if these guys were so tough , who worked out with them? and how did they get so good or make themselves better? what made them so feared during their time period?
Charley Burley sparred with heavyweights like Curtis "Hatchetman" Sheppard, Harry Bobo and Elmer "Violent" Ray. In fact one of Burley's losses to Ezzard Charles was blamed on a particularly violent sparring session with Sheppard in which Burley took a bad body beating.
Credit to Charles for putting on the performance that he did though, one of the best fighters of all time in his prime.
Absolutely. I take nothing away from him (especially since he beat Burley TWICE). He is my no.1 all time light heavy and one of my top 10 p4p:good