Tommy Burns' Top Heavies List

Mendoza · Apr 6, 2019

The Undefeated Lachbuster said: ↑

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^Tommy Burns, from the horse's mouth, gives his all-time top heavyweights (during 1926), and a little information on his rise to the top. His list goes:

1. James J Jeffries
2. Jack Johnson
3. Bob Fitzsimmons
4. Jack Dempsey (who he refers to as the "million dollar fighter", jealous methinks)
5. James J Corbett
6. Gene Tunney
7. Philadelphia Jack O'Brien (whom was beaten by Burns multiple times)
8. Jess Willard

He makes no mention of John L Sullivan, nor Tom Sharkey, surprisingly.

By his description of how he became champ in the beginning, it seems that fighting fighters outside of your country was important in those days. Many greats did come from England, Australia, and Canada.
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I would have added Langford on that list. Burns does come across as honest. Sometimes when a fighter beats someone, he rates him highly in retrospect. Burns does not do this for O'Brien, whom he beat. The same O'Brien was even with Johnson, some say better in their 6 round affair in Johnson prime in 1909. By that time O'Brien was in decline. So Burns could have made a case for O'Brien if he wanted to.

mcvey · Apr 6, 2019

Sting like a bean said: ↑

I don't doubt it but surely Johnson would have to go easy on him? He was built like a tank for his height but I think he was only 5'2". I wonder if his style was heavily tilted toward grappling, even for the time...
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At that stage of their respective careers it was probably," Barbados Joe ,"taking it easy on him.

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Tommy Burns' Top Heavies List

Mendoza Hrgovic = Next Heavyweight champion of the world. banned Full Member

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Tommy Burns' Top Heavies List

Mendoza Hrgovic = Next Heavyweight champion of the world. banned Full Member

mcvey VIP Member Full Member