SOUTH JORDAN, Utah, July 29, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — The cities of South Jordan and West Jordan announced the renaming of 9400 South from 1700 West through 2200 West as Fullmer Lane on Monday.
“The Fullmer brothers, Gene, Jay, and Don, were known for their boxing careers,” said a news release from South Jordan city. “When Gene won the world middleweight boxing championship on Jan. 2, 1957, he got the attention of the sports industries and the nation.”
The city of West Jordan and South Jordan’s Historic Preservation Committees are renaming the street, which serves as a border between the two cities, and on which much of the family lived and trained.
“West Jordan and South Jordan kind of came alive, I think, as result of them boxing,” said Brad Fullmer, Don Fullmer’s son.
Gene was inducted into the 1970 Charter Class of the Utah Sports Hall of Fame, Don was inducted into the 1999 Utah Sports Hall of Fame, and Jay was honored with a Utah Hall of Fame Distinguished Service award in 2012. Gene also received numerous international awards.
“They left a great legacy and their family continues to leave that legacy today,” said Don Rees, member of the South Jordan Historic Preservation Committee. “It’s an honor to be a part of South Jordan with people like this.”
Part of the legacy Rees is referring to is the tradition of working with youths at the Fullmer Brothers’ Boxing Gym. Youths can use the gym, currently located at 2200 West and 11000 South, free of charge.
“The more than 2,000 youths who’ve used the gym, many of whom are considered ‘at-risk,’ not only learn the sport, but receive valuable mentorship,” the news release said.
The Fullmer family has recently acquired land they’ll use to build a new gym, to continue to serve the young people, and at which they’ll be able to hold tournaments. Through the Fullmer Legacy Foundation, the family will soon begin fundraising to get the funds to build the new gym.
“It was Dad’s and those guys’ dying wish that we don’t charge anybody to ever come into that gym, so they wanted us to keep it running and don’t charge them,” said Brad Fullmer.
In the new gym, which they hope to get built within two years, there will be a study hall and a computer lab where kids can do their homework, the news release said.
