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Jack Johnson vs. Tommy Burns (1908) | Championship Fight



The Burns-Johnson Fight (or Burns-Johnson Contest) is a 1908 documentary film of the boxing fight between Tommy Burns and Jack Johnson at Sydney Stadium, Rushcutters Bay, on 26 December 1908 for the World Heavyweight Championship title, which Johnson won.It was produced by Charles Cozens Spencer at the behest of the fight’s promoted Hugh D. McIntosh.

Some footage from the film survives today, chiefly of that showing some of the middle rounds of the 14-round fight.

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25 Comments

  1. Jack Johnson was one of the toughest men to ever step foot in any ring during any period of time, ever. An absolute beast of a human being. He deserved so much better than the world gave him.

  2. Back then they hated to give a black man a chance at the title, why ?? Obviously they knew that they would NEVER hold that title again once a Brother enter the ring

  3. WHITE WANTED TO SHOW JHONSON A BULLY. ..AND NOT THE CHAMPION….NOT EVEN THE BIGGEST WHITE COULD HOLD JOHNSON..

  4. I love how Jack fought during one of the most racist eras in human history, he is more than just legendary, he put the whites in there place. This is how you end white supremacy by beating them down!!

  5. It's like a 'Praying Mantis' fighting a 'Beetle'.
    But the praying mantis is told not to defeat the beetle, until later in the game. Which makes for an odd 'game'.

  6. This guy was full of fear, Actually afraid of getting in the ring after the age of 21, and he had to convince these other black boxers that it would be worth it… what an weak excuse…. from the other boxers, like Jim Jeffries, Sam Langford, Joe Gans and many other black boxers from that era. The was a white fight from Canada who kicked his ass for the full rounds and he got knocked out by Stanley Ketchell.

    The he ends up winning the championship and taking the title away, by a 40 fat guy , who has fought in 5 years and they gave him 30 day to get into shape…. Yeah.. a light weight could have done the same thing. NO victory ! Jack !

  7. Huge respect to Tommy Burns. 5 foot 7 (170 cm) and still managed to become the heavyweight champion of the world.

  8. rip Tommy despite the huge height and weight difference johnson couldnt put you down. Its a shame MARCIANO the real undefeated champ was not about in this time, he would have nailed johnson.

  9. I felt like Burns definitely said something nasty during their encounters previously when Johnson was following him around the world trying to get a fair title shot or during the fight itself. The fight went from toying to very personal real quick

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