The winner of this bout would face Archie Moore for the World Heavyweight Title left vacant by the retirement of Rocky Marciano in April 1956.
"21 year old Floyd Patterson of Brooklyn won decisively before 11,255 at MSG for his 17th straight victory. But his triumph was tarnished slightly by a strange split decision. Surprising most of the fans and writers at ringside, Referee Harry Kessler favored Tommy 'Hurricane' Jackson of Far Rockaway, NY. Patterson had Tommy in trouble from rapid-fire left hooks and leaping right leads in 8 of the 12 sessions. Although the Hurricane stalked after the smaller Patterson in every round, he was staggered in the 2nd,3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th, 11th and 12th. Tommy almost hit the deck in the 4th and 12th. But he continued to fight back persistently. His best rounds were the 7th and 9th." -United Press
"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 than I ever threw in my life." -Floyd Patterson
"This boy's not as tough as Bob Baker or Dan Bucceroni. If he fights Moore in September, Archie'll kill him." -Tommy 'Hurricane' Jackson
*Floyd Patterson weighed in at 178 lbs to Tommy Jackson's 193½ lbs
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July 1957 - Polo Grounds, New York
Patterson has beaten Archie Moore eight months previous to become the World Heavyweight Champion and makes his 1st defence against Jackson. Floyd weighs in at 184 lbs to Jackson's 192.5 lbs.
Unable to cope with the speed of the champion’s punches, Jackson's nose was bloodied and he was put down by a combination of rights and lefts to the head just as the bell rang to end the opening session. It did not get any better for Jackson in the second round when Patterson spun him around and dropped him to a knee from a right to the jaw. Named ‘The Hurricane’ due his fighting style, Jackson bravely punched away, but it was Patterson who was doing all the scoring. By the sixth it was apparent that the end was drawing near, but Jackson, his left eye almost closed, would not hear of it and although he was dropped by a pair of body blows and left hooks in the ninth and took a terrific left to the jaw immediately prior to the bell he came out fighting in the tenth. With the brave Jackson just walking into punches and refusing to go down it was left to the referee to save him from taking further punishment, the finish being timed at 1.52. Jackson went to the hospital five hours after the fight to be treated for a bruised kidney. He was kept for several days for observation. Patterson visited Jackson in the hospital three days after the bout.
"Jackson kept telling me in the clinches to come out and fight. He called me a bum. That's a funny way to describe a man who's winning the fight." - Floyd Patterson
From Patterson's biography by W.K.Stratton -
Within hours of the bout’s finale, Jackson began urinating blood. His mother took him to a Long Island hospital, where he was admitted with what was reported as kidney contusions, the result of the many body shots he’d taken from Patterson during the fight. The doctor who examined him diagnosed him as “fairly sick, but not dangerously so. He needs rest.” The doctor advised Jackson to remain in the hospital for a few days. The hospital staff admitted only one set of visitors — Floyd and Sandra Patterson, who arrived with Cus D’Amato. Jackson was shocked that the Pattersons came to see him. The mercurial Hurricane shook hands with the champ and wished him luck in his upcoming fights. Patterson left knowing that the tragic man-child Jackson was likely finished as a boxer of any significance.
