Another look at tommy Burns
Posted: 27 Aug 2002, 16:30
Most have forgotten about Heavyweight Champion Tommy Burns. Some interesting facts about the lad...
He was a true champion in that he was the first "WORLD" heavyweight champion to actually travel to four different continents to fight the best from around the world, not just north america. The south African champion, British Champion, Irish Champion, and Australian champion were all defeated. In AMerica ofcourse he had already beaten the world champion Marvin Hart (who had decisioned Jack Johnson).
As a contender he took on all comers, including a half dozen black contenders, a jewish fighter, and a north american indian fighter. He also had blacks as his sparring partners.
As a champion he could easily have drawn the colour line like John L. Sullivan, Fitzsimmons, Corbett and Jefferies before him. Or even like the the many AFTER him( Willard, Dempsey, Tunney never fought a black fighter). But he took on all comers what ever their race and took on a much bigger man in Jack Johnson.
The fight was not as one sided as history tells you. Johnson had a split lip and two broken ribs. It went 14.
Johnson then himself drew the colour line on his own people refusing to defend against any black challengers. Don't get me started on his ducking Langford.
Burns had beaten two world champions (a big deal at the time when their was only 8 weight classes and one champion a weight class) and fought 4 hall of famers.
He was a true champion in that he was the first "WORLD" heavyweight champion to actually travel to four different continents to fight the best from around the world, not just north america. The south African champion, British Champion, Irish Champion, and Australian champion were all defeated. In AMerica ofcourse he had already beaten the world champion Marvin Hart (who had decisioned Jack Johnson).
As a contender he took on all comers, including a half dozen black contenders, a jewish fighter, and a north american indian fighter. He also had blacks as his sparring partners.
As a champion he could easily have drawn the colour line like John L. Sullivan, Fitzsimmons, Corbett and Jefferies before him. Or even like the the many AFTER him( Willard, Dempsey, Tunney never fought a black fighter). But he took on all comers what ever their race and took on a much bigger man in Jack Johnson.
The fight was not as one sided as history tells you. Johnson had a split lip and two broken ribs. It went 14.
Johnson then himself drew the colour line on his own people refusing to defend against any black challengers. Don't get me started on his ducking Langford.
Burns had beaten two world champions (a big deal at the time when their was only 8 weight classes and one champion a weight class) and fought 4 hall of famers.