Monzon gets many superlatives on this board, and rightfully so...his record and title reign are the epitome of consistancy...But here is what a few old timers said about Ketchel... "Ketchel was an exception to the human race. He was a savage. He would pound and rip his opponent's eyes, nose and mouth in a clinch. He coudn't get enough blood. His nickname "assassin" fit him like a glove." -Veteran fight manager 'Dumb' Dan Morgan "One of the greatest fighters of my time. All stone and ice concentration when he entered the ring. The moment he entered, his eyes were like that of a killer. Ketchel scorned the word retreat. A demon of the roped square, he made his opponents think that all the furies of hades had been turned loose on them. He got his punches away from all angles. If he missed with one hand, he would nail him with the other. He was as game as a bulldog and tough as a bronco." -Nat Fleischer "Ketchel is much faster than Fitzsimmons in his prime. Ketchel isn't a clever blocker like Fitzsimmons. He fights wide open. But his continual shifting and swift punching, make him a bad target." -Tacoma Daily Ledger Feb 27th 1909 Let's play two!!! One distance the modern fifteen rounder for Monzon....and one distance of 25 rounds for Ketchel! Would it make a difference? What's your call?
Monzon survives Ketchels thunder in the early rounds, and then begins to wear down his man with monotonous regularity. Left jabs and the occasional thudding right cross would close Stanley's eyes and the smaller man would be outthought and outfought in the late rounds. A big right hand would score a kd for Monzon in the 13th, and the referee would rescue a battered Ketchel in the 14th, as Monzon would knock him down again in the 14th. Ketchel was alegendary fighter with many ko's to his credit, but Monzon was a super tough elite great whose best work came with cruel effectiveness in the rounds 12 thru 15.
