Gene Fullmer

Off the top of my head Fernandez could have easily gone the other way, Tiger 2, Robinson 3, and Giardello were all draws that Fullmer definately lost. Robinson 1 he should have been DQd IMO, Basilio 2 is one of the worst stoppages Ive ever seen, and Robinson 4 even Fullmer admits that they snuck in Genes training ring which was smaller and had more padding than the ring agreed upon in the contract (they did the same thing for Giardello). Yeah Id say he benefitted from some friendly officiating.

 

Fullmer...as we all know...the Paret beating.

He was a little "on the back side" when he and Tiger met up.

He and Basilio beat the sh!t out of each other....but both hated Robinson even more.

 

I scored the Fernandez fight this way:

Gene Fullmer vs. Florentino Fernandez: 145-141 Fullmer
Fernandez: 5,13,14 ( 10-8 ) and 15.
Fullmer: 2,3,4,6,7,8,9,10,11 and 12.
Rounds 1 and 7 even.

Whilst I think the fight could be called a little closer than I had it, i didn't think it was the type of fight that could have gone either way.

I have only seen a bit of Tiger II, have you seen the whole fight?

On the third Robinson fight, I had it:

Ray Robinson vs. Gene Fullmer III: 144-142 Robinson
Fullmer: 1,2,7,9,10 and 13.
Robinson: 3,4,5,6,8,11,14 and 15.
Round 12 even.

Fullmer was indeed lucky there.

I haven't seen the Giardello fight other than through that 3 min highlight, but the fight caller seemed to think that it was a close fight that could have gone either way. Have you personally seen the whole fight?

IMO, and from what I've seen and heard, Joey Giardello got more gifts than Gene Fullmer, but not many people want to go there....

The second Basilio stoppage was hasty, but it had no bearing on the result: Carmen was getting worked.

Fullmer was dirty but what in particular got your goat in Robinson I? The rabbit-punching? Ref should have warned him against doing it...

 

I think you are reaching by saying he "definitely" lost those fights.

I to thought he edged the Fernandez fight..Only one judge had a score that might suggest there was something cooking, the other two saw the fight for what it was..a close one.

I havent seen the Tiger fight but I have read a ton of reports on it...Cant recall one that said that Tiger was robbed of a victory, a couple felt if anything Fullmer deserved the victory..but I'm willing to admit there is likely an element of some gonzo journalism there, trying to create a Rockyesque slant of the faded ex-champ deserved to win back the title.
That being said it seemed overwhelmingly the consensus that Fullmer's change up of tactics frustrated Tiger and that it was a lot closer than the first bout.

I'd love to know the source about the ring for Robinson IIII , especially the quote from Gene. Not trying to say its not true but if I were ever to repeat it Id want something more to fall back on other than "I heard".

As sweet said Giardello, in fact all the other fighters mentioned, benefited from some very controversial decisions themselves. Tiger not so much though.

He was a bit of an overachiever but at the same time I don't think his career was built on dodgy decisions.

 

In the first Robinson bout Fullmer was dirty as hell, no one can say they dont see any dirty tactics in that bout beyond rabbit punching. He tripped, elbowed, headbutt, rabbit punched, and low blowed his way to a win. Even the referee admitted Fullmer fought a foul fight and when asked why he didnt DQ Fullmer he said "because thats the only way he knows how to fight" Thats a pretty pathetic excuse IMO.

I have the film of both Tiger-Fullmer 2 and Fullmer-Giardello. Fullmer literally did nothing the entire fight against Dick Tiger and ran. He looked scared shitless.

Against Giardello he keeps coming in with his head over the first several rounds and you can see Giardello getting frustrated with him not being called on it. At one point Fullmer winds up and launches in head first, Giardello just bends his knees, gets under Fullmers butt and then gives him back his own medicine. What does Gene do? He starts crying to the ref like a little ***** despite having the same thing throughout the fight. After that all Fullmer does is rush in and clinch and try to maul. Its an ugly fight but Fullmer was ineffective. He was trying to make Giardello ineffective as well but the one who was scoring clean punches most often, and actually boxing, was Giardello.

The quute for the Robinson fight (and its Robinson 4, not three) comes from Fullmer himself. He admitted several times (even bragged of it) that the contract for the Robinson fight called for a 24 foot ring. Robinson measured the ring and saw that it was a 20 ft ring, Fullmer and his manager sent Robinson away and called him back later telling him they got a new ring, Robinson measured it at 24 feet but Fullmer said they cut the first four feet off the tape measure and never changed the ring. I have seen him quoted and seen him say this in televised interviews. I'll see if I can dig it up. It was Giardello who later said in an interview that Fullmer had used his own training ring in those western fights.

Whether fighters he fought had in the past or future benefitted from "dodgy" decisions, which is another point, doesnt factor into this discussion. Boxing bouts arent judged on the merits of a fighters previous fights but on what happens in the ring at that particular bout. In those cases Fullmer, more often than not, got the benefit of close, and some not so close decisions.

 

To be fair to Fullmer I think he gets sold short as a rumble-tumble rough and ready brawler who completely overachieved. But I think he was a pretty clever fighter, in a sort of 'use what you got' way.

In the first Robinson fight watch how Fullmer uses his left jab to completely throw off Ray, then he rushes in whilst he is off-balance. It is just a tiny tactical problem posed, but it changes the whole fight and allows him to win it.

He was a pretty effective fighter and this gets sold short. As for him being a dirty fighter, I can't defend that.