Gene Fullmer, Overated Middleweight Champ

I don't know who's overrating him, I rarely hear anyone singing his praises. Heck, I don't see much conversation about Fullmer as anything other than a side note to other fighters like Robinson, really.

 

If anything hes underrated.

 

Maybe overrated in his time but I think he was better than the one-dimensional brawler that he is made out to be now. He fought the Basilio fights, the first Robinson fight and the second Tiger fight very disciplined.

 

Agreed.

 

Yes and no. TheGreatA said righfully that he is made into something that he was but not just. He was more than a one dimensional brawler. If you see him as one, you underate him. On the oither hand he is overated compared to other fighters, for example the 5 burt bienstock mentioned. Who ever talks about hem? Hell, Steele, Apostoli and Overlin aren' even known by most people. In this context he truly is overated.

 

Fullmer was a scrappy and dirty fighter almost in the same vein as Fritzie Zivic, but I actually think he's quite underrated. A Top 20 Middleweight for sure.

 

I have never rated him very highly,I certainly would not call him a great fighter.

 

I'm not to fond of him either just like how I'm not too fond of Zivic and Saddler, but the guy was tough as nails.

 

One of the best mauling spoilers.

Not my kind of fighter, though undeniably effective.

 

Zivic was a very good fighter ,who often had a weight advantage over his better opponents.
6 1/4lbs over Angott.
8 lbs over Montgomery.
8 lbs over Jack
7 lbs over Bell.
Weight over Armstrong in all their fights.And Jenkins
In this he had something in common with Fullmer,whose beating of Paret was a big middle over a welter.
His wins over Basilio were effectively the same, a welter against a big middle weight.Likewise his fights with Vejar,and Turner.
Fullmer beat some very capable middles,but he was not a great 160 pounder to me.
Saddler was undoubtedly a great featherweight,and also beat bigger men of the calibre of
Young 8lbs heavier
Demarco 8lbs heavier.
I can't bracket Fullmer with Saddler.

 

Im another who thinks he is underrated, NOT overrated.

I also think he beats up any one on your list, although Zale might be even money. I think Fullmer is real close to a top 10 Middle, havent done a list in a little while but i wouldnt be surprised if he cracks it.

 

I wouldn't be confident about all these guys beating Fullmer. For starters, he never lost to anyone who couldn't punch and hurt him, so that right away makes picking Overlin very questionable. Conn wasn't at his peak yet as a MW and it showed in occasional losses to Solly Kreiger and others. Fullmer had flaws that a number of these fighters could theoretically take advantage of, but he also had a difficult and unpredictable style that could pose potential problems for any of them as well.