Very difficult with so little footage to go on of Stan...but from what little I've seen of him (a bogus put up job against Jack Johnson and the Papke footage) Ketchel strikes me as being the type of guy who would refuse to back down to anyone, who had no fear of anyone, and had little or no respect for anyone's boxing skill or technique - make no bones about it he simply wanted to hurt you - a man like that is dangerous even if you're technically a better fighter than he is. He was face first in the face of tremendous punishment but if the great Sam Langford couldn't KO him Hagler probably won't be. Hagler I think would back up and make him walk into shots - Ketchel would make it rough and be looking to bash Hagler every second but Hagler with the greater variety would be winning handily and the damage would be building up on Ketchel but Stan would disregard it - I could see a points win for Hagler and I also see some very hairy moments aswell Stanley Ketchel was a vicious middleweight and just wanted to ko everyone he ever faced - it would be no different with Hagler - whether Hagler would engage in a slugfest with Stanley Ketchel I don't know? I don't think he would because that would be playing Russian rulette - Ketchel was as tough as they come and could ko anyone at any time - interested to here everyone else's take on it but I'm thinking hagler but then Vito gave him a rough night and Duran out macho'd him in one respect?
totally agree with the posts so far. it'd take a hell of an argument to make a case for ketchel in this
I think this is more competitive than people think. Ketchel for all his crudeness seems to have been pure poison for technical boxers. Whatever he was doing was obviously working against them.
Ketchel breaks both hands on Hagler's dome, failing to score a knockdown and is stopped in the mid-rounds.
I think this would be one instance where the technical superiority of a more modern style of fighter trumps an old timer... no matter how tough he was. Hagler simply had more tools at his disposal and a more varied arsenal than Ketchel. Aside from knocking out Marvin I can't see how Ketchel wins....and KOing Hagler is a very unlikely scenario. I see hagler moving and snapping his jab all night, warming up Stanley for the more heavy artillery to come. Ketchel wouldn't go easily though. He'd try to rough Hagler up and would land a couple of winging rights but it will take more than that to beat the well oiled machine Hagler was as his best. Marvin by lopsided decision or late round stoppage.
Ketchel could lay punishment like few others. Even with broken hands he could hit. I could see him earning a decision because of Hagler's great chin.
