Fulton Jr. and the scales of justice

Stephen Fulton Jr. wildly missed weight for his fight against Liam Wilson, on the undercard of Tim Tszyu vs. Errol Spence Jr.

The 32-year-old – who has held world titles in two weight divisions – was originally slated to box Aussie opponent Wilson at 130lbs. Then – despite being granted a catchweight of 133lbs in fight week – he inexplicably came in at 139.5lbs.

Fulton Jr. has form. He also failed to make weight for his last fight against O’Shaquie Foster, weighing 2lbs over for that one in a fight that did still go ahead. 

To paraphrase the great Oscar Wilde ‘To miss weight once, Mr. Fulton, may be regarded as a misfortune; to miss weight in consecutive fights looks like carelessness.’

I felt for Fulton Jr. to be honest with you, stood on the scales in a foreign land with the haunted expression of a man who’s just discovered gravity has a personal grudge.

PBC

As a writer I must also try to be measured in my own condemnation here, given I’ve not refused the offer of a sticky toffee pudding at any point since the turn of the last century.

Yet professionalism in boxing is not measured solely by courage under fire. It is revealed in the lonely, unglamorous disciplines performed long before the opening bell: the early-morning run, the drive past Burger King in favour of a protein shake and, ultimately, the ability to arrive at the contracted weight rather than somewhere in its post code.

Cynics might argue that the promotion itself was cursed as the week before, fellow American Jermall Charlo’s fight against Aussie Koen Mazoudier was also chalked after Charlo - who had fought just three times since 2020 - was denied a visa.

Fair play to promoters No Limit for pulling the Fulton Jr. vs. Wilson fight though. After the Charlo debacle it may have been tempting to try and get the fight on regardless, but that would have been giving Fulton Jr. a dangerous and an unfair advantage. Wilson’s opponent would have a 6.5lbs head start for rehydrating - and potentially didn’t even try to cut much in the first place.

You have to feel for Wilson. If there’s no fight, there’s no payday, and it was too late in the day to draft in a replacement. Training camps are expensive investments, both financially and in terms of deprivation. Every skipped indulgence, every aching mile and every measured meal prep represents an unspoken agreement that both competitors will honour the same terms.

After news broke that he had been pulled from the Qudos Bank Arena card Fulton tried to explain himself on X / Twitter when he said: “Why would I fly all the way to Australia with no intentions to make weight. Is it my fault yes and I take accountability, but I gave it my all! Once I got to 138 I wasn’t sweating any more. I thought and believed I could make the weight.”

The scales are incapable of favouritism

One hears such explanations with increasing familiarity. The body would not respond. But when it happens more than once these surely just become hollow words? The scales are incapable of favouritism. They merely announce fact.

‘Cool Boy Steph’ may have one of the worst nicknames in the sport, but he can fight, and he holds wins against Brandon Figueroa, Angelo Leo and Daniel Roman among others.

So, what next?

So far Fulton Jr. has publicly ruled out moving up (mainly because he’s already there).

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The Philadelphian still operates as a professional boxer. However, the scales, those humourless accountants of the fight game, remain stubbornly unconvinced. He looks huge for 130 and many have suspected for some times that his days at super-featherweight are done. 

He needs to choose his next move very carefully, as this cannot continue, and he can count himself lucky he is not fighting out of East Asia. Repeated failures to make weight are taken very seriously by the Japan Boxing Commission (JBC) for example. If a boxer repeatedly misses weight, it has been known for the JBC to refuse to sanction them competing at the lower weight ever again.

It was such a shame to see what looked on paper one of the best boxing cards in Australian history fall apart the other week. But as boxing fans, we are attuned to the sport’s unpredictable nature, for better and worse.

In the end, the scales ask only one question, and they ask it without emotion. Were you professional enough to keep your word? Twice in a row now, Stephen Fulton Jr has been unable to answer in the affirmative.

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