Don Fullmer


Don Fullmer was an American professional boxer and a brother of the former world middleweight champion Gene Fullmer. Eight years younger than his more famous brother, Don followed Gene into the gym in West Jordan, Utah, to learn how to box. He fought as an amateur for four years and did not lose in sixty-five fights. Another brother, Jay, was also active in boxing.

Boxing career

Don turned professional in 1957 as a middleweight and beat some top contenders during his early career, such as Rocky Fumerelle, Rocky Rivero, and Joe DeNucci. However, he also lost to some good fighters, such as former champions Terry Downes, Dick Tiger, José Torres and Emile Griffith, as well as Joey Archer.
In 1964 he beat Jimmy Ellis, who later went on to win the World Boxing Association version of the heavyweight championship. The win against Ellis began a winning streak for Fullmer and he went on to defeat Griffith and Archer in rematches. This streak ended when he lost to Nino Benvenuti in Rome in 1966. Benvenuti went on to win the middleweight title, and after Fullmer beat Carl "Bobo" Olson he fought a rematch with Benvenuti for the title in 1968. He knocked the Italian down but lost a fifteen-round unanimous decision. While never a recognized world champion, Fullmer did win a bout billed as for the "World Junior Light Heavyweight Championship" when he defeated Joe Hopkins in 1967. This title was the precursor to the current super middleweight championship. Few in the boxing world recognized the legitimacy of that title.
Fullmer retired from the ring in 1972. After his retirement, he worked for the Salt Lake County Fire Department. Along with his brothers, and he ran the Fullmer Brothers boxing gym in West Jordan. The gym provided for kids to work out for free.

Death

Don Fullmer died of leukemia on January 28, 2012, aged 72 in West Jordan, Utah. He was survived by his wife, Nedra and his five sons.

Filmography

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
79LossRichie KatesUD10Sep 24, 1972Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
78Win54–19–5Andy KendallSD10Apr 21, 1972Capital Plaza, Frankfort, Kentucky, US
77Win53–19–5Billy FreemanMD10Jan 13, 1972Williamsport, Pennsylvania, US
76Win52–19–5Lino RendonUD10Oct 14, 1972Cedar City, Utah, US
75Win51–19–5Amado VasquezKO1, 1:27May 22, 1972Salt Palace, Salt Lake City, Utah, US
74Loss50–19–5Pierre FourieUD10Feb 19, 1972Ellis Park Tennis Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa
73Win50–18–5Billy WagnerUD10Oct 19, 1971Arena, Cleveland, Ohio, US
72Win49–18–5Dave ThachSD10Sep 16, 1971Read Fieldhouse, Kalamazoo, Michigan, US
71Loss48–18–5Eugene HartUD10Jun 22, 1971Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
70Loss48–17–5Bobby CassidySD10Apr 26, 1971Felt Forum, New York City, New York, US
69Loss48–16–5Tom BogsPTS10Feb 11, 1971K.B. Hallen, Copenhagen, Denmark
68Draw48–15–5Billy DouglasPTS10Jul 11, 1970Lausche Building, Columbus, Ohio, US
67Draw48–15–4Tom BogsPTS10Feb 12, 1970Skojtehal, Gladsaxe, Denmark
66Loss48–15–3Doyle BairdSD10Oct 29, 1969Arena, Cleveland, Ohio, US
65Win48–14–3Juarez de LimaSD10May 26, 1969Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, US
64Loss47–14–3Nino BenvenutiUD15Dec 14, 1968Teatro Ariston, San Remo, ItalyFor WBA world champions#Middleweight|WBA], WBC, and The Ring middleweight titles
63Win47–13–3Polo CoronaUD10Sep 18, 1968Star Theater, Phoenix, Arizona, US
62Win46–13–3Gene BryantUD10May 29, 1968Derks Field, Salt Lake City, Utah, US
61Win45–13–3Billy MarshUD10Apr 25, 1968Madison Square Garden, Phoenix, Arizona, US
60Win44–13–3Carl MooreSD10Feb 20, 1968Madison Square Garden, Phoenix, Arizona, US
59Win43–13–3Ted WrightUD10Sep 22, 1967Weber State College Gymnasium, Ogden, Utah, US
58Win42–13–3Luis GardunoTKO2 Jun 22, 1967Adams Field House, Missoula, Montana, US
57Win41–13–3Joe HopkinsTKO6, 1:19Apr 3, 1967Valley Music Hall, Salt Lake City, Utah, US
56Win40–13–3Bobo OlsonMD10Nov 28, 1966Oakland Arena, Oakland, California, US
55Win39–13–3Tony MontanoUD10Oct 17, 1966Sportatorium, Phoenix, Arizona, US
54Win38–13–3Stan HarringtonUD10Apr 25, 1966Honolulu International Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, US
53Loss37–13–3Jose GonzalezUD12Mar 18, 1966Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, USLost WBA American middleweight title
52Loss37–12–3Nino BenvenutiUD12Feb 4, 1966Palazzetto dello Sport, Roma, Italy
51Win37–11–3Joey ArcherSD12Dec 13, 1965Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, USRetained WBA American middleweight title
50Win36–11–3Emile GriffithUD12Aug 19, 1965Fairgrounds Coliseum, Salt Lake City, Utah, USWon vacant WBA American middleweight title
49Win35–11–3Gene BryantUD10Jun 21, 1965West Jordan Park, West Jordan, Utah, US
48Draw34–11–3Andy KendallSD10Apr 27, 1965Hacienda Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada, US
47Win34–11–2Ferd HernandezUD10Feb 23, 1965Hacienda Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada, US
46Win33–11–2Jimmy EllisSD10Oct 21, 1964Convention Center, Louisville, Kentucky, US
45Loss32–11–2Dick TigerUD10Sep 11, 1964Arena, Cleveland, Ohio, US
44Win32–10–2Ron ThompsonTKO1, 2:13Aug 15, 1964Lane County Fairgrounds, Eugene, Oregon, US
43Draw31–10–2Fred RootsTD5 Apr 14, 1964Memorial Auditorium, Sacramento, California, USStopped on cuts after an accidental headbutt
42Loss31–10–1Souleymane DialloPTS10Dec 23, 1963Palais des Sports, Paris, France
41Loss31–9–1José TorresPTS10Oct 9, 1963Armory, Teaneck, New Jersey, US
40Win31–8–1Bobby HornUD10Jul 3, 1963Lane County Fairgrounds, Eugene, Oregon, US
39Loss30–8–1Sandro MazzinghiTKO8, 2:59May 5, 1963Velodromo Vigorelli, Milan, Italy
38Win30–7–1Eddie AndrewsUD10Apr 18, 1963Mathisen's Hall, Reno, Nevada, US
37Win29–7–1Eddie AndrewsUD10Feb 14, 1963Fairgrounds Coliseum, Salt Lake City, Utah, US
36Loss28–7–1Emile GriffithUD10Oct 6, 1962Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, US
35Win28–6–1Juan Carlos RiveroSD10Jul 21, 1962Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, US
34Loss27–6–1Terry DownesPTS10May 22, 1962Empire Pool, London, England, UK
33Win27–5–1Joe DeNucciUD10Mar 16, 1962Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, US
32Loss26–5–1Ted WrightTKO7 Aug 12, 1961Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, US
31Win26–4–1Rocky FumerelleUD10Jul 15, 1961Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, US
30Loss25–4–1Joey ArcherMD10Feb 4, 1961Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, US
29Win25–3–1Buck BellamyUD10Nov 11, 1960George Nelson Field House, Logan, Utah, US
28Draw24–3–1Gustav ScholzPTS10Sep 14, 1960Festhalle, Frankfurt, West Germany
27Win24–3Stefan RedlUD10May 11, 1960Jenson's Gym, West Jordan, Utah, US
26Win23–3JC JohnsonUD8Mar 28, 1960West Jordan, Utah, US
25Win22–3Billy BlairUD8Mar 5, 1960Athletic Club, West Jordan, Utah, US
24Win21–3James ShortyTKO5, 1:15Feb 20, 1960Jenson's Gym, West Jordan, Utah, US
23Win20–3Virgil AkinsUD10Jan 28, 1960Kiel Auditorium, Saint Louis, Missouri, US
22Win19–3Doug GarrettPTS6Dec 4, 1959George Nelson Field House, Logan, Utah, US
21Loss18–3Phil MoyerUD10Aug 18, 1959Auditorium, Portland, Oregon, US
20Loss18–2Eddie AndrewsMD10Jul 6, 1959Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, US
19Loss18–1Orlando DePietroPTS10Apr 4, 1959Polo Grounds, Palm Springs, California, US
18Win18–0Cornell OldsKO3 Feb 9, 1959Eldred Recreation Center, Provo, Utah, US
17Win17–0Cornell OldsKO4 Jan 16, 1959Uintah High School Gym, Vernal, Utah, US
16Win16–0Roscoe ShamblinUD6Dec 15, 1958Arena, Cleveland, Ohio, US
15Win15–0Willie FullerKO1 Nov 29, 1958Kanab, Utah, US
14Win14–0Dick BankheadKO1 Nov 10, 1958Fairgrounds Coliseum, Salt Lake City, Utah, US
13Win13–0Curtis BarkerKO2 Oct 13, 1958West Jordan Elementary School, West Jordan, Utah, US
12Win12–0Andy MaesPTS6Sep 11, 1958Derks Field, Salt Lake City, Utah, US
11Win11–0Chico CiriniUD6Jul 26, 1958Arena, West Jordan, Utah, US
10Win10–0Elmer CarterPTS5Jul 7, 1958Arena, West Jordan, Utah, US
9Win9–0Cornell OldsKO2 Jun 4, 1958West Jordan Park, West Jordan, Utah, US
8Win8–0Frank FellsenPTS6Apr 19, 1958Springville, Utah, US
7Win7–0Cornell OldsPTS6Apr 5, 1958Cedar City, Utah, US
6Win6–0Elmer CarterPTS5Mar 3, 1958Fairgrounds Coliseum, Salt Lake City, Utah, US
5Win5–0Billy O'NeillUD6Feb 10, 1958Fairgrounds Coliseum, Salt Lake City, Utah, US
4Win4–0Amond CadollUD6Feb 1, 1958Southern Utah University Fieldhouse, Cedar City, Utah, US
3Win3–0Cornell OldsTKO2 Jan 28, 1958Fairgrounds Coliseum, Salt Lake City, Utah, US
2Win2–0Johnny HudsonKO1 Sep 4, 1957Arena, West Jordan, Utah, US
1Win1–0Joe MortensonTKO3, 2:40Aug 2, 1957West Jordan, Utah, US