Stanley "The Michigan Assasin" Ketchel vs. Gennady "GGG" Golovkin

Different eras are important to highlight but they are not incompatible for the simple reason that boxing has and will always be about distance and timing, and it's in those split second moments that the fighter's with the best intuition know what to do.

The last time we saw Golovkin mistakes did not matter. They would here.

Ugly as it may seem (particularly from the two poor examples of Ketchel remaining), he did have his own, well-schooled method of whipping in shots, even switch-hitting. His power was tremendous and he could keep up this manic style round-after-round. Golovkin may very well win, but then it's not out of the question Stanley lands a howitzer, draws blood and welcomes the street fight.

Whatever one makes of Ketchel's ring IQ he was ferocious, unorthdox and powerful. Golovkin has yet to face anyone near that quality which is why threads like Golovkin-Hagler have no sound basis to go in his favour.

 

I'd say it depends on how many rounds it goes. If it's a finish fight I'd favor Ketchel. If just 12 rounds I'd favor GGG by wide UD.

 

He is also completely unproven in a tough fight.

 

Ketchel was a coarse boxer but a relentless fighter. Whether or not this translates as ring IQ is debatable but what many wouldn't disagree with is that he was a truly savage puncher, who knew how to find his mark.

I can't see, at this point, that Golovkin would be the man to take the gameness out of Ketchel. Moreover, Golovkin is not a defensive genius and, in many respects, could well play into Ketchel's strengths as a pure scrapper.

 

Yes, but is he better at winning?

 

Then it is a good thing that this wouldn't be a tough fight for him.

 

The stuff is starting to drive me crazy so perhaps I should just stay out of it ,but how do we know what Ketchel would do against a modern style since he never faced it. Isn't it likely that he would be able to adapt?

 

Might be able to adapt eventually, with years of training, but as is I think Golovkin is all wrong for him (based on what I've read about his style and the little I've seen of him). I see him getting eaten alive from distance while trying in vain to work his way inside.

 

Then there is the question about which way our tImemachine goes. Are using current rules with neutral corners etcetera? How often are they fighting leading up to the bout?

 

What? You're crazy! You can't tell me that Ketchel doesn't look a little too primitive for golovkin