The Hurricane We Don’t Hear About — Tommy Hurricane Jackson
Growing up in Southeast Queens, New York City means that you come up with an embedded ethic of hard work and pride and perseverance. The bar is already high because of the many people who grew up and resided in the area. There’s a mural that depicts a few of these legendary figures that’s in the St. Albans neighborhood right underneath the Long Island Railroad station that extends over Linden Boulevard. These figures of note include Billie Holiday and James Brown. One person that’s present on the mural is someone that doesn’t get talked about much outside of some circles in the realm of boxing. The Hurricane. Not Rubin Carter, but the other storm force of the ring that we don’t hear of — Tommy “Hurricane” Jackson. Hurricane Jackson isn’t in the International Boxing Hall of Fame, but he was once a fierce contemporary of heavyweight boxing legend Floyd Patterson. Jackson was a fighter who exemplified the term and the word “unorthodox” to hear some tell it. The ending of his career and his untimely death, to some could consign him to that bulk of tragic figures that the world of boxing often comments as cautionary tales of what the business can turn you into. But “Hurricane” Jackson was much more than that.
“That Jackson is a tough man. Now I know I can go 15 rounds if I have to because I wasn’t tired after 12, even though I landed more punches…
