XKnockout: How "Little Giant" Tommy Burns Became the World Heavyweight Champion

Noah Brusso was small in size, but feisty. After winning a bare-knuckle boxing tournament at age ten, he found his way out of poverty. Noah changed his name to Tommy Burns, a tough Irish fighting name, and boxed his way to the top. In 1906, he won both the World Heavyweight Boxing Championship and the fame he longed for. At a time when few other boxers dared to do the same, Tommy Burns was willing to defend his title against boxers of all races and nationalities, forever changing the sport. Rebecca Sjonger details both Burns' unbelievable rise and his spectacular fall.

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