September 3, 1908 – Prize fighter Tommy Burns was the world champion in the heavyweight division of boxing in the first decade of the 20th-Century. His eye was on the prize of keeping his belt and preparing to step in the ring with the top challenger for his title, Jack Johnson.
The Canadian boxing champion bided his time and spent it well as on this day he traveled down under and knocked out Australian upstart Bill Lang in 6 rounds in Melbourne in a warmup fight for his famous title bout with Mr. Johnson. Burns was finally enticed to fight challenger Jack Johnson at the Sydney Stadium in Rushcutters Bay, Boxing Day 1908.
The fight was to change the history of boxing with Johnson crowned the first black Heavyweight World Champion.
To find more great daily sports history make sure to check out the Sports Jersey Dispatch and Pigskin Dispatch.
More From Sports History Network
How Sports Fandom Became a 24/7 Digital Spectacle
Once, being a fan meant showing up on game day and turning off once
History Of Counter-Strike Skins
Weapon cosmetics turned online battles into a showcase of style and status. The changing
Jim Finks: A Builder of Winners
Jim Finks could have spent his life as the answer to this trivia question,
1975 Baltimore Colts: A Year In Review
From 1957 to 1971, the Baltimore Colts never experienced a losing season. They played
The Gambler Who Outsmarted the NFL: Inside the Mind of Haralabos Voulgaris
Every professional gambler has a story about the one big win. Haralabos Voulgaris has
Legends and Leisure: Stadium-Inspired Seating for Themed Restaurants
Sports culture has a powerful way of bringing people together, and themed restaurants are
The Irish Premier Division: A Century of Soccer Evolution
The League of Ireland Premier Division stands as the pinnacle of domestic soccer in
Betting on Week 10: Why Eagles vs Packers Could Define NFC Playoff Picture
As NFL Week 10 unfolds, few matchups capture the playoff stakes and storylines like