https://streamable.com/ojm06 Found a slow motion version in the Getty archive. It's spotty, but better than anything I've seen previously. Now before we start foaming at the mouth and spew our agendas, can I please give my opinion? Johnson anticipates the punch and clearly starts going down before it lands. Which doesn't necessitate him faking it. It's possible. However, Ketchels glove seems to have nowhere to go besides Johnsons head. And Johnson doesn't seem, to me, to be acting in reaction to the punch. That is just my take.
I saw it as Ketchell made one of his rushes and lil Arthur was off balance, note how Johnsons left leg goes at angle as if he slipped and he in fact appeared to almost save himself from going down with his glove, but then took to the canvas to regain balance equilibrium ie his boxing brain took over. I too do not think the punch landed. If you note Ketchell despite being the intensely focused wreckng ball that he was, is after the 'knockdown' not focused on his downed opponent and ready to wade in if he rose, but is looking at his corner. So to precis Ketchell went off script, gave Johnson a scare, Johnson slipped to avoid the rush/punch, arose and in the ensuing seconds anaesthetised Ketchell, and did some dental reconstruction on him in the process.
I've been saying for years after watching this that something didn't smell right. Some tend to just go with the flow. That it has been said for years and not rock the boat. But my reaction was WTF! Clearly anyone can see that Ketchell throws a punch that is telegraphed as far as Missouri and that Johnson - with or without the help of Ketchell - was going down. Like K. Warrior said, watch his left leg. It was turning in already and he would've gone down anyway. If Ketchell hit anything, the punch barely would have skidded across the top of his head. Personally, I think he just fell over and was embarrassed. And took it out on Ketchell.
It seems highly possible that, as Johnson ducks with his face toward the canvas, Ketchell catches him on the back of the head... essentially a rabbit punch. Those shots suck and can make anyone go down. It would also explain why Johnson was sufficiently pissed to end affairs immediately, which he did.
Looks like a partial slip in conjunction with the rabbit shot as he was going down .. makes sense ... it clearly seems not to be a classic knockdown.
