No broadswords, no fancy vests with sleeping gas grenades. Sinews against thinews, whatever they are and however you spell them.
My money is on the Giant Cimmerian, he’s gone hand to hand with monsters, while the Man of Bronze dresses up like an alligator and goes mostly after cheap crooks.
I believe the correct terms are “sinews” and “thews”.
My money is on Conan. The good doctor always made an effort to take his opponents alive and mostly unharmed. That will make him hesitant when he should be aggressive.
Doc will win. Conan will go thundering “I’m Conan the Barbarian, I yam, I yam,” and Doc will tell him his shoelaces are untied. Conan, will look down, notice he’s not wearing shoes, and wham.
Brains (plus some brawn) over pure brawn every time.
Wait, since when is Conan supposed to be a dummy? Sure, he might not have been a Rhodes Scholar, but he was the Cimmerian equivelant. He’s well-educated and widely travelled, and if he isn’t a wizard he’s probably learned more about the Black Arts (from all the times they’ve been used against him) and is well-prepared for a huge array of attacks, mental and physical. Conan has commanded bandits and pirates in battle, led groups of thieves in cunning raids, and generally gone it all.
Yeah, Doc Savage exercises and studies science. Conan has been involved with more fights that Doc Savage could imagine, against every kind of opponent there is. Plus, he’s frickin’ Conan. He’s like a barbarian Captain America. Yes, Doc Savage is good. But this is like putting a skilled kung-fu fighter in a cage match against one of the MMA’s best. Conan can fight fast, or brutal, or conservative, and he can box, or grapple - any way you need.
One thing is Doc Savage always has concealed items in his body, even if you strip him naked. As for strength and cunning I’d say their both about the same. Though Conan will get pass out drunk, while Doc Savage maintains a strict dietary regime which doesn’t include getting drunk.
In unarmed combat, Conan wins, he’s just got too much native ability, brawn and experience at it, even for Doc Savage. Anything involving figuring things out, Doc Savage wins, though Conan’s skills in this area are not inconsiderable. But Doc Savage’s skills in this area are far past Conan’s.
Doc Savage. He’ll be better armed, and he’ll be pragmatic enough to say, "Hmm. this guy is obviously much larger, stronger, and skilled in melee fighting. Best to cheat here.