Don Fullmer(1939-2012)
- Actor
Don Fullmer is the younger brother of Gene Fullmer who twice held the
Middleweight Boxing Championship of the World. One of three brothers to
box professional (the other was Jay Fullmer), Don became a professional
boxer in 1957. He won his first 17 fights and found himself rated in
the top ten of world contenders. Fullmer would remain rated for the
next 16 straight years. In a 78 fight career he met 8 world champions
in the ring and defeated four of them: Jimmy Ellis, Emile Griffith,
Carl "BoBo" Olsen, and Virgil "Sugar Bear" Atkins. He won the American
Middleweight Championship and the Junior Light-Heavyweight Title. He
failed however in his only attempt to capture the World Middleweight
Championship. In 1973 he announced his retirement after dropping a 10
round decision to Richie Kates. Fullmer's record was 53-20-5 with 13
wins by knockout.