Gene Fullmer(1931-2015)
- Actor
Fullmer began his professional career in 1951, winning his first 29 fights, 19 of which were by knockout. His mentor, Marv Jenson, inspired numerous Utah youngsters to start boxing as amateurs and served as his manager for many years of his career.
Fullmer won the world middleweight championship in January 1957, defeating the famous Sugar Ray Robinson by a unanimous 15-round decision. In May 1957, they battled again. The fight started as expected, with Fullmer utilizing his strength and clumsiness to bully Robinson and push him onto his heels. In the fifth round, Robinson, while backing up, delivered what has been dubbed the "perfect left hook." It hit Fullmer squarely on the chin and knocked him unconscious.
The National Boxing Association stripped Robinson of his middleweight championship in 1959. On August 28, 1959, Fullmer and fellow former middleweight champion Carmen Basilio fought for the vacant NBA title, which Fullmer won with a TKO in the fourteenth round. Meanwhile, Robinson was set to lose his version of the middleweight title to Paul Pender.
Fullmer and Pender never met to resolve their claims to the middleweight championship, and Pender later retired. Meanwhile, Fullmer battled and defeated other notable competitors, including Basilio, Spider Webb, Florentino Fernández, and welterweight champion Benny "Kid" Paret. He almost avoided dethronement when he was held to 15-round draws by Robinson and future titleholder Joey Giardello. Fullmer won their final meeting, a title match in 1961, by unanimous decision.Fullmer lost his title against Dick Tiger in 1963 and retired from boxing shortly thereafter.
Fullmer won the world middleweight championship in January 1957, defeating the famous Sugar Ray Robinson by a unanimous 15-round decision. In May 1957, they battled again. The fight started as expected, with Fullmer utilizing his strength and clumsiness to bully Robinson and push him onto his heels. In the fifth round, Robinson, while backing up, delivered what has been dubbed the "perfect left hook." It hit Fullmer squarely on the chin and knocked him unconscious.
The National Boxing Association stripped Robinson of his middleweight championship in 1959. On August 28, 1959, Fullmer and fellow former middleweight champion Carmen Basilio fought for the vacant NBA title, which Fullmer won with a TKO in the fourteenth round. Meanwhile, Robinson was set to lose his version of the middleweight title to Paul Pender.
Fullmer and Pender never met to resolve their claims to the middleweight championship, and Pender later retired. Meanwhile, Fullmer battled and defeated other notable competitors, including Basilio, Spider Webb, Florentino Fernández, and welterweight champion Benny "Kid" Paret. He almost avoided dethronement when he was held to 15-round draws by Robinson and future titleholder Joey Giardello. Fullmer won their final meeting, a title match in 1961, by unanimous decision.Fullmer lost his title against Dick Tiger in 1963 and retired from boxing shortly thereafter.
