Tommy Burns (Canadian boxer)
Tommy Burns, circa 1912 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
Nickname |
|
| Born | Noah Brusso 17 June 1881 Hanover, Ontario, Canada |
| Died | 10 May 1955 (aged 73) Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) |
| Weight | |
| Boxing career | |
| Reach | 73 in (185 cm) |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 61 |
| Wins | 47 |
| Win by KO | 35 |
| Losses | 5 |
| Draws | 9 |
Tommy Burns (born Noah Brusso; 17 June 1881 – 10 May 1955) was a Canadian professional boxer. He remains the only Canadian-born fighter to win the World Heavyweight Championship and is the shortest champion in the division's history. The first to travel the globe in defending his title, Burns made 13 title defences against 11 different boxers, despite often being the underdog due to his size.
Burns took on all challengers as Heavyweight Champion, leading to his legendary bout with the African American Jack Johnson. According to his biographer, Burns insisted, "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."