Nickname: “The Little Giant of Hanover”
Birthplace: Hanover, Ontario, Canada
Weight Class: Heavyweight
Stance: Orthodox
Professional Record: 48 – 5 – 8 (34 KOs)
Years Active: 1902 – 1920
Biography
World Heavyweight Champion (1906 – 1908), Burns defended his title 11 times before losing to Jack Johnson in Sydney. He was a fast, compact fighter who helped globalize the sport.
In the Hobby
Burns’s cards appear in both British and American pre-WWI sets.
Rookie & Early Issues
1908 Ogden’s Cigarettes (UK): true rookie card.
Registry Metadata
Earliest Issue: 1908 Ogden’s Cigarettes
Rookie Year: 1908
Recent Notable Sales: 1908 Ogden’s (PSA 6) — $2,300 (2024)
Legacy
Burns’s rookie represents the era of traveling world champions and boxing’s expansion to a global audience.
