Charley Burley vs Al Gainer

[Surf-Bat]

The 1942 Burley at 160 Lbs vs the 1937 Gainer at 166 Lbs. Who wins and why?

[Surf-Bat]

Bump (can't let this one disappear without a fight)

[LittleRed]

I think Gainer is too big for Burley.

[ecto55]

I am the proverbial weather vane, so asked yesterday or tomorrow my answer will be different. But for the moment, I think Burley would likely outbox Gainer.

Gainer's size and especially power is a massive factor, but he could be outboxed by Burley by virtue of the smaller man's control, positioning, fighting and head movement.

Apperently Burley could outbox/control almost anyone...and I think if Slapsie Maxie and John Henry Lewis could outbox Gainer, Burley being smaller and less inclined to trade for fear of being crunched might be convinced to fight safety first. If he did that, theoretically the bout will turn out either as a Burley or Gainer decision, with the fulcrum being whether Gainer can pressure Burley enough to win the necessary rounds. But I'm assuming Burley would not trade to his disadvantage, or would at some point he need to hurl that right hand of his and risk being hurt. Also, is not bombing not be Burley's style (although i know he did fight to a decision once using only the lead hand and throwing maybye 5 rights in the entire bout- incidentally while being cornered by Lewis, so fighting to a plan away from his apperent strenths is something he could do)?

Would he win a decision, would Gainer press enough? I think if Rosenbloom could beat Gainer, Burley could too. Afterall, he was supposed to be almost inhuman?

ps. Surf-bat or anyone else, surely these two must have crossed paths in a gym, any tidbits???

[Surf-Bat]

Originally Posted by ecto55

I am the proverbial weather vane, so asked yesterday or tomorrow my answer will be different. But for the moment, I think Burley would likely outbox Gainer.

Gainer's size and especially power is a massive factor, but he could be outboxed by Burley by virtue of the smaller man's control, positioning, fighting and head movement.

Apperently Burley could outbox/control almost anyone...and I think if Slapsie Maxie and John Henry Lewis could outbox Gainer, Burley being smaller and less inclined to trade for fear of being crunched might be convinced to fight safety first. If he did that, theoretically the bout will turn out either as a Burley or Gainer decision, with the fulcrum being whether Gainer can pressure Burley enough to win the necessary rounds. But I'm assuming Burley would not trade to his disadvantage, or would at some point he need to hurl that right hand of his and risk being hurt. Also, is not bombing not be Burley's style (although i know he did fight to a decision once using only the lead hand and throwing maybye 5 rights in the entire bout- incidentally while being cornered by Lewis, so fighting to a plan away from his apperent strenths is something he could do)?

Would he win a decision, would Gainer press enough? I think if Rosenbloom could beat Gainer, Burley could too. Afterall, he was supposed to be almost inhuman?

ps. Surf-bat or anyone else, surely these two must have crossed paths in a gym, any tidbits???

Good post!

Gainer preceded Burley by a number of years. By the time Burley broke into the ratings Gainer was already on his way out. Gainer began fighting in Pittsburgh in 1936 and had several fights there.

Burley fought on two of Gainer's undercards, fighting on the Gainer-Red Bruce card on 6/24/1937 and fighting Fritzie Zivic on the Gainer-Teddy Yarosz card on 7/17/1939. In fact Burley, Billy Conn and Sammy Angott all cut their teeth on Gainer's undercards in Pittsburgh.

Burley was just a young welterweight and Gainer a veteran light-heavy at the time Al was finishing his stint in the Smoky City, so I doubt they sparred. I'm sure Burley watched him in the gym though and had a healthy respect for him.

[Surf-Bat]

Billy Conn sure did. After watching Gainer lose a loudly protested decision to Joe Louis protégé Dave Clark in 1939, Conn said “I’ll take Clark- and how I’ll take him. But you and them other guys can have that Gainer. He’s still a tough old man.”

[Beer]

The small amount of footage I've seen of Gainer looked very unimpressive.

[Surf-Bat]

Originally Posted by Beer

The small amount of footage I've seen of Gainer looked very unimpressive.

I wasn't aware any existed. Which fight?

[Surf-Bat]

Scratch that. Just checked your other posts. A troller.

[Nightcrawler]

i think burley would destroy derrick gainer. don't know bout al gainer

[LittleRed]

Originally Posted by Surf-Bat

The 1942 Burley at 160 Lbs vs the 1937 Gainer at 166 Lbs. Who wins and why?

Didn't see the weights. If Burley is not giving up 20 pounds I think he can do what he did to Oakland Billy Smith.