New Faces: Darius Fulghum

Age: 27
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Weight class: super middleweight
Height/Reach: 6-foot-1 (185 cm)
Amateur record: 50-10 (roughly)
Turned pro: 2021
Pro record: 8-0 (8 knockouts)
Trainer: Darnell Pierce
Manager: 3 Point Management
Promoter: Golden Boy Promotions
Twitter/Facebook: @DariusFulghum

Best night of pro career: Fulghum impressed with a stoppage win over Jeremiah Cutright in July.

“My most memorable professional evening occurred during my sixth fight in San Antonio on the [Floyd] Schofield vs. [Haskell] Rhodes card,” Fulghum told The Ring. “Facing a resilient opponent, I strategically wore him down, ultimately securing the stoppage in the third round.

“However, what truly stood out was the overwhelming love and energy permeating the arena that night. It marked the first occasion I felt such an intense level of support and affection from the fans.”

Worst night of pro career: The 27-year-old Texan got the stoppage win against Jay Williams in May but feels he could have looked better.

“My least remarkable bout took place during my fourth fight in Arlington on the [William] Zepeda vs. [Jaime] Arboleda card,” he said. “I faced a last-minute replacement opponent, who didn’t provide the opportunity to showcase my skills to their full extent.”

Next fight: Fulghum will be having the sixth fight of a highly productive 2023 when he faces Pachino Hill on the Ryan Garcia-Oscar Duarte undercard at the Toyota Center, Houston on Saturday.

“I’m thrilled to present my skills to my hometown fans on a significant card,” he said. “I’ve got an excellent opponent for the occasion, someone who has faced talented prospects and is determined to put up a fight. This is a matchup the fans won’t want to overlook. I believe this fight will genuinely reveal my true capabilities.”

Why he’s a prospect: As an amateur Fulghum was a successful heavyweight (201-pounds) claiming top spot at the Golden Gloves in 2018 and then emerged victorious at the 2020 Olympic trials but came up short in the subsequent qualifying tournaments. He then lost weight and turned professional in late 2022 as a super middleweight.

He’s sparred many of the top guys in and around his weight class including Gilberto Ramirez, Oleksandr Gvozdyk, David Morrell, Jared Anderson, Joe Joyce, Jose Uzcategui, Richard Torrez, Kareem Hackett, and numerous other promising prospects.

That experience should provide many valuable learning curves.

“I’ve come to understand that each fighter possesses a unique and special attribute,” he said. “During my training and sparring sessions with other elite athletes, my focus is consistently on figuring out how I can incorporate their distinctive qualities into my own style. Alternatively, if it doesn’t align with my approach, I aim to strategize on neutralizing that aspect so they cannot leverage it against me.”

Fulghum feels he has two key attributes.

“My standout quality as a fighter lies in my intelligence and adaptability,” he said. “I excel under pressure, maintaining a logical mindset in the ring. Unlike some fighters who are confined to a single style and struggle with adjustments, my strategic approach and open-mindedness, stemming from my intelligence, prevent me from limiting myself in the ring.”

Ring editor-in-chief Doug Fischer is a keen supporter of Fulghum and actually included him in part three of the popular periodical series “Under The Radar” in The Ring digital.

“Fulghum is a boxer-puncher who is gifted with athleticism, agility and a fierce finishing instinct,” said Fischer. “Fulghum is an economical and precise puncher who comes up with creative combinations that often include accurate body shots. He applies smart pressure and is good at cutting off the ring.

“He’s aggressive without being reckless and, so far, he’s stopped all of his opponents without forcing the knockout.”

Why he’s a suspect: Fulghum is 27 and so while he still has time on his side he doesn’t want to waste any time with his prime fast approaching. He still needs the right fights at the right time and not to rush and overreach too quickly.

“I’m currently navigating the stage of being a rising prospect, acknowledging that my in-ring professional experience is still developing,” he said. “Enhancing this aspect is a matter of accumulating more challenging fights to bolster my readiness for championship-level competition. While I possess the necessary skills, gaining more experience is the key component I’m actively working on.”

Meanwhile, Fischer sees a few things that Fulghum would be wise to brush up on.

Darius Fulghum – Photo courtesy of 3 Point Management

“Although he’s got the legs, coordination and reflexes to hop back or lean away from incoming punches, his head- and upper-body movement needs improvement,” said The Ring’s EIC. “Fulghum can be a bit straight-up as he methodically walks down his opposition, thus he occasionally gets hit as he closes the distance or when he’s attempting to back out of range. He’ll also need to get out of the habit of backing straight out.”

Story lines: Fulghum was born in El Paso but raised in Killeen, which played a pivotal role in shaping his identity.

“As a small military town, every person I encountered there has left a lasting impact on my life,” he said. “In my early years, I was a lost kid—overweight and lacking confidence. Despite this, I always harbored a desire for greatness, unsure of where to direct it.

“Everything changed when I crossed paths with two remarkable coaches, James Moffatt and Michael Christ, during my wrestling days. They became the driving force behind instilling in me the mindset to strive for greatness, and I am eternally grateful to them. This mindset continued to influence me when I took up boxing in my senior year of high school. It was then that I made a firm decision to pursue the path of becoming a world champion.”

However, the Texan first developed an interest in boxing whilst he was in 3rd grade, though it took many years for him to act on that initial itch.

“It all began when I was watching an episode of George Lopez, where he took his son to a boxing gym, and I found it incredibly captivating,” he recalled. “Excited, I expressed my desire to box to my mom, and although she took me to a boxing gym, I didn’t end up signing up, and the reason escapes my memory. Reflecting on it now, I’m grateful I didn’t proceed because, at that time, I lacked the right mindset. I might have ended up getting discouraged and quitting after just one day.

“Several years later, after completing my senior year wrestling season, the idea of pursuing MMA crossed my mind. Initially, I aimed to learn boxing, and upon delving into it, I instantly fell in love with the sport, solidifying my decision to make boxing my chosen path.”

Fulghum admires former two-weight world champion and pound-for-pound star, Andre Ward for a number of reasons.

“I admire the entirety of his career, and there are striking parallels in how I envision my own journey unfolding,” he explained. “As the last Olympic gold medalist, he achieved what I aspired to before the onset of COVID disrupted my Olympic plans.

“Ward’s undefeated retirement, on his own terms, resonates deeply with me. Moreover, his transition into commentary post-retirement aligns with my aspirations. I aim to follow a similar path, as he articulates himself eloquently and addresses topics that strongly resonate with me. Personally, he embodies the ideal role model for me to look up to.”

Like most that climb inside the ring, “DSG” wants to reach the top but his aspirations don’t end there.

“My overarching aspiration extends beyond merely becoming a world champion,” he said. “It involves etching my name alongside the legends of boxing, aligning with those who transcend generations.”

Fulghum, who earned a BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing program) from Prairie View A&M University in 2019, is currently focused on boxing but enjoys spending times with those he’s closest to. He considers himself a food enthusiast and hopes to one day travel and experience different cuisines. He’s also enjoys Anime, which he says is his favorite form of entertainment.

Fight-by-fight record:

2023

Oct. 7 – Alan Campa – KO 1

Sept. 16 – Ricardo Luna – KO 2

July 8 – Jeremiah Curtright – TKO 3

June 3 – Symari Alexander – TKO 6

April 29 – Jay Williams – TKO 2

2022

Aug. 10 – David Murray – KO 2

April 16 – Nosa Nehikhare – RTD 3

2021

Dec. 16 – Juan Navarrete – TKO 1