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
Laws, Lines, and Leaps: The Evolution of Sports Gambling Culture
It’s been a wild ride for sports gambling, from back-alley bets to billion-dollar industries,
Super Bowl LX: A History-Making Super Bowl?
Once the Super Bowl game is done and dusted, there will be plenty of
Larry Csonka and Larry Brown – They Took a Licking but Kept on Ticking
In the 1970s, John Cameron Swayze would advertise Timex wristwatches with the slogan, “They
Pete Maravich Becomes NCAA’s All-Time Scoring Leader — January 31, 1970
On January 31, 1970, college basketball witnessed a moment that would echo through the
More Than Cheers: From Face Paint to Fireworks in Sports Fan Culture
Sports are rarely just about the game. From packed stadiums echoing with chants to
Ancient Grit: The Evolution of Combat from Olympia to Rome
Ancient Greeks transformed raw violence into a structured cult. In 708 BC, the introduction
Why Has Interest In The Super Bowl Grown In The UK Over The Past 20 Years?
Over the past two decades, the Super Bowl, America’s annual championship game and one
Reliving England’s Worst World Cup Heartbreaks
The English Football League is the oldest league system dating way back to 1888.