Emile Griffith vs Gene Fulmer

[mhagler91490]

15 rounds
middleweight
20 foot ring and 24 foot ring

[Zelley]

Interesting potential fight, Based on overall performance of each fighter, it is difficult to predict a winner. If the bout went the distance I would give the edge to Emile.
However, either one was capable of stopping the other. Three common opponents
are Benny Paret Dick, Tiger and Florentino Fernandez, but the results of those bouts wouldn't
determine the end result in a 15 round battle between Fullmer and Griffith.

[Counter-puncher]

i think Griffith is a bit too skilled, all round, for Fullmer.

[harrygreb]

agree. emile decision

[elmersalsa]

This would be a great fight. I pick Emile Griffith, though. He is not going to KO Fullmer that's for sure.

[Ambling Alp]

Would have been a great, close fight. Fullmer was relentless and tough as nails. He seems to be forgotton these days. I'm going with Fullmer winning 3 out of 5 times.

[Goodnight, Irene]

A narrow decision for Griffith --- the class disparity (though, indeed, Fullmer is under-appreciated) just shades the size disparity, IMO.

[My2Sense]

I think Fullmer is being slept on a bit in this thread.

Fullmer's specialty was bulling around blown-up welterweights, even quality ones. I don't think Griff can match Fullmer's strength on the inside, I don't think he can keep him at a distance a whole fight and outbox him, and he couldn't knock him out. Basically, I see him in a Catch-22 wherever he turns.

[raylawpc]

15 rounds
middleweight
20 foot ring and 24 foot ring

Date?

[Zelley]

I think Fullmer is being slept on a bit in this thread.

Fullmer's specialty was bulling around blown-up welterweights, even quality ones. I don't think Griff can match Fullmer's strength on the inside, I don't think he can keep him at a distance a whole fight and outbox him, and he couldn't knock him out. Basically, I see him in a Catch-22 wherever he turns.

Well Fullmer lost twice to Dick Tiger, and Emile beat Tiger twice.
Fullmer was stopped by Sugar Ray Robinson and Dick Tiger
and was outpointed by Gil Turner, Bobby Boyd, Ed. Lausse and Dick Tiger.
It is likely that Griffith could outpoint Fullmer. Also, Griffith wouldn't lead
with his face like some of the boxers that were stopped by Fullmer including
Carmen Basilio and Benny Paret.

[My2Sense]

I think Fullmer is being slept on a bit in this thread.

Fullmer's specialty was bulling around blown-up welterweights, even quality ones. I don't think Griff can match Fullmer's strength on the inside, I don't think he can keep him at a distance a whole fight and outbox him, and he couldn't knock him out. Basically, I see him in a Catch-22 wherever he turns.

Well Fullmer lost twice to Dick Tiger, and Emile beat Tiger twice.
Fullmer was stopped by Sugar Ray Robinson and Dick Tiger
and was outpointed by Gil Turner, Bobby Boyd, Ed. Lausse and Dick Tiger.
It is likely that Griffith could outpoint Fullmer. Also, Griffith wouldn't lead
with his face like some of the boxers that were stopped by Fullmer including
Carmen Basilio and Benny Paret.

Spider Webb, Wilf Greaves, and Joey Giardello all beat Tiger too, but none of them could beat Fullmer in a combined five fights. Styles make fights, and Tiger was a lot more succeptible to movement/boxers than Fullmer was.

As far as the other fighters you mentioned beating Fullmer, Griffith didn't hit anywhere near on the level of Robinson, and only one of the fighters who managed to outpoint him (Turner) was a blown up welter like Griffith, and Fullmer beat him twice in rematches anyway.

[Zelley]

[quote="Zelley

Well Fullmer lost twice to Dick Tiger, and Emile beat Tiger twice.
Fullmer was stopped by Sugar Ray Robinson and Dick Tiger
and was outpointed by Gil Turner, Bobby Boyd, Ed. Lausse and Dick Tiger.
It is likely that Griffith could outpoint Fullmer. Also, Griffith wouldn't lead
with his face like some of the boxers that were stopped by Fullmer including
Carmen Basilio and Benny Paret.

As far as the other fighters you mentioned beating Fullmer, Griffith didn't hit anywhere near on the level of Robinson, and only one of the fighters who managed to outpoint him (Turner) was a blown up welter like Griffith, and Fullmer beat him twice in rematches anyway.[/quote]

So based on the Gil Turner - Gene Fullmer three ten rounders,Gene Fullmer and Emile Griffith
would go the distance and at the end of the day it could be either boxer receiving the decision.
I guess to some degree it would depend on the rose tinted glasses of the judges,
As long it wasn't staged in Salt Lake City and there were no mainland European judges
Emile would stand a good chance of winning the bout on points.
If the bout was held in Salt Lake City, Utah, Rome, Italy or Paris, France
Griffith could likely kiss a victory goodby! Probably, the best place for
the bout would be London, England.

[raylawpc]

When do you have them fighting? Is this one of those 'hypothetical' prime vs. prime matrch-ups?

Or is it welterweight Griffith challenging Fullmer for his NBA middleweight title in, say, late '61 or early '62?