Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-30
Nobody Laughs Now
As Tommy Jackson
Dares All Heavies
picture on Page A-17.)
BY The Assoeiatsd Press

NEW YORK, Mar. 30.-Almost
unknown until two months ago,
Tommy (Hurricane) Jackson
today sought a shot at Heavy
weight Champion Rocky Mar
ciano and dared any other lead
ing contender to fight him. And
nobody laughed!
The tireleSs 22-year-old New
York Negro became an out
standing challenger last night by
stopping dangerous Dan Buc-
ceroni, third-ranking heavy
weight contender, in 1853 Of the
sixth round at Eastern Parkway
Arena.
Referee AL Berl halted the
massacre as the lanky Philadel-
phian, q 2-to-1 favorite. reeled
around the ring with his right
eye almost shut and with blood
oozing from q cut over the same
orb. The 192-pound Bucceroni.
stopped for the second time in
his career. never fell but he was
close to exhaustion when Berl
interviewed.
Bucceroni punched himself
out against the relentless 191 "a
pound Jackson, who kept COM
ing without regard for Dams
Wanted wallop. The Sunday
punch that had flattened 80 of
Bucceroni's previous 40 OPP
ponents GAG wins. 3 loSses) meant
nothing to the unorthodox, SUI
perbly conditioned Jackson.
"AnimaT' ROars Back.
The animal" as they call
jackson at Stillman's Gym,
roared back after every one of
Dams volleys with a furry of
punches that had the Phila-
delphian befuddled. Left hooks,
left jabS, overland and under
hand rights. uppercuts and
double uppercuts-Tommy threw
them all and from every position.
Bucceroni risked an almost
certain September title shot for
$4,000 guarantee against
Jackson The gamble backfired
disastrously.
Hard-hitting Dan was the
third name" fighter in two
months to bow before the buzz
saw attack Of the unschooled,
unlettered youngster who
learned to fight by fighting. He
said he never went to school but
my mother taught me to read"
A pro fighter only 20 months.
the 6-foot-212 bundle of energy
earned a No. 7 ranking by stop
ping Rex Layne in six in Janu-
airy and by trouncing Clarence
Henry in 10 (Jackson's first ten)
March /.
Ahead of him now are MARCH,
ano, Ezzard Charles. Nino Valdes,
Roland LaStarza, Don Cockell
and Tommy Harrison. Jack
Dempsey and other competent
observers among the 1900 crowd
for the telecast brawl give the
amazing newcomer at least an
even chance against any of them
except Rocky.
Next Foe Is Problem.
Who he will fight next, or
who will fight him at all. is the
big problem now facing Tommy
and Co-managers Sam Golden
and Lippy Breitbart.
I'D like another try" the bat
tered Bucceroni said. I'D fight
him different. hit him three
times hard enough to put him
away"
Hes inhuman," said Don
Battles, Bucceroni's manager.
He hit me hard" Jackson
said. Jared me q few times.
But every time I came back.
Now I want Rocky Marciano.
III do better job on him than
I did on Bucceroni. If I can't
get Rocky. I'll be happy to fight
any one-one a week."
Man, he has a world Of en-
durance," Dempsey said. Hes
a hard man to lick but he
doesn't punch hard enough yet.
He'll improve. With experience
he'll be a great fighter"
1t was only Jackson's 18th
pro fight. He earned his biggest
purse, about $4,000. The gross
gate was $11,246 but TV added
another $4,000.
Jackson, who trains so often
and so vigorously that his man
ayers have to chase him from
the gym, has a 16-1-1 record
with six kayos. He was out
pointed in a six by Bert White
hurst and drew with Shirley
Pembleton in another six.