Charley Burley and the Black Murderers' Row
by Harry Otty

Reviewed by Mike DeLisa

In a time when hard-core research has about as much appeal as asparagus ice cream, boxing historian Harry Otty has scoured the record and produced one of the best boxing books of the past 50 years.

Since this review is going to be read by hardcore boxing fans, the name Harry Otty needs no introduction.  It is undisputed that Burley was an excellent technician who is one of the two or three best fighters never to have won a title belt.

Longtime readers of the CBZ will recall that as we developed our Black Dynamite section, Mr. Otty provided an amazing bio for Burley's Web page. Now, five years later, Otty has expanded his research and his scope and presents the story of Burley and several other top black fighters in a truly compelling way.

Burley comes to life in these pages. Although obviously Otty thinks highly of Burley both as a man and as a fighter, he never crosses the line to uncritical hero worship.  The book uses both archival newspaper reports and interviews conducted with Burley, his family and his friends, to reveal the story of a man whose talents should not be forgotten.

This book is a classic of its kind and no good boxing library should be without a copy. For information on how to order Charley Burley and the Black Murderers' Row, e-mail Harry Otty at boxscribe@blueyonder.co.uk.