I beleive that Burley was the better fighter but that he never got the chance to really show what he could do.
He was the better fighter based on which fights that you have actually seen, oh yeah i forgot there aren't many.
I am sure that this variable dose bias my list in favour of older fighters. At the same time I am not greatly concearned by what motivated these fighters to compile their records.
If you mean because there is no film of him fighting middleweights you are quite right - if you mean he beat fighters of lesser quality than Hopkins, you are quite wrong. Burley's win against Archie Moore is worth two of any of Hopkins' wins.
Marcel Cerdan is overrated. as is Jake LaMotta. I doubt either of these would get in my head to head top 20. Both look average and poor on film respectively. Cerdan had a record full of nobodies and LaMotta's legacy is based on two opponents. Neither would be champions today. Someone like Hopknis, Wright or even taylor would outpoint them. Tough, strong fighters, but not exactly great.