Boxing legend Gene Fullmer remembered for iron fists, kind heart

West Jordan • The weathered, bronze bell from the makeshift gym where Lawrence Gene Fullmer first learned the sweet science of boxing was struck 10 times by nephew Cody Fullmer on Monday afternoon, and with that one of the state's most beloved sports heroes was laid to rest not far from the ring where Marv Jenson turned the self-described "scrawny Utah farmboy" into the world middleweight boxing champion.

"His fists were hard as iron, but his heart was soft and kind," it was said as dozens of family members gave their final goodbyes.

A U.S. flag, which draped the casket for the Korean War veteran's burial, was presented to his wife of 31 years, Karen Davey Fullmer, at the South Jordan City Cemetery after military rites were administered by members of the Disabled American Veterans.

"Don't worry, dad," Fullmer's oldest daughter, Kaye Winters, said in a eulogy during the funeral services earlier Monday, "We chose the cheapest casket available" for a man known for pinching pennies to the very end of his 83-year-old life — unless it was for his treasured quarter horses.

"He was very frugal with his money, but not with his time," added Fullmer's oldest son, DeLaun, who said his father could never go out in public after beating the famed Sugar Ray Robinson for the world middleweight championship on Jan. 2, 1957, without being stopped for a picture or autograph.

Advised early in a professional boxing career that included a 55-6-3 record, 13 world championship bouts and seven defenses of his title to not give his autograph away for free because it would lessen its value later in his life, the champ did just that anyway, often saying "as long as that little kid wants my autograph, it is not worthless," DeLaun Fullmer said.

Former Utah Jazz coach and president Frank Layden, former University of Utah and Weber State football coach Ron McBride and Marv Jenson's son, Ray, were among the Utah Sports Hall of Famers who paid their last respects to Fullmer, named the third greatest sports figure in state history at the turn of the century by a panel that included former Salt Lake Tribune sports editor Dick Rosetta, who was also present.

His daughters Kaye Winters and Marianne Newlun said Fullmer's greatest loss came on Jan. 2, 1983, when his first wife, Dolores, died exactly 26 years after the day he defeated Robinson in the first of their four epic championship bouts.

He often called Jan. 2 the best, and worst, days of his life.

While plenty was made of Fullmer's rise to the pinnacle of boxing by the speakers, his generosity, integrity, upstanding character and sense of humor were also highlighted by his son, DeLaun, his daughters, and friends Jay McKee and Jamie McQueen.

McKee, who trained Fullmer's treasured quarter horses for many years, said one time at the Boxing Hall of Fame in New York, a woman approached Fullmer thinking he was fellow boxing champion Carmen Basilio and asked for his autograph, and Fullmer was not phased. He took her pen and asked, "OK, how do you spell Basilio?"

Fullmer and Basilio became good friends after their 1959 title fight that Fullmer won, and the Fullmers stayed with the Basilios when they visited the Hall in their later years.

"What everyone here today is trying to say to the Fullmer family is this: Thank you. We love you," said McQueen, a neighbor of more than 30 years.

McQueen, Fullmer's LDS home teacher, also told the story of how then-LDS Church apostle Ezra Taft Benson, a former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture who later became an LDS Church president, visited Fullmer in his locker room before the first Robinson fight and was asked by Fullmer to pray for him. McQueen said Benson prayed not that Fullmer would win, but that both fighters would stay healthy and that Fullmer would escape the bout without getting any lasting marks on his face or body.

"And he didn't," McQueen said.

Although Fullmer was named after Gene Tunney, his hero was another boxing great, Joe Louis.

Marianne Newlun said her dad described the win over Robinson as "a thrill beyond description." Winters said the first time she ever saw her father cry was when one of his prized stallions died.

Fullmer was also known for challenging people to slug him in the stomach to see if they could hurt him or knock the wind out of him. None succeeded, but once a future son-in-law broke a hand trying to on the night before his wedding day. He also enjoyed pulling pranks on family members, such as getting his own sons or the sons of his boxing brothers, Don and Jay, to eat mink feed.

Along with raising mink and quarter horses, presiding over the Rocky Mountain Golden Gloves boxing franchise for 25 years and training young fighters for decades at the Fullmer Brothers Gym, he also enjoyed bowling and even joined a square dancing club.

He liked card games and playing checkers with his 11 grandkids and 13 great grandkids, but hated to lose to them as much as he hated to lose to the likes of his contemporaries, Robinson, Basilio, Dick Tiger, Benny Paret or Florentino Fernandez.

Fullmer began suffering from Alzheimer's disease about eight years ago, but was in relatively good health until Jay Fullmer died five days before he did.

"After he knew Jay died, he must have known his work here was done," DeLaun Fullmer said.

drew@sltrib.com

Twitter: @drewjay