BoxRec

Hello

I'm sure I read once that long after they both retired, Tommy Burns apologised to Jack Johnson for the racist remarks he had made about him in the past. I think Burns was religious when this supposedly occurred but does anybody know if it is true or have I made it up?

Thank you

I dunno either,
but I would like to know is if
Jack Johnson had ever formally or publicly thanked Tommy Burns
for giving him the shot at the Heavyweight Championship of the World?

I have read where Burns was apologetic later on about some things he said about Johnson. I have also read where Johnson gave Burns credit for giving him a title shot.

I have read that Johnson told a crowd of people in 1909 that Tommy had the guts to offer him a chance when really he didn't have to. He also gave Tommy credit for being a good fighter.

Ambling Alp II wrote:I have read where Burns was apologetic later on about some things he said about Johnson. I have also read where Johnson gave Burns credit for giving him a title shot.

Could you cite your sources?
Otherwise it sounds like it may just be 'hearsay'.
Its too bad that Jack Johnson didnt reach around and do the same to give another worthy heavyweight contender
a chance at the title like Sam Langford.

Caractacus wrote:

Ambling Alp II wrote:I have read where Burns was apologetic later on about some things he said about Johnson. I have also read where Johnson gave Burns credit for giving him a title shot.

Could you cite your sources?
Otherwise it sounds like it may just be 'hearsay'.
Its too bad that Jack Johnson didnt reach around and do the same to give another worthy heavyweight contender
a chance at the title like Sam Langford.

Il Duce, you are a nasty racist bastard; one of the worst I have ever come across. In any situation you can only see fault on the part of a black man, even when that black man was living in a fundamentally racist society. Why don't you just shut the fornicate up or go and post on a Nazi board where people like you are welcomed?

I wouldnt comment on how Il Duce may have felt(feels)about anything

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVCVGQhvN9g

BTW I just wanted to be sure to
"Thank You (Falettineme Be Mice Elf Agin)"

I don't know about an apology, but a lot of guys mellowed out over the years. Hell, even John L. Sullivan was the first to congratulate Johnson when he beat Jeffries and we all know how Sully felt about blacks. I do think Burns apologized for the propaganda he played in part, in finding a white hope during Johnson's reign, but I don't think he himself apologized for having fought or lost to Johnson, because Burns was an equal opportunist when it came to the title--- after all he was supposed to fight Sam McVey, not Johnson, in France (originally).

Outside the ring Burns was a friendly guy who treated "coloured" guys as equals, for a brief time he was married to middleweight Harry Peppers' sister Irene and spoke very highly of fellow Canadian Sam Langford. In the ring he was a single-minded, sometimes foul-mouthed SOB who only wanted to win. He used language to confuse and antagonize all of his opponents, black or white. He didn't particularly like Johnson but that didn't stop him from signing to defend his title against him. No one likes everyone.

Gregg wrote:I have read that Johnson told a crowd of people in 1909 that Tommy had the guts to offer him a chance when really he didn't have to. He also gave Tommy credit for being a good fighter.

Johnson called Burns the easiest man he fought. Burns for his part later in life said Jonson was the second best heavyweight ever behind Jim Jeffries.

pound per pound wrote:

Gregg wrote:I have read that Johnson told a crowd of people in 1909 that Tommy had the guts to offer him a chance when really he didn't have to. He also gave Tommy credit for being a good fighter.

Johnson called Burns the easiest man he fought. Burns for his part later in life said Jonson was the second best heavyweight ever behind Jim Jeffries.

I disagree with what Johnson said of Burns--- after all Burns broke some of his ribs. The easiest man he had to of faced had to of been Stanley Ketchell. And hell even Jack Johnson would say Jeffries was the best heavyweight of all time.

HomicideHenry wrote:

pound per pound wrote:

Gregg wrote:I have read that Johnson told a crowd of people in 1909 that Tommy had the guts to offer him a chance when really he didn't have to. He also gave Tommy credit for being a good fighter.

Johnson called Burns the easiest man he fought. Burns for his part later in life said Jonson was the second best heavyweight ever behind Jim Jeffries.

I disagree with what Johnson said of Burns--- after all Burns broke some of his ribs. The easiest man he had to of faced had to of been Stanley Ketchell. And hell even Jack Johnson would say Jeffries was the best heavyweight of all time.

That is what Johnson said. Then again Johnson sometimes lied. Is there proof of the broken ribs?

pound per pound wrote:Is there proof of the broken ribs?

That never happened, so, no there is no proof.

Um....YES.... there is.... Johnson stayed behind in Australia for some time after the Burns fight, while Burns went straight home to Canada. Johnson was at a hospital, and later on a ship, healing up those ribs.

gp. wrote:

Caractacus wrote:

Ambling Alp II wrote:I have read where Burns was apologetic later on about some things he said about Johnson. I have also read where Johnson gave Burns credit for giving him a title shot.

Could you cite your sources?
Otherwise it sounds like it may just be 'hearsay'.
Its too bad that Jack Johnson didnt reach around and do the same to give another worthy heavyweight contender
a chance at the title like Sam Langford.

Il Duce, you are a nasty racist bastard; one of the worst I have ever come across. In any situation you can only see fault on the part of a black man, even when that black man was living in a fundamentally racist society. Why don't you just shut the eff up or go and post on a Nazi board where people like you are welcomed?

HomicideHenry wrote:Um....YES.... there is.... Johnson stayed behind in Australia for some time after the Burns fight, while Burns went straight home to Canada. Johnson was at a hospital, and later on a ship, healing up those ribs.

fu.. your funny

Dude,you sound like you been indocontaded by the Communist infiltration of the public school system
over the past 50 years.
It must be terrific living in Utopia.

HomicideHenry wrote:Um....YES.... there is.... Johnson stayed behind in Australia for some time after the Burns fight, while Burns went straight home to Canada. Johnson was at a hospital, and later on a ship, healing up those ribs.

I read something similar. The Sydney papers said Burns was seen at the racetrack with his wife shortly after the fight looking none the worse for wear. Johnson reportedly checked into a private Melbourne clinic to have his ribs x-rayed. One account said two were cracked. It wasn't a tea party after all and Burns was notorious for his inside punching. However, Johnson got a well-deserved decision when the cops stepped in to stop it. All those kidney punches added up over 14 rounds.