Editing Tommy Burns (Canadian boxer) (section)

==Legacy==
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Burns is best remembered today as the man whom [[Jack Johnson (boxer)|Jack Johnson]] beat to become the first black heavyweight champion. Burns was also the first truly international heavyweight champion, defending his title in America, England, Ireland, France and Australia. His 1907 title defence against [[Gunner Moir]] in London was the first World Heavyweight championship fight of the gloved era to be held outside of the United States. Standing at just 5'7", Burns is the shortest heavyweight champion in history, while only [[Bob Fitzsimmons]] weighed less in a world heavyweight title fight than Burns's 168½ lbs when losing the championship to Jack Johnson. During his championship reign, Burns typically weighed between 170 and 180 lbs. His reach was 74", three inches longer than [[Mike Tyson]]'s.

Burns's eight consecutive title defences by knockout or stoppage is equalled only by [[Larry Holmes]] and remains a record for the heavyweight division. Burns was the first World Heavyweight champion to win the title on points. Although physically over-matched against Johnson, who handed him his first stoppage loss, it is notable that Burns did not lose inside the distance again until the final fight of his career, at the age of 39. It should be noted, however, that some sources record the result as Johnson having won the title on points after the bout was stopped by the police. The filming of the fight was stopped due to the one-sided nature of the contest, however, and regardless of the official ruling, is generally considered by historians to be a stoppage victory for Johnson.

Burns's reign as heavyweight champion lasted for two years, ten months and three days, the 19th-longest reign in heavyweight history. His eleven consecutive successful title defences is the joint-fourth highest total in heavyweight history, alongside [[Vitali Klitschko]] and behind [[Wladimir Klitschko]] (18 defences), [[Larry Holmes]] (20 defences) and [[Joe Louis]] (25 defences). Many of Burns's title challengers, however, were not of World Championship quality, as he frequently defended against the best available local heavyweights while touring the world. In Burns's first defense of the title, for instance, he knocked out James J. Walker in the first round. Walker's record going into the bout was 1–5 and he had lost by stoppage in five of his previous six bouts prior to challenging Burns.

Burns also defended the title three times against Bill Squires. Squires, the Australian heavyweight champion, was actually a 10–9 favourite to defeat Burns, yet lost in the first round. Nevertheless, Squires obtained two further shots at Burns's title, despite losing two of his next three fights following their first bout. His trilogy with Burns is notable, however, as their title fights took place across three different continents (America, Europe and Australia). This remains the only instance in history where two boxers have fought three times for a World title with each fight taking place on a different continent. Burns's best win as champion was a 20-round points decision over [[Philadelphia Jack O'Brien]], who two years previously had stopped [[Bob Fitzsimmons]] to claim the World [[light-Heavyweight]] championship.

Footage of his 1907 title defence against [[Bill Lang]] shows Burns to have been an aggressive counter-puncher, who was strong on the inside and a good finisher.  
 
Although [[Trevor Berbick]] and [[Bermane Stiverne]] have also won a version of the World Heavyweight Championship while Canadian citizens, Burns remains the only Canadian-born heavyweight champion in history. (Berbick and Stiverne were born in Jamaica and Haiti respectively.)