29 Facts About Frankie Burns

Frankie Burns was a top rated American bantamweight boxer from New Jersey who contended four times for the World Bantamweight Championship between 1912 and 1917, twice meeting Johnny Coulon.

Between March 1908 and March 1920, fighting primarily in the New York area, Frankie Burns won twelve and lost six of twenty bouts partly during New York's no decision era.

Frankie Burns's record was impressive, if not stellar, though his competition was talented.

On February 15,1910, Frankie Burns defeated Jewish boxer Charley Goldman for the first time in a ten-round decision of the Boston Globe at New York City's Brown's Gym.

Frankie Burns defeated Goldman again on December 27,1910, at the Armory in Rochester, New York in a six-round newspaper decision of the New York Times.

Goldman did some great infighting in the second round but Frankie Burns dominated in the other five rounds.

On March 31,1911, Frankie Burns lost to the great ex-Featherweight champion Abe Attell at New York's New Amsterdam Opera House in a ten-round newspaper decision in what was likely a no-decision bout.

Frankie Burns was down in the ninth and tenth rounds, and most New York newspapers gave the bout to Attell.

On October 23,1911, Frankie Burns defeated Monte Attell in a non-title ten-round newspaper decision of New Orleans' Daily Times-Picayune.

The bout was an important showing for Frankie Burns, and helped him secure a title bout with Coulon the following year.

On February 18,1912, Frankie Burns first challenged Johnny Coulon for the World Bantamweight Championship at the Westside Athletic Club in Gretna, Louisiana, losing in a twenty-round points decision.

Frankie Burns dropped from a left hook to the jaw but was up in an instant and fighting hard.

The Los Angeles Times wrote that Frankie Burns might have won the fight, if Coulon had not held him off in close clinches.

Frankie Burns was willing to fight at all times but Johnny held him continuously and especially when forced into close quarters.

Frankie Burns would have four of the best fights of his career against the great Memphis Pal Moore.

The first two fights Frankie Burns won by ten-round decision on February 5,1916, and January 1,1917, in New York.

The third fight Frankie Burns won on a foul at the Arena in Boston, Massachusetts on July 24,1917, BoxRec lists the bout as a draw.

The fourth fight Frankie Burns won again in an eighth-round decision in Jersey City, New Jersey on August 2,1918.

On October 13,1914, in his only meeting with Jewish boxer Willie Jackson of the Bronx, Frankie Burns won by newspaper decision of the New York Times at Browns Gym in New York City in a ten-round bout.

On December 6,1915, Frankie Burns met Kid Williams in a World Bantamweight Title match at the Tulane Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana, drawing in a twenty-round points decision.

On December 19,1916, Frankie Burns defeated Joe Lynch at the Pioneer Sporting Club in New York City in a ten-round newspaper decision of the New York World, and New York Sun.

On February 22,1917, Frankie Burns defeated Italian boxer Young Zulu Kid, at the Pioneer Sporting Club in New York City in a fourth-round TKO.

In something of a poor match, Frankie Burns had nearly a five-inch advantage in height and reach.

Between November 1916, and July 1920, Frankie Burns met talented bantamweight contender "Little" Jackie Sharkey seven times, defeating him in each meeting according to most newspapers, though Frankie Burns was eight years younger and skilled enough to claim the World Bantamweight Championship in August 1919.

Frankie Burns was said to have made a poor start and fought at a disadvantage for the first three rounds, being staggered in the second.

Frankie Burns came back and won the fourth, but fought at a slight disadvantage during most of the remaining rounds.

On February 13,1920, Frankie Burns knocked out talented Jewish boxer Benny Kaufman in the sixth of eight rounds in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Frankie Burns was elected to the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame in its inaugural class in 1969.

Frankie Burns died on April 10,1961, at his home in Jersey City, New Jersey after a long illness.