116 years ago

Date: 10th February 1908

Venue: Wonderland, Whitechapel Road, Mile End

Title: World Heavyweight Title

Tommy Burns
( 37 - 3 - 8 )
Weight: 175 lbs

Jack Palmer
( 23 - 8 - 2 )
Weight: 168 lbs

Canadian Burns won the World heavyweight title from Marvin Hart in February 1906 in Los Angeles, California.

There is confusion over his first defence, or should we say defences in the plural because the record books show that on the 28th March 1906, Burns knocked out Jim O'Brien (Ko 1) at the National Athletic Club in San Diego, California. The same evening on the same card he is credited as defeating James J Walker  (Ko 1).

If we include both bouts on the San Diego show as legitimate defences then Burns was making the ninth defence of the World Heavyweight Title when he met Jack Palmer in London on the 10th February 1908.

Burns was on a tour of Europe with bouts against Gunner Moir at Covent Garden, London in December 1907, Palmer, Jem Roach in Dublin, Ireland, and Jewey Smith and Bill squires in Paris, France.

Palmer was no match for the 5 ft 7-inch champion, lasting until the 4th round when Burns knocked him out after flooring him on nine occasions.

Burns would go on to make thirteen defences of the title before he lost on points to Jack Johnson in Sydney, Australia in December 1908.