Tommy Burns (boxer)
| Tommy Burns | |
|---|---|
Tommy Burns, circa 1912
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| Statistics | |
| Real name | Noah Brusso |
| Nickname(s) | "The Little Giant of Hanover" |
| Rated at | Heavyweight |
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) |
| Reach | 73 in (185 cm) |
| Nationality | Canada |
| Born |
June 17, 1881 Hanover, Ontario |
| Died | May 10, 1955 (aged 73) Vancouver, British Columbia |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 62 |
| Wins | 48 |
| Wins by KO | 39 |
| Losses | 5 |
| Draws | 8 |
Tommy Burns (June 17, 1881 – May 10, 1955), born Noah Brusso, is the only Canadian-born World Heavyweight Boxing Champion. The first to travel the globe in defending his title, Tommy made 11 title defences despite often being the underdog due to his size. Burns famously challenged all comers as Heavyweight Champion, leading to a celebrated bout with the 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."
Burns was the first heavyweight champion to fight with a Jewish challenger, defeating Joseph "Jewey" Smith in a fight staged in Paris. He also fought a bout with a Native American on his way to the Championship. According to one biography, he had two black sparring partners and was married for a brief time to a black woman. At a time when most white American fighters adhered to the so-called "colour line", refusing to fight African Americans, Burns had half a dozen contests with black boxers before his clash with the legendary Jack Johnson.
Noah Brusso was born in Normanby Township near Hanover, Ontario, as the twelfth of thirteen children of an impoverished German-Canadian family. His family lived in several locations around Ontario's Grey and Bruce counties before moving to Galt, Ontario. Noah grew up in difficult circumstances; five of his siblings died before reaching adulthood. Brusso began his prizefighting career in 1900 in Detroit, Michigan. In June 1903, he was discovered playing lacrosse under an assumed name for a Detroit team that was playing in Chatham, Ontario.
After starting his boxing career under his real name, in 1904 Brusso took the Scottish-sounding name of Tommy Burns. He was 5 feet 7 inches (170 cm) tall and about 175 pounds (79 kg), but his relatively small size did not stop him from becoming the world heavyweight boxing champion. When Burns met Marvin Hart for the heavyweight championship of the world on February 23, 1906, Burns was a 2-1 underdog and the betting was 10-7 that he would not last ten rounds. Burns won, and went on to defend his title eleven times within a period of less than two years.
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