Charley Burley: Analyzing Genius

[marbleheadmaui]

Thanks for that! Some thoughts

I'm pretty sure that is the second fight with the fine 175 Oakland Billy Smith where Burley is giving up ten pounds and it is late in Burley's career...the placement of the head is so basic and yet so few fighters today get it right. That's why we see so many cuts coming from clashes of heads. They aren't accidents, they are functions of poor technique...Burley is a beautiful example of the highest form of boxing. The trick isn't wild, flashy movments, the trick is to do the LEAST one can to gain an advantage. It saves energy and leaves one in a position to counter. Never make a guy miss by a foot if you can make him miss by an inch and never move six inches when four will do. Benny Leonard was another guy who understood that...Burley's balance is a thing to behold as is his feinting...when you watch men like Burley you can see how boxing in it's highest form is a dance, not a slugfest.

Thanks again. Great stuff!

Oh yeah, one last thing. How good was Charley Burley? Once on three days notice (and only two weeks after he'd knocked out the formidable Jack Chase) Burley took a fight. On the day of the fight he worked all day in a factory in San Diego, took a three hour train to LA, took a cab to Legion Stadium and, while giving up six pounds, dropped his foe three times en route to a ten round decision. His opponent? Some guy named Archie Moore.