http://boxrec.com/media/index.php/The_Ring_Magazine's_Annual_Ratings as far as the ring goes, he was as high as #2 for a few years on their annual ratings.
my mate was telling me about this, he said no, I think he's right but I haven't checked thoroughly myself.
Interesting. I'm sure, if given the opportunity to fight the likes of Lamotta, Cerdan or Graziano; Burley could have been the number 1 contender. It could be argued that Holman Williams was more deserving of a title shot than Burley @160.
This thread prompted me to search for at an old interview I had with Burley (and because you're a good blue an' all ). I probably have a fair few Burley articles but can't pinpoint them off the top of my head, but remembered the issue this one was in, as it was just after Ray Robinson died. In that, it claims Burley was the #1 contender at 160 for close on a year, between 42 and 44. Looking at the timelines, if this is true, i'd say it was after Old Archie lost to Jack Chase in the summer of 43 (thus pushing Burley up to the top spot).
What got me thinking was I was reading the Rosenfeld Auto on Burley and at no point does it mention Burley as nr1 (which would've obviously been an important thing to mention!). He probably inherited the status as number 1 in that timeline without any organisation formally announcing him as it.
Is the Rosenfeld book the one entitled 'The Life And Hard Times of an Uncrowned Champion'? That's the one I have, I lent it out a few years ago and haven't seen it since but my mate has it in his house. That's maybe my favourite book, loved it so much.
Charley Burley was rated in the top 10 for exactly 100 months, from September 1938 to August 1947, and his highest rating was #1.
appreciated hh. what's the ranking/source? i've heard for years that burley was never actually rated #1 in any division and despite the briliance of his contemporaries, it always seemed sketchy
One must keep in mind that Ring magazine ratings are not official. At that time a far more important rating in terms of whether or not a person got a title shot was the NBA rating, which Ring also published.
Burley's failure to gain a title shot cannot be wholely attributed to his skin colour. You could fit his fanbase into a telephone booth. His style of fights and the many occaisions in which he stunk fights out were too numerous. I think if Burley had actively persued Zale (ala Jack Johnson) and fought more aggressively in his fights against ranked opponents, he would have forced the governing bodies into making the fight. Lest we forget Robinson was ranked number 1 for going on 5 years consecutively at 147 before receiving his title shot.
Yep. Very interesting read, well sourced etc. Not very well written IMO, lacking flow or discussing much of his private life (I would assume the writer is not a writer by trade). I dont think it matches upto auto's done on Ali or Robinson in comparison. The book make me think this is how a modern fan would write a book on his favourite fighter (studying the fighters record on Boxrec and then scrolling through articles of his fights from the local journalist/paper men after each contest. His referencing to CBZ seemed unnecessary / a tad unprofessional. That probably sounds harsh, it was still a good book to read.