Coming in at #55 is Charley Burley / Courtesy of The Cyber Boxing Zone

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Mark Lyons is back with the latest instalment of his Top 100 Punchers list.  Today he's counting down numbers 55 through 51.

Mark's previous entry: Numbers 60 through 56

55. Charley Burley

Career Record: 83-12-2 (50), Years Active: 1936 - 1950

Most Impressive Stoppages: Holman Williams TKO9, Jack Chase KO9 & TKO12, Jackie Burke TKO5, Chuck Higgins KO1, JD Turner TKO7

If you browse Charley Burley’s record, you’ll notice a fight where the weights don’t seem quite right - 151 vs 219 ½. Amazingly, those numbers are correct. Burley spotted heavyweight JD Turner almost 70 pounds, and handed out such a beating that the big man decided to stay on his stool after 6 rounds.  Imagine if something like that happened today?  The message boards would suffer a melt down.

Ray Arcel and Eddie Futch talked about Burley with a reverence reserved for the very best that ever stepped in the ring. That was how lofty the legendary old time trainers rated Charley’s all-around talents. Besides being a defensive master, Burley also packed a considerable punch, as his stoppage of a prime Holman Williams attests to. Williams was as shifty and clever as any fighter the sport has ever seen, but Burley finished him with a vicious body attack. He also dumped Archie Moore on the canvas 4 times, leaving the Mongoose groggy at the close or their 10 rounder.

54. Israel Vazquez

Career Record: 44-4 (33), Years Active: 1995 - 2009

Most impressive Stoppages: Oscar Larios KO1 & TKO3, Rafael Marquez TKO6, Jhonny Gonzalez TKO10, Jorge Elicear Julio TKO10

We’ve come to expect Rocky style drama from this guy every time he puts on the gloves. He’s bloody, beaten and out of it...until in heroic fashion he lands a crushing shot out of nowhere and comes back to claim an improbable victory. That’s Izzy Vasquez for you – a ton of heart stuffed into a compact bundle of violence that would have been a rough out in any area.

While many are down on the fourth fight with Rafael Marquez in May, I can't wait!

Will it be vicious? Hell Yes!

Will it be gory? Hell Yes!

Will both men take a ton of punishment? Hell Yes!

But they are gladiators, this is what they do and if they want to do it, I say…more power to them.

53. Juan Manual Marquez

Career Record: 50-5-1 (37), Years Active: 1993 - 2009

Most Impressive Stoppages: Juan Diaz TKO9, Joel Casamayor TKO11, Manuel Medina TKO7, Robbie Peden TKO10, Julio Gervacio KO8, Julian Wheeler TKO10

He may not have even placed on this list in his prime weight class, at least nowhere close to this high. Don't get me wrong, Marquez could always punch and he hurt just about all of his earlier opponents, but when he moved up to 135 and stopped Diaz and Casamayor, I really had to re-evaluate his status. I have heard sentiment that Casamayor was past it and I can't argue that, but so was Marquez and Joel looked good in that fight until he was systematically broken down by JMM's heavy shots.

It’s a shame that earlier in his fighting days a variety of factors – including poor career choices – prevented us from seeing him in more high profile battles. But he sure showed me with his late run that with thunder in both gloves until the final bell, he was capable of beating anyone.

52. Bobby Chacon

Career Record: 59-7-1 (47), Years Active: 1972 - 1988

Most Impressive Stoppages: Danny Lopez TKO9, Alfredo Marcano TKO9, Chuco Castillo TKO10, Arturo Pineda KO5

Bobby's demons outside the ring are well documented, but inside the ring his dogged determination and crippling right hand were demons for his opponents. Sure, there were a lot of "could have beens" when talking about the Schoolboy, but he still accomplished plenty.

His return to the ring coincided with my youth and in all the years following the sport since, a more exciting warrior I have yet to see. He had a propensity for late round rallies and even if you were cheering against him, it was virtually impossible not to get swept up in the drama of his closing theatrics. Those epic battles with Limon & Edwards are worthy of being placed on any all-time list of greatest fights.

Having them so close together on the list has me thinking of a Vazquez/Chacon match-up and man is my mouth watering! Lord knows who would win, but it's a safe bet that both would hit the deck, both would be bloody and both would be pouring it on down the stretch. Wow!

51. Alfonso Zamora

Career Record: 33-5 (32), Years Active: 1973 - 1980

Most Impressive Stopages: Eusebio Pedroza KO2, Alberto Sandoval TKO8, Soo Hwan Hong KO4 & TKO12

Free swinging and deadly, Zamora's left hook to the body and head was the prototypical Mexican slugger's weapon and he used it in destructive fashion. Alfonso had a porous defense and limited stamina, but neither was too much of a concern when he was able to overwhelm his opposition like a tsunami. A young Eusebio Pedroza was swept up in that storm and spit out inside of two rounds.

Zamora was never the same after losing the highly anticipated clash with fellow unbeaten Mexican champion Carlos Zarate, but in those early days, man was his left hook a killer!

Check back soon for the next instalment!

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