Today in Boxing History: Jack Johnson stops Tommy Burns

On this day in 1908, Jack Johnson became the first African-American heavyweight champion in history with a 14th-round stoppage of Tommy Burns in Sydney, Australia.

Because of the racism gripping the nation at the time, Johnson had been refused shots at the title despite his dominance of the sport. Champions like John L. Sullivan and Jim Jeffries had openly stated that they would not give any African-American a chance at the heavyweight belt.

However, when Burns won the title from Marvin Hart in 1906, he declared that he would take on all comers, no matter their race. After successfully defending his belt 11 times against white opponents, thus cleaning out the heavyweight division, Burns received an offer of $30,000 plus a portion of the proceeds of the fight film to face Johnson in Australia. He accepted.

More than 20,000 packed into an erected stadium in Rushcutter’s Bay Stadium to see the match-up. In the first round, the much-taller Johnson sent Burns to the canvas with a murderous right. The champion got up only to have Johnson dominate the entire bout. As the fight grew more one-sided, more and more observers began calling for its end. Finally, in the 14th, the police stopped the bout as Johnson rained down a barrage of punches on a defenseless Burns.

Burns fought sporadically until 1920 but never challenged for another title. Johnson would hold the belt for more than six tumultuous years.

America’s response to its first black heavyweight champion made Johnson’s reign one of the most shameful epochs in sports history.