Compare Gene Fullmer to Jake Lamotta

[saintpat]

Jake was a legit Middleweight I know Gene fought alot at Middleweigh but he fought welters who got to the point where 147 was to tuff to get to so they fought at Middle. Neither of the men had one punch power but they were both physically strong and Gene had great cardio and Jake was a master at pacing himself! Both had alot more technical ability but prefered their own style because it worked the majority of time.
Genes record is filled with great names but many were closer to their end then their prime. He still gets alot of credit because those men weren't "picking up the pennies" to loose they came to win. Robinson & Basillo at any age was a serious fight!
I'd give an edge if they met to Jake, not a big margin but I think his hook would do him well against Gene. I doubt Gene hurts him but Jake might rock Gene a little! Either way it would be a great match up, Fullmer is under rated to often. The guy was good and a very honest fighter, a fan favorite. Imagine going into Madison Sq. Garden and beating Sugar Ray for the title!
Thats pretty big!! Ofcourse the greatest fighter that ever lived KO'd Gene a few months later but thats no disgrace either. (thats the immortal left hook stepping back)
Ray.

Was Jake a true middleweight? I think he was more of a super middle who managed to make 160 on occasion when he absolutely needed to but more often he came in in the middle to upper 160s.

Yes, I know, in non-title fights there wasn't a need to get down to the strict middleweight limit but he seemed to feast on an inordinately high number of welterweights where he was 8 to 10 or more pounds heavier -- not just Ray Robinson but many more.

True catchweights (not today's definition of meeting at an agreed-upon weight in between, but the you-weigh-what-you-weigh-and-I'll-weigh-what-I-weigh variety) happened much more frequently in those days, but if you try to balance the number of times when Jake fought welters vs. the rare occasions when he gave up significant weight to fight light heavies, it's not even close.