Let us put aside what Ignatius meant by “Catholic”. If you put what he believed side by side to what Catholics and Protestants believe today he would be Catholic. This is true of the other early Church Fathers who are witnesses of what the early Christians believed.
We have the bible to put beside Protestants and Catholics today...The bible clearly sides with the Protestants...
What you are saying is akin to saying because the Sunnis more resemble Mohammed than the Shiites, the Sunnis are the true Christians...
Your entire church history is made up of forgeries...