Boxer Gene Wells dead

[DavidEpstein]

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/ ... =109618729

[Tony1244]

I saw him fight Mike Rossman live. I think it was the Felt Forum.

Even though Rossman was the local boy, the crowd for whatever reason was all behind Alabama native Gene Wells.

[goose 5]

Condolences to his loved ones. Wells, along with Mike Quarry and Termite Watkins, was involved in a boxing versus tae kwon do night of mixed matches circa 1975; an event I hope to find on film/video someday.

[Tony1244]

I saw him fight Mike Rossman live. I think it was the Felt Forum.

Even though Rossman was the local boy, the crowd for whatever reason was all behind Alabama native Gene Wells.

Hi Tony - I remember reading about this fight in the magazines. It happened the same night that Eddie Gregory (Mustafa) bombed out Hildo Silva. Christy Elliot and Casey Gacic also fought a draw that night. World/International Boxing did a photo display review of that night in one of their early 1976 issues.

I was a big Rossman fan back in the day. And, based on ring reports, I got the impression that Rossman struggled with Wells. Mike's big problem was that he was confused about how to defend against right hand leads. According to some reports, at least, Wells deserved to get a draw that night. I don''t know what the truth was because I wasn't in attendance that night at MSG.

What's your personal assessment of the Rossman-Wells fight? Was Mike the beneficiary of a chancy decision, or was he a rightful winner who just happened to look bad on this one occasion?

As for Mobile Gene Wells, yeah, he was a good club fighter who was fit to compete against any junior middleweight or middleweight in the world. Not a world class performer, but a top-flight club fighter. The kind of boxer who makes the sport rich in story-telling ways, and competitive - even by world-class standards. No contenders could simply walk over a tough guy like Mobile Gene Wells.

Hey Joe,

Another thing I remember about the Rossman-Wells fight is Rossman kept looking at the countdown clock a lot during the round. At the time, the fighter could look at the to see how much time was left, at least at the Forum. Also when the fight ended, Rossman hit the top rope with his glove in anger over his performance. I think Rossman was only 19 or so at the time.

EddIe "The Flame" Gregory, as he was called at the time was booed for fighting too cautiously. He seemed in no rush, that was for sure. I remember Gacic being game, taking a lot of shots, and appearing much smaller than Irish Christy Elliot.

It's weird, but I remember my first few fights and games I saw live far better than stuff I saw decades later.

[Tony1244]

I had only heard of this guy. Never knew he was called "Mobile," but I did know he was from Alabama.

[jorgex23x]

I lived next door, well next trailer, to Gene in the late 70's/early 80's. I remember when his trailer burnt down, he came back with his brother Jimmy the next day and was digging around in nothing but ash, told us he was looking for some "gold".

Also remember "Boxing Night" at a local bar called Mike's Dixie Club for a few years they had boxing every Thursday night, setup a real ring and everything. Gene was a cornerman for the real boxers- Randall Yonker & Bill Evans I recall. So basically drunks would feel tough I guess and get in the ring with Randall and I would see Gene rubbing his right side indicating the liver shot. None of those fights lasted long...

Gene's daughter Robin is in prison- for Life on a vehicular homicide case. Robin Wells Dickens.

[goose 5]

Yonker is some piece of work, isn't he ?