Tommy Burns: The Shortest and Only Candian Heavyweight Champion
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Tommy Burns (Left) in a promotional photo (right) during his fight against Jack Johnson
Tommy Burns is not a name many combat sports fans today may even recognize. Its even possible that a google search for the name may even bring up the footballer sharing the same name and not the man about whom this piece is. But when it comes to pure legacy, a few can match up against Burns.
Born in Hanover, Canada, the small frame that would stick with Burns for the rest of his life may have never led one to believe that one day he would be a boxing champion unlike any other. Burns started boxing at a time when the color line was strictly enforced. However, he couldn’t care less about an imaginary separation created by men among men themselves. He was in it for the competition.
With a frame of 5’7, Tommy Burns began his career at Welterweight and would go on to fight at Middleweight and finally heavyweight, securing the championship in the latter two divisions. He would famously once say, that he wished to be the champion of the world and not just the champion of the whites or the Canadians or the Amercians
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Tommy Burns’ unbelievable run as Heavyweight Champion
In his career spanning over 18 years,Tommy Burns would have a total of 61 fights with 47 ending in his favour with almost 9 draws on his record. The competition he faced during the time is legendary in terms of a resume today, one that included names such as Bill Lang, Philadelphia Jack, Joe Beckett, and the iconic Jack Johnson.
In fact Burns’ legacy has been clouded by his loss to Johnson in what should have been an example of the will to test yourself even if it meant going against a thousand societal taboos. Prior to his bout against Johnson, there were separate championships in Boxing for people of color and white people. This was the very reason Jack Johnson was stuck defending his Colored Heavyweight Championship multiple times, looking for an opportunity to gain the ultimate championship.
He was denied this honor time and again, especially by the former long-time champ, Jim Jefferies. However when Tommy Burns won the championship off, Marvin Hart, he was ready to welcome any and all opponents . He famously once said, ” I will defend my title against all comers, none barred. By this I mean white, black, Mexican, Indian, or any other nationality. I propose to be the champion of the world, not the white, or the Canadian, or the American. If I am not the best man in the heavyweight division, I don’t want the title.”
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It was with this spirit that he welcomed a fight against Jack Johnson in the year 1908 in Melbourne, Australia. His confidence was further boosted by the fact that the man who he won the championship from, Marvin Hart had already beaten Johnson prior and felt he could do the same. Despite a valiant effort he came up short with the fight having been stopped by the police before Johnson could score a decisive KO.
Even after this Tommy Burns would go on as if nothing had happened and compete in 6 more bouts before retiring. To be noted is that three of these fights had a championship attached to them. To this very day he is the lone Canadian Heavyweight Champion. Now that a legacy worth being remembered for.
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