Jack Hurley

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Jack Hurley (December 9, 1897 – November 16, 1972) was an American boxing promoter with a career spanning more than 50 years. He was well known and respected in boxing and by journalists, even though he never managed a world champion.

Hurley grew up in Fargo, North Dakota. He served in France during World War I. After the war he tried boxing but found his real talent was in promoting fighters. He began in 1922, helping lightweight Billy Petrolle rise to prominence. After Petrolle retired, Hurley worked as a promoter in Chicago. In the late 1940s he returned to managing, working with fighters including Harry "Kid" Matthews. He later moved to Seattle, where he spent the last 20 years of his career and managed boxers like Boone Kirkman.

In 1957 he promoted the heavyweight title fight between Pete Rademacher, making his pro debut, and Floyd Patterson. It was the first title fight where a reigning world champion faced an amateur challenger, and it drew a lot of attention, controversy, and money.

Hurley was known for his honesty in a sport where dishonesty was common. In Seattle he was called "the conscience of Seattle." Damon Runyon once said he was one of only two honest prize-fighter managers he had known.