I love these sort of threads in the classic forum, way better than the usual who would win out of fighter A and fighter B.
Nice ranking I believe it is very close between the top three. I mean Williams and Burley went 3-3 and 1 no contest and Marshall beat Burley and went 1-2 with Holman.
Yes, fair, some points about the Williams-Burley rivalry though. 1 - The NC was widely seen as a disgrace, and i've read speculation on occasion that it was with a view to proecting money that was riding on Williams, though I can't say whether it is so with any authority. Burley was leading that fight. 2 - Their first encounter - Burley battered Williams all over the ring and dropped him three times. Williams was, in fact, turning the tide already, but it is also true that Burley threw his shoulder in the ninth, and only won one more round. 3 - Their 4 encounters in 1942 - a close win over 10 for Burley, and then another. The secnd of these coming after the worst beating Charley took at, from Charles - something like 4 weeks seperates the fights. Then Charley wins a definitive victory by KO in a one-sided fight, finally Burley loses a decision which was somewhat contriversial, though it sounds like it could have gone either way. I think Burley proved his dominance over Williams, personally, regardless of the stat.
I know im in the minority here, but of the 'uncrowned champs', i have Bivins at 1 and Burley at 2, but in a h2h sense, given that Burley was smaller naturally, i have Burley at number 1.
Burley was roundly ducked by three champions - Armstrong, Robinson and Zivic. Zivic is supposed to have gone to the trouble of buying out Charley's contract to avoid fighting him. He was also ducked by guys like LaMotta and other contenders. I don't think Bivins had as much taken away from him as Bivins did. But Bivins sure as **** should have got the shot at Louis post WWII, he was owed that much. What do you make of his chances?
On Bivins-Louis? I'd have to pick Louis ultimately, i just wouldnt feel right not doing so. But maybe an argument could be made for a vintage Bivins performance? I'll most likely pick Bivins everytime though, gotta be by stoppage somewhere in the bout. I would give Burley great chances at eating some of history's great welters however.