The Crowning of Tommy Burns

Joe Louis' arbitrary nomination of Ezzard Charles and Jersey Joe Walcott as the ‘logical’ entries in a one-bout elimination series to determine the Bomber’s successor as world heavyweight champion isn’t setting a brand new precedent in this boxing business.
In many respects, the conditions existing in the current heavyweight scene are similar to those that prevailed 45 years ago, when Jim Jeffries found himself, like Louis today, a champion with no legitimate opposition.
Just as Louis, promoting the Charles-Walcott affair in Chicago, will try to sell the public on recognizing the winner as world champion, so was Jeffries, as referee, supposed to pass his title on to the survivor of the Marvin Hart-Jack Root match in Reno, although 45 years later he declared that it was nothing more than a publicity stunt hatched by the promoter to help the fight.
Jeff had fought himself out of worth-while competition. He had beaten all the ranking heavyweights of the era, among them Bob Fitzsimmons, Jim Corbett, Gus Ruhlin and Tom Sharkey. Having whipped them once, he went the rounds a second time and licked them again.
How desperate the promoters were for opponents was evidenced by the “build-up” given a crude, cumbersome mixer, Jack Munroe, who had managed to last the four-round limit in an exhibition affair with Jeff in Butte. On the strength of that “performance,” Munroe was ballyhooed by Dan McKetrick into a title match with Jeff in San Francisco, but he didn’t belong. He was hopelessly outclassed, and Big Jim stiffened him in the second. That was in August, 1904.
The heavyweight class was in about the same sorry mess then that it is today. Jeff waited around patiently, hoping some kid would suddenly flash across the scene and qualify for a shot at the title. But nothing happened.

Probably the best of the younger heavyweights was a powerful, clever ex-stevedore from Galveston, Jack Johnson, but Jack hadn’t caught the fancy of the populace sufficiently to create a demand for a match with Jeff.
Then, in March of 1905, Marvin Hart, a crude and awkward but rugged and aggressive slugger out of Louisville, suddenly moved into the picture by taking a surprising 20-round decision from Johnson in San Francisco.
Johnson unquestionably was the better man, but he boxed too much on the defensive and was guilty of repeated holding. Referee Alex Greggains ruled for Hart on the basis of the Kentuckian’s steady plugging.
There was some talk of Hart being groomed for a match with Jeff, but Marvin’s pretensions were not regarded seriously. Sam Austin, one of the leading authorities of the era, expressed the general attitude of the boxing world when he wrote: “Jeffries says he will fight Hart if the public demands it, but the critical public was not favorably impressed by the manner in which Hart won from Johnson. Hart did not prove himself a first-class pugilist. What Jeffries would do to him would be a shame to tell.”
Apparently convinced it was hopeless to wait around for an opponent to be developed, Jeff decided to retire. Then ensued a merry scramble among the miscellaneous assortment of fighters cluttering up the heavyweight ranks.
On the strength of his decision over Johnson, Hart was among the first claimants to weigh in with bids.
Johnson offered to fight Hart again, with the title at stake. Jack Root, a light-heavy, who had outpointed Hart in a six-rounder in Chicago, insisted he was entitled to consideration.
Even Bob Fitzsimmons, then 43, projected himself into the squabble. Ruby Robert maintained that, as Jeff’s predecessor, the championship rightfully should revert to him.
Philadelphia Jack O’Brien and Mike Schreck were others to demand recognition.
Billy Delaney, who had developed Corbett and Jeffries, came up with a new heavyweight entry, a former amateur star, Al Kaufman. Australia challenged the lot in behalf of Bill Squires.

Promoters in Reno, Nev., paired Hart with Root, set the date for July 3, 1905, and billed the bout as for the vacant title.
To lend authenticity to the ballyhoo, Jeffries was brought in to referee.
Through the years, ring history has credited Jeff with having given his approval to the Hart-Root bout as a title match, and that he declared Marvin the champion after winning by a knockout in the 12th round.
Actually, Big Jim did nothing of the sort, according to the latest story. Jeff realized he had no authority to pass the championship around at either his own or the promoters’ convenience.
The fact of the matter was that Jeff had been doing quite a bit of refereeing, at a set price of $1000, and when the Reno promoters offered him the Hart-Root assignment at his regular fee, he accepted.
At no time, however, did he recognize the match as for the title. So far as he was concerned, it was merely another bout. His interest in it was confined to refereeing and declaring a winner.
Nevertheless, the story went out that Jeff, in raising Hart’s hand, also passed him the title. The Kentuckian promptly claimed the championship, but the public refused to pay much attention to his claim.
Hart’s reign, such as it was, didn’t last long. It was less than seven months later that Marvin was beaten by a short, stocky Canadian, an overgrown middleweight, born Noah Brusso, but appearing in the ring as Tommy Burns.
Burns, nee Brusso, had not been regarded seriously as of titular caliber his meeting with Hart in Los Angeles on February 23, 1906. Only a few months previously he had been outpointed by Jack (Twin) Sullivan in a middleweight bout in Los Angeles.
Hart figured to be too big and too strong for the squat Canadian. But Burns, waging a cool, methodical battle—feint, jab and clinch—won all the way, and Referee Charley Eyton had no hesitancy in awarding him the decision at the end of 20 dull rounds.

Despite his defeat of Hart, authorities and public alike were reluctant to recognize Burns as champion. But Tommy made a determined effort to force that recognition by eliminating his main rivals and establishing his right to the title.
One of his early defenses was against rugged Jim Flynn in Los Angeles, and he put out the Pueblo fireman in the 15th round. Then followed two 20-rounders, also in Los Angeles, with Philadelphia Jack O’Brien, who had knocked out Al Kaufman and Bob Fitzsimmons in San Francisco. Burns held to a draw by O’Brien in the first meeting, but whipped the Philadelphian in the encore.
Meanwhile, Australia’s Bill Squires had landed in California, tossing challenges all over the landscape. Tommy promptly accommodated him in Colma, a suburb of San Francisco, and polished off Bosher Bill in the first round.
Then Burns started on a world tour that carried him to England, Ireland, France and Australia. He eliminated the British champion, Gunner Moir, by flattening him in the tenth round in London. Also in London he stiffened another English hope, Jack Palmer, in the fourth.
Inept Jem Roche, who billed himself as the Irish champion, was next. Burns not only invaded Roche’s own bailiwick in Dublin, but he added insult to injury by wrecking Jem on St. Patrick’s Day—and in what still stands as the record time for a heavyweight championship bout, 1 minute, 28 seconds!
Burns then headed for Paris. Boxing was in its infancy in France at the time, and there were no home-bred heavyweights available for Tommy. “Vexy” Smith, a South African, who had been campaigning with fair success in Britain and on the Continent, was sent in against Burns. Tommy had no trouble with Smith, and flattened him in the fifth.
Not satisfied with the one-round kayo tossed him in California, Bill Squires had chased after Tommy to Europe, demanding another match. He was accommodated in Paris, and this time the Australian managed to last until the eighth round before Burns slipped over the quietus.

Having pretty well cleaned out the scanty opposition offered in Europe, Burns moved on to Australia. A persistent cuss, and a tough 'un to convince, Squires followed.
Their rivals met for the third time. On his own soil, Bosher Bill turned in his best showing of the series, but it still wasn't enough. Burns stowed him away in the 13th.
Tommy's next outing in Australia produced a six-round kayo over Bill Lang.

From the article "Help Wanted—Male: Louis' Retirement, Like Jeffries' 45 Years Ago, Leaves Heavyweight Ranks Sadly in Need of Good Fighters" by Jersey Jones, published in June 1949 issue of The Ring Magazine.

 

Who did Jack Twin Sullivan beat to claim the title?

 

Wasn't it a fight at 158 lbs? What was the base of the heavyweight title claim?

 

Shouldn't that claim be inherited by Fireman Jim Flynn then, since he beat Sullivan after he beat Burns, but before he beat Palmer? He also beat Schreck, before losing to Flynn.

 

Kinda like Klit bros, but without the revenge of the brothers.

 

Langford did put pressure on Johnson by winning IBU world title, but Johnson didn't care.