Burns

Difference in styles. No differences in punching power. Ketchel hit like a mack truck. So did Fitzsimmons. They were both middleweights.


Feb. 27, 1909 Tacoma Daily Ledger stated, “Ketchel is much faster than Fitzsimmons in his prime."

 

Now people are trying to say Kid McCoy was a bigger puncher than Stanley Ketchel?


McCoy, just 155lb, floored the "iron chinned' Tom Sharkey twice

 

Yea I mean Papke wasn't that good, he was only a hall of famer. How would Burns and McCoy have done against Papke? Hell I wouldn't be surpised if neither could beat him.

Ketchel has one of the highest knockout percentages of all time. He knocked leading contenders/hall of famers/iron chinned fighters out cold. I mean you look at Burns and Ketchel's resumes and its quite apparent how much of a more lethal puncher and finisher stanley ketchel was than burns. Not to mention reading countless articles on Stanley Ketchel's destructive power. He also floored 6'2 210lb ATG chizzled Jack Johnson with 1 right hand, Johnson was dazzled enough to not be able to get back on his feet in his first try. What middleweights of the era knocked down with 1 punch such a big beast like johnson? Which white middleweight of the era had the balls to get in the ring with an ATG prime black fighter like sam langford? They hid behind the color line for good reason. Ketchel didn't give a ****. He had balls of steel. Like Jake Lamotta and Rocky Marciano. Don't **** with ketchel, he will knock your ass the **** out. Any 160lbers in history does not have an easy fight with him.

Ketchel died early but I think it's quite clear he was on his way to becoming one of the greatest fighters of all time. Period. He also carried his power up to heavyweight. At 160lb, he was devastating. Maybe the best puncher of all time at that weight. Sharkey proved his chin was vulnerable against big time 160lb punchers, so why can't ketchel put a dent in his chin?

 

I would pick Fitz over Papke by knockout. I personally think Fitz would be in for a huge surpise if he got in the ring with Ketchel. He would find in front of him a beast with immense knockout power, speed, non stop relentlessness, and a mindset that would rather die than lose. Fitz may land a couple huge counters early but I could easily see Ketchel swarming all over fitz and wearing him down late. Fitz better be ready to go to war.

 

Even if theirs a slight difference, Ketchel's tiger like aggresion, and finishing abilities made him just as dangerous a puncher as Fitzsimmons. I do think Ketchel had one punch power comparable to fitz as well.

 

I also think it's sad how most of this forum has Fitzsimmons **** 9" down their throats, while Ketchel is left out to dry like a wet t shirt. Ketchel is ridiculously underrated on this forum and you know it.

 

As a h2h fighter it's impossible to underrate/overrate anyone because it's hard to prove.

In terms of career you can only judge stan on what he did before dying (much like sal) so we don't have as much as we'd like to work with.

If you believe he took the decision with langford, that makes a huge difference imo.

Btw, saying fitz has a 9 inch **** is by far the most homo thing i've ever heard anyone say about ruby

 

Practically no one who saw either man fight would agree with this statement.

 

Nat Fleischer rated Ketchel # 1 middleweight of all time, so did Charley Rose. He is also rated # 6 puncher of all time in RINGs top 100 of all time list.