Gene Fullmer

Gene Fullmer

Born: July 21, 1931
Died: April 27, 2015 (at age 83)
Biography

Lawrence Gene Fullmer (July 21, 1931 - April 27, 2015) was an American middleweight boxer and world champion.

Professional career

Fullmer began his professional career in 1951 and won his first 29 fights, 19 by knockout. His manager during many years of his career was his mentor, Marv Jenson, who encouraged many youth in West Jordan, Utah, to enter boxing as amateurs.

Middleweight champion

Fullmer won the world middleweight championship on January 2, 1957, when he upset the legendary Sugar Ray Robinson by soundly winning a unanimous 15-round decision. On May 1, 1957 they fought a rematch. The fight began as expected, with Fullmer using his strength and awkwardness to bull into Robinson and really force him onto his heels. In the fifth round Robinson, while backing up, lashed out with what has been called the perfect left hook. It caught Fullmer flush on the chin and knocked him out.

In 1959, the National Boxing Association withdrew its recognition of Robinson as middleweight champion. Fullmer and fellow former middleweight champion Carmen Basilio fought for the vacant NBA title on August 28, 1959, and Fullmer won the crown when he TKOed Basilio in the 14th round. Meanwhile, Robinson was to lose his version of the middleweight championship to Paul Pender.

Fullmer and Pender never met to settle their claims to the middleweight title, and Pender eventually retired. Meanwhile, Fullmer fought and turned back the challenges of many top contenders, such as Basilio, Spider Webb, Florentino Fernández, and welterweight champion Benny "Kid" Paret. He narrowly escaped being dethroned when he was held to 15-round draws by Robinson and future titleholder Joey Giardello. The draw against Robinson was widely criticised by almost every ringside observer, who had Robinson winning 11-4 or 10-5 in rounds. In their final meeting, a title bout in 1961, Fullmer beat Robinson by unanimous decision.

Losing the title

Fullmer finally lost the middleweight title to Dick Tiger on October 23, 1962 in a unanimous decision. They fought a rematch on February 23, 1963, which resulted in a draw. Fullmer's attempts to regain the middleweight crown finally ended when he was TKOed in seven rounds by Tiger on August 10, 1963.

Fullmer's final record included 55 wins (24 by KO), 6 losses, and 3 draws.

Professional boxing record (most recent at the top)

55 wins (24 knockouts), 6 defeats (2 knockouts), 3 draws
Res. Record Opponent Type Rd., Time Date Location Notes
Loss 55-6-3 Dick Tiger
Draw 55-5-3 Dick Tiger
Loss 55-5-2 Dick Tiger
Win 55-4-2 Benny Paret
Win 54-4-2 Florentino Fernández
Win 53-4-2 Sugar Ray Robinson
Draw 52-4-2 Sugar Ray Robinson
Win 52-4-1 Carmen Basilio
Draw 51-4-1 Joey Giardello
Win 51-4 Spider Webb
Win 50-4 Carmen Basilio
Win 49-4 Wilf Greaves
Win 48-4 Milo Savage
Win 47-4 Joe Miceli
Win 46-4 Spider Webb
Win 45-4 Jim Hegerle
Win 44-4 Milo Savage
Win 43-4 Neal Rivers
Win 42-4 Chico Vejar
Win 41-4 Ralph Jones
Loss 40-4 Sugar Ray Robinson
Win 40-3 Ernie Durando
Win 39-3 Wilf Greaves
Win 38-3 Sugar Ray Robinson
Win 37-3 Moses Ward
Win 36-3 Charles Humez
Win 35-3 Ralph Jones
Win 34-3 Gil Turner
Win 33-3 Rocky Castellani
Loss 32-3 Eduardo Lausse
Loss 32-2 Bobby Boyd
Win 32-1 Al Andrews
Win 31-1 Del Flanagan
Win 30-1 Gil Turner
Loss 29-1 Gil Turner
Win 29-0 Govan Small
Win 28-0 Paul Pender
Win 27-0 Marcel Assire
Win 26-0 Peter Mueller
Win 25-0 Jackie LaBua
Win 24-0 Dick Wolfe
Win 23-0 Reno Abellira
Win 22-0 Govan Small
Win 21-0 Rio Rico
Win 20-0 Andy Anderson
Win 19-0 Charley Cato
Win 18-0 Kid Leon
Win 17-0 Armando Cotero
Win 16-0 Mickey Rhodes
Win 15-0 Baby Ray
Win 14-0 Rudy Zadell
Win 13-0 Gary Hanley
Win 12-0 Garth Panter
Win 11-0 Sam Healy
Win 10-0 Charley Cato

Personal

Fullmer had two younger brothers who boxed: Don Fullmer (February 21, 1939 - January 28, 2012), who twice challenged for the World Middleweight Title, and Jay Fullmer (March 9, 1937 - April 22, 2015), who boxed as a lightweight.

Fullmer was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), and his living the tenets of his religion, especially the Word of Wisdom, was heavily covered in the press. It was also frequently mentioned that he was a father and that he paid tithing on his boxing winnings.

Fullmer appeared in a cameo role in the 1968 film The Devil's Brigade as a Montana bartender.

Fullmer is featured on the cover of the album Greatest Hits by Alice in Chains.

On January 21, 1962, Fullmer appeared on What's My Line? but not as a mystery guest. His line was that he was a mink rancher.

On April 27, 2015, "the day his younger brother Jay Fullmer was laid to rest," Gene died at the age of 83 in his home surrounded by friends and family.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]


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