Dude had some excellent wins before going off to war at 26.. 2 over Ken Overlin (although one seems disputed) 1 over Zale, an undefeated Tami Mauriello, Risko. Went the distance with Burley and Bivins, so he obviously had a stout chin and wasn't afraid to fight anyone. Abrams seemed to have had him figured out. Anyone ever read The Champion Time Forgot? Some cool footage of him in his defeat of Zale. This content is protected
A big fan of Soose. Many decades ago I called him as he was listed in the phone book. I'm part Hungarian so that was an ice breaker lol. Super nice man he was. Wrote me a letter with a signed pic and two signed cards for my sons. He asked me to send him a copy of what's available of the Zale fight which I did. As for the book it's probably the worst book I ever read. Ring magazine did a peice on him that's much better than the book. College educated man too. He owned alot of property in the PA mountains.
No, he was a college grad, a shifty, skilled fighter who apparently feared no one, and a guy who gave up his career to join the fight in WW2.
You know what’s incredible about Marciano, when you look at the three best guys he faced they might be the most skilled guys to ever fight at HW. Moore, Charles and Louis it reads like a fistic professors Mount Rushmore even when you don’t consider what weight they fought at.
49-0 in the one punch can change a fight division, he also allowed more coloured guys to challenge for the title then anyone before him. Rocky let the best rise to the occasion with no prejudice.
I’ve always wondered about a fight with Marciano and Bivins, Bivins was a guy who learnt a lot as he fought no one had a more meteoric streak, in a few short years he beat potentially better versions of Charles and Moore then Marciano and many more- you could debate during a few years on a streak he built a better resume then any active fighter today. So I don’t think it would be strange for a guy like Bivins to beat Rocky and I think it would’ve been one for the ages.
So yeah, Tommy Burns. Magnificent fighter. Could shoot into range before the other, taller guy could do much, tag him, and get out. Defended against all kinds of national champs on multiple continents. Also changed his name, just like Muhammad Ali, so you know he's good. Perfect, stocky physique; a ball of power, really, and proved his athleticism by playing lacrosse. 13 title defenses for the lineal championship! Climbing up close to Holmes territory. Didn't draw the color line to do it, either. That Burns...wow.
Thank God for a post about a fighter that hasn't been talked to death. I know him by name but nothing more.
