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. [3]
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, Ellsworth "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
64 fights
|
55 wins
|
|
6 losses
|
By knockout
|
24
|
2
|
By decision
|
31
|
4
|
Draws
|
3
|