Stanley Ketchel vs. Tony Zale

Good matchup, IMO Ketchel was one of the if not THE hardest puncher at 160 lbs ever, and let´s not forget he had also a pretty solid chin and a great pace, IMO he would spectacular KO Zale late...

 

This is wild...this would be one vicious fight. Zale loved to punish fighters by shooting right hands on and under the heart, then folowing with a left hook to the head or body depending on his position...It has been said that Ketchel was inhumanly tough, and beyond great stamina...Zale isn't running from anyone, he would meet Stanley head on...I feel most of the time Zale is judged by his performances against Graziano, where he was past his best by historian's views...Given that, anyone crazy enough to fight the heavyweight champion at the time, is the one who gets my vote...I'd say Ketchel by 14th round KO.
But...Zale was never outfought in his prime by another slugger...he was only outboxed.

 

Two of the all-time greatest Polish-american fighters. It is hard to picture many beating Zale at his own game. Ketchel would have been one of the few that could succeed. It would be special while it lasted.

Ketchel KO 12 Zale in a brutal war.

 

Zale stops him within a round or two under modern rules.

 

I haven't seen enough clear film of Ketchel to judge. He doesn't look impressive to me in the filmed highlights of that Papke fight (but I hear that was not considered a good performance) and it's hard to judge him from fighting the 200+ pound Jack Johnson.
Ketchel was obviously better than the films allow us to see.

 

Both incredibly tough, but Ketchel had harder punch. Takes out Zale with overhand right.

 

Because Ketchell was a primtive fighter, pure and simple. Watch him on film. How anyone could come to the conclusion that he would last with any of the more modern opponents or those around the 30's and 40's is beyond me. You guys must be basing it on accounts rather than footage, because on film he looks awful, no skill at all. I'm of the mind that boxing came into the more modern era around the 30's and 40's with certain fighters being pioneers just before, and was the modern game as he we know from then on. I don't see how you could say otherwise after watching a guy like Fitzsimmons or Ketchell on film.

 

Sweat Pea is correct. Ketchel may have been tough and hit hard but his style is far too primitve. In the few clips that exist on him, I have'nt seen one jab thrown by him. Just that pawing motion so common in fighters of that time waiting to land a bomb. Zale was a more technically sound figher who employed more modern boxing tactics such as combination punching, use of the jab etc.. In a 3 fight series I see Tony taking 2 out of 3, similar to the way Zale/Graziano played out. Boxing has evolved as a sport, scientifically and strategically since Ketchel's day which is why we don't that style of fighting anymore(I'm referring to Ketchell).

 

On the film of Ketchel v. Jack Johnson, Kelchel looks disoriented and sloppy, but that is after the much bigger Johnson has belted him around for a while. He still had enough to floor Johnson in the 12th. I just think if he could do that, and Zale got knocked out by Graziano's lesser punches, Ketchel would have chance to take out Zale with one of his bombs.