Here's footage of Donovan (albeit old): This content is protected Footage of Ketchel: This content is protected Who's your pick? Prime for prime
Yeah, Ketchel/Papke was really crude imo. It’s bizarre cuz Papke looks much better and more skilled in his fight against Carpentier. I just find it kind of funny, how a 60 year old Donovan displayed more skill than Ketchel, albeit slightly out of his prime, did. Donovan appeared to have peaked in the 1870s, and he surely must’ve looked much better in his prime than a play-spar in old age. It’s like 1870s best middleweight vs. 1900s best middleweight.
Judging from the manuals from that period, seems like it certainly wasn’t frowned upon. As long as you move your head, move your feet and parry like Donovan does. And to his credit, the old cotter does it pretty well. I see why Teddy Roosevelt opted taking lessons from the man.
