Tony Zale-Gene fullmer

Jacobs beach doped out Abrams to take Zale but Zale turned in a monster of a fight and won the title.
Zale gave Abrams a greater beatdown than even Charlie Burley did, although Burley vs Abrams was ruled a draw.

 

Burt, I enjoy your posts, appreciate the lore that you bring to this forum and deeply respect your opinion (Don't wanna be to mushy)!

While you may be right about an odds on favorite.....On the flip side the odds were overwhelmingly in favor of Tyson making short work of Buster Douglas (Likewise Louis/Schmeling I), and the boxing pundits/fraternity of the day echoed those sentiments loudly...Yet, they were like all men, fallible from time to time even in their respective areas of expertise..and of course in this case inspite of their overwhelming vocal majority they were wrong..

I think Fullmer gets sold a bit short on here (and disagree respectfully with your opinion that Fullmer is overrated here..I must have missed those threads or read them differently than you have?), and I guess that is what makes this forumn and hypotheticals fun...we all have differing opinions...I like Fullmer to squeek it out!

Peace!

 

Of course there are UPSETS such as you cite Douglas vs Tyson, but I STICK to my guns and state what I posted that I who have seen Gene Fullmer ringside, would have been a big underdog in a bout with a pre-war Tony Zale... Zale before he went into the Navy in 1942 for four years was
considered a terrific two handed puncher ,tough as they come, and of course Fullmer had a chance, but the boxing fraternity during Fullmer's time would have made Zale a big favorite, as I do...

 

I wouldn't bet but I'd pick fullmer by a decision by pure roughing and keeping Zale off key..


But there is always a chance TZ lands the big one and puts his lights out.

60/40 Gene though.

 

Even though I think Zale takes him, I must agree with you here. I think Fullmer was one of the strongest and toughest middleweight champions we've ever had. He's taken it from bigger punchers than Zale and survived. So I don't doubt that he could hear the final bell after taking Tony's best.

But I still say you have to give it to Zale based upon superior skill and firepower. And if Fullmer has the edge in strength and durability it isn't by much, imho. I just don't see what advantages Fullmer has in this matchup that would give him the edge overall.

But that's just me :smoke

 

And for the record, I think Fullmer would knock out Graziano within 10 rounds.

 

:good

 

:deal

 

Zale has everything over the strong but limited Fullmer ,entertaining scrap which Zale clearly wins.

 

No .

Would anyone take Graziano to beat a a prime Zale?

 

Not me.