Did Ray Robinson avoid burley because deep down he knew charley would have his number

[Joey Giardello]

And beat him? I think if burley would of been given more chances it would be him and not robinson who left the mark on the sport as as the best ever fighter. Eddie futch also said burley was the best, jake la motta also claimed he was one of the best he ever seen. Burley was avoided by billy conn, jake la motta and of course ray robinson

[Silencers]

I think Robinson would have fought Burley had the money been there, I think the main reason he didn't fight him was because Burley was because Burley was a high risk, low reward guy.

[nomercy90]

Sugar's manager stated in interviews that Burley was the only fighter he wouldn't let Sugar fight, saying his style was all wrong for Robinson.

It should also be noted that Archie Moore claimed Burley was the best fighter he ever faced. High praise from someone who faced virtually every top light heavywieght and heavyweight from one of boxing's greatest eras.

[Thread Stealer]

It should also be noted that Archie Moore claimed Burley was the best fighter he ever faced. High praise from someone who faced virtually every top light heavywieght and heavyweight from one of boxing's greatest eras.

Yeah, Moore was quoted as saying that people often ask him who the best guy he ever faced was, and he often says Marciano just to make them happy and leave him alone, but he feels the two best guys he faced were Burley and Booker.

In regards to why Robinson priced himself out of Burley, he (or his team) must've felt it just wasn't worth the risk. Burley said he didn't blame Ray and would've done the same thing if he were in the position Ray was in.

If Burley were a big name or champ, and provided a better reward/risk ratio, then I think Ray would've fought him.

I rarely believe in the "he was scared to fight him by any means necessary" factor.

[Jim Jeffries]

I think from '42 to '48, when Ray would've fought him, SRR was still a WW, while Burley was a MW. That and the high risk/low reward based on some questionable decision losses for Burley and others not letting him have a title shot.

[AntonTheMeh]

I think Robinson would have fought Burley had the money been there, I think the main reason he didn't fight him was because Burley was because Burley was a high risk, low reward guy.

agree.that would have been a great fight.

[AntonTheMeh]

I think from '42 to '48, when Ray would've fought him, SRR was still a WW, while Burley was a MW. That and the high risk/low reward based on some questionable decision losses for Burley and others not letting him have a title shot.

ray fought plenty of middles as a welter though.

[Jim Jeffries]

ray fought plenty of middles as a welter though.

True, but he also lost to a lesser fighter in La Motto doing so.

[Kid McCoy]

Ray Robinson fought gazillions of Hall of Famers, champions and the like, so it's unlikely he feared Burley.

Robinson may well have been the Greatest, but he was also a hard headed businessman, and by most accounts difficult to deal with in negotiations. Remember it was his purse demands which felled the proposed fight with Archie Moore.

Robinson not meeting Burley was probably a case of risk vs reward. Burley was not a big draw, and seems not to have been a crowd pleaser, whereas LaMotta was a popular fighter (at least in terms of fanbase) and widely seen as the uncrowned middleweight king, so fighting him brought Robinson a big payday and no damage to his career if he lost.

Had the money been right, I imagine Robinson would have fought him.

[TheGreatA]

True, but he also lost to a lesser fighter in La Motto doing so.

I wouldn't call LaMotta a lesser fighter.

Burley gets all the credit in the world today, perhaps even more than he should, compared to Lloyd Marshall, Jimmy Bivins, Holman Williams, Bert Lytell etc. who all managed to beat him.

The fact is that at the time the two competed, it was LaMotta who was almost always rated above Burley in the middleweight rankings.