How great was Stanley Ketchel?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Melankomas, Jan 15, 2023.



  1. Melankomas

    Melankomas Prime Jeffries would demolish a grizzly in 2 Full Member

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    I saw some footage of him and he didn't really seem impressive to me. Was he just known for being a great puncher? How skilled was he?
     
  2. Blofeld

    Blofeld Active Member Full Member

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    I think he was mainly known as a wild swinging slugger who engaged in vicious wars, particularly his foul filled battles against Billy Papke, and didn't seem afraid of anyone. His record is good, 51 -7 and he fought some tough fighters of the time, who are perhaps forgotten. I suspect his technique would be easy to exploit by modern champs but his heart and fearlessness would be hard to top.
     
  3. Blofeld

    Blofeld Active Member Full Member

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    Here is a good article about him.
    https://coxscorner.tripod.com/ketchel.html

    Seems like the film we have of him are not the best representations of him, a bit like Jimmy Wilde and many of these old timers.
     
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  4. mcvey

    mcvey VIP Member Full Member

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    Jack O' Brien who fought both ,rated Sam Langford his superior.
     
  5. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    He was one of the greatest middleweights of all time. He had a murderer's row of a "division" (things were looser then - he took on slightly bigger guys also) to deal with, pretty much dominated except for that disaster against Papke, who was himself a borderline great fighter.

    I rank Ketchel the fifth greatest Middleweight of all time, top 30 all time pound-for-pound.
     
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  6. Mike Cannon

    Mike Cannon Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Above him would be, SRR, Greb, Hagler, and Monzon, I would imagine ?
     
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  7. Reinhardt

    Reinhardt Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Hmm? Yeah, I'd put him in my top 10.
     
  8. mcvey

    mcvey VIP Member Full Member

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    Yes,certainly top ten.
     
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  9. quest00

    quest00 Member Full Member

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    I'm curious as to where you would place B-Hop
     
  10. Mark Dunham

    Mark Dunham Well-Known Member Full Member

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    He didnt look like so much to me
     
  11. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    I have been either competing in, watching or reading about boxing for 40 years now and I just can't wrap my head around this guy. He looks so horrible on film. The fighter I see could be ripped about by a Dana Rosenblatt level fighter. I know he created a good story and that we have to adjust for eras but I have never been able to swallow him being ranked so high.
     
  12. Tockah

    Tockah Ingo's Bingo Full Member

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    It's hard to not rate Langford almost everyone's superior given most first-hand accounts of the man.
     
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  13. Blofeld

    Blofeld Active Member Full Member

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    I think he was just a super hard puncher and tough as shoe leather, two things that don't really come across on film. I mean there have plenty of fighters with awful styles who succeeded through raw physical attributes. Also the film we have is against Papke and Johnson, two of the toughest SOBs in history. He was outweighed by 50 pounds against Jack and his fourth match vs Papke was seen, even at the time, as a poor performance by Stan. Not saying I disagree with you but I think what you say could be applied to many champs from that era with limited footage. I mean I don't think he looks significantly worse than Johnson on film, they have a similar low hands style, just Stan has a much worse defence!

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  14. Mike Cannon

    Mike Cannon Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Agree wholeheartedly, I have said as much on numerous posts over the last couple of years, also that I believe all the MW champs from say 1930 onwards would beat him handily, even most contenders would have a 50/50 chance, he is the classic case of contemporary writers and opponents heaping unjustified praise on a current fighter, the nickname, the gun he carried, the flaming red cars, the disdain for authority, the maverick, they all stoked the fire of his mystique, the reality was infinitely different.
    stay safe buddy.
     
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  15. Blofeld

    Blofeld Active Member Full Member

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