Packey McFarland destroys Charley Burley with laughable ease

Your main obstacle is still that these guys aren't fan favorites in this forum. (Fittingly or ironically, take your pick.)

At least put a bit of Youtube footage up to assuage our twitchy Millennial need for stimulation.

 

I'm interested in hearing who you think would win and why. I've been reading about Mcfarland the last few weeks.

 

I don't know enough about McFarland to intelligently reply, unfortunately.

But I think you'd make BitPlayerVesti's day if you gave us your take on who'd win.

 

I would favor Burley because of the beating he gave Archie Moore

 

I'll take "The Stockyards of Chicago" . He was fast, great footwork, great jab, extremely polished technical boxer with good power .. He is busier than Burley and outpoints him …

 

Yes he was even after a 2 year lay off

 

There's very limited footage available of either.

McFarland, to the best of my knowledge, only fought above 140, once, and never at Welterweight. Burley was a big Welter and a very solid Middleweight - with a truckload of skill.

One could argue that Burley tended to use style and guile to win his fights, rather than strength and power but, even then, I think we only have the McFarland/Gibbons fight to support Packey in this kind of divisional match-up (?).

If so, is it enough? I wouldn't be all that confident, but McFarland could be worth a punt; placing some faith in his ability to force the pace and make Burley work for a full 15. On the other hand, this might just be a tailor-made scenario for Burley to pick his opponent off and make a points victory the more likely result.

 

Well it's nice to have threads about the more obscure boxers (I'm not saying Burley is obscure) so we can look up their history and learn about them. That's what the Classics section is all about. I mean besides the back and forth insult hurling between various member who shall not be named.

 

I will deliberately misinterpret that statement as a direct criticism of me, my family, and everything I hold dear, and I hereby formally insult you, publicly.

Your move.

 

Ya big boob

 

I'm not a Packey expert at all or of that era in general, just a fan who read up on him a lil bit.. And he did fight a lot at WW and beat some very good fighters there.. His best weight was around 138 so he was that fighter who was stuck in between the 2 divisions if you will .. He was incredibly fast, superior movement, skills ahead of his time, very tough and a smart fighter(content on out boxing his opp or getting KO if needed). One that went 20 and 25 rounds a few times .. I think Burley had only had 2 fights where he went a full 15. Burley would have him height, weight and reach, but not skill imo.. In a cautious fight by Burley, he might get outpointed giving up the speed and quickness. Like I said, there are a lot more knowledgable posters here on this era, would like to hear their input

 

I'm no expert, either. My guess at McFarland having not fought at Welterweight was essentially based on my perception of him as a Lightweight, fighting other Lightweights, give or take a few pounds.

If his best weight, as you suggest, was 138lbs, this would have made him a Light Welterweight, in the modern day, and although, this was not an official division with a title, during McFarland's time, it was in Burley's. However, I was unaware McFarland had competed against many good Welterweights, of the times, prior to his bout with Gibbons.

On the matter of 'skill'; again, I would need to take a far closer look at what has been written, given the distinct shortage of film of both. But, much of what I've read would, in my current opinion, put Burley in an advanced position, on that front, as well. If Burley could do 15 rounds at a high level of competition, once or twice, then I don't think the number of rounds would be a factor for either boxer.

Overall, more study required. I hope some information is forthcoming, during this thread.

 

Ya me too .. be nice to see more threads of the lower weights and of this era .. I think I read that Packey helped a long/trained Barney Ross very early in Ross' career, no idea if it's true or just a story?