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Tommy Burns

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Boxer

The Resume

    (June 6, 1881-May 15, 1955)
    Born in Normanby Township, Ontario, Canada
    World heavyweight boxing champion (1906-08)
    Overall record of 43-5-8 with 34 ko wins including 11 successful title defenses
    Lost title to Jack Johnson, the first black heavyweight champion
    Inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1996
    Birth name was Noah Brusso

Why he might be annoying:

    He was poorly qualified to be heavyweight champ and defended his title against poorly qualified challengers such as the 6-1 Jem Roche and the 2-0 Jewey Smith and against Bill Squires three times winning all three by ko, the first defense being a first round ko!
    He ducked Jack Johnson for a long time.
    He ran a speakeasy in New York City during the 1920s.
    He lost all his money in the Crash of 1929 and the Great Depression and ended up working as an insurance salesman, a security guard and an evangelist.
    Only four people attended his funeral and he was buried in an unmarked pauper's grave.

Why he might not be annoying:

    At five foot seven, he had to overcome an incredible height disadvantage.
    He did in fact eventually give Johnson a shot at the title, enabling him to become the first black heavyweight champ.
    He was the first heavyweight champ from Canada.
    One of 13 children, he grew up in terrible poverty.
    He defended his title a then record 11 times in 2 years.
    He was never knocked out.
    Six years after his death, a memorial plaque was placed over his grave thanks to fundraising efforts by a Vancouver sportswriter.

Credit: tom_jeffords


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 4 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 10 Votes: 90.0% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 11 Votes: 45.45% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 6 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 8 Votes: 12.50% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 20 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 17 Votes: 52.94% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 11 Votes: 54.55% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 14 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 28 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 19 Votes: 47.37% Annoying