Tommy Burns, Scientific Boxing and Self Defence

[HomicideHenry]

Ordered this reprint from over 100 years ago on Amazon last week and it finally came in. So far, it is a very interesting read.



(Back Cover)




(Front Cover)


Thought I would share it with you guys. It was written (apparently) before the Jem Roche fight, but after the Gunner Moir contest. This is Burns at eleven title defenses. Apparently, from what I am reading, there was some criticism even in his own day as to his opposition but Burns was quick to point out that virtually every man deemed a "lemon" by the press were originally heralded as being surely the man to beat Burns for being physically superior. I'm not quite done with it yet, but it gives much insight into the man himself and he seems to have quite the air of intelligence and he continually talks throughout (so far) the book the merits of being as diverse, unorthodox, as possible inside the ring. Interestingly enough he attributed some of his success in boxing by having formerly been a hockey and lacrosse player, saying that constantly being on his toes and moving made for an easy transition to boxing as he felt the key to pugilism was footwork more than anything else.

[TBEwasLangford]

Thanks for review, looks interesting

[HomicideHenry]

Thanks for review, looks interesting

I'll see if I can't take pics/scans of some pictures from the book, and some parts that he written.

What's interesting about it is the book starts off with Burns defending himself and his character, and addresses some sort of controversy brought to his attention from the American press (and later the British Sporting Club). I assume this must be about Jack Johnson, as Burns says something along the lines how the British press treated him fairly, only for him to be mistreated by them following the American press making allegations.

[Caractacus]

Ordered this reprint from over 100 years ago on Amazon last week and it finally came in. So far, it is a very interesting read.

Man, and I thought my mail got to me slow.
seriously,never even knew this publication existed.
Didnt they reprint Jack Dempsey's "How to fight" too ?

[Ketchel]

Ordered this reprint from over 100 years ago on Amazon last week and it finally came in. So far, it is a very interesting read.

Man, and I thought my mail got to me slow.
seriously,never even knew this publication existed.
Didnt they reprint Jack Dempsey's "How to fight" too ?

I got a copy of the reprint of Jack Dempsey's "How to fight". Quite an interesting book and some of the techniques are still useful today. Note: that it is more to do with self defence than boxing. Though I do know some MMA guys who found the book useful.

[Cap]

I bought this myself last year. Great little book. I used to own a copy of the original hardcover edition that I bought from Gilbert Odd. I ended up donating it to the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. Burns was a smart cookie who was reviled in the States because he managed his own career and demanded top dollar from promoters. He also made sure he was paid which rankled the old timers who thought he should fight for the sheer glory of it. Needless to say a lot of them never laced on a pair of gloves in earnest.

[Caractacus]

and how much you wanna bet that Tommy Burns actually wrote this book word for word too?
Jim J. Jeffries and Jack Johnson both used ghost writers for their books.
Because Tommy Burns was probably too much of a skin flint to hire one to help write his own book I would imagine.

[Cap]

and how much you wanna bet that Tommy Burns actually wrote this book word for word too?
Jim J. Jeffries and Jack Johnson both used ghost writers for their books.
Because Tommy Burns was probably too much of a skin flint to hire one to help write his own book I would imagine.

Based on letters of his I've read, he comes across as a very literate person, as many were in the days before TV and the internet.