COMING off his only loss as a professional, highly-regarded Houston-based super middleweight Darius “DFG” Fulgham (14-1, 12 KOs) is preparing to get back into the title hunt with a world-class performance on November 8 versus “Dynamite” David Stevens (15-2, 10 KOs).
Fulghum vs. Stevens is on a card presented by Darius’ promoter, Golden Boy Promotions, and headlined by a World Boxing Council (WBC) Interim World Super Welterweight title fight between defending champion Virgil Ortiz, Jr. (23-0, 21 KOs) and challenger Erickson Lubin (27-2, 19 KOs).
All the action will be streamed live on DAZN from Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.
Last May in Las Vegas, Fulghum lost a razor-thin 12-round decision (114-112 X 3) to Uzbekistan fighter Bektemir “Bully” Melikuziev (16-1, 10 KOs). The World Boxing Association (WBA) No. 6-rated Fulghum, physically speaking, hasn’t done anything different during training camp than he has for his past fights. There is, however, a noticeable change head-wise.
“I needed to change my mental approach,” the 29-year-old Fulghum explained. “Coming off a loss, I really want to make a splash. I feel like I’m still at the top of the division and this fight is a great opportunity to showcase my skills. This is another day!
“I want to put on a great performance to be in contention for one of those four belts. I’m not far away – one or two more fights – but it all depends on how I perform. (Terence) Crawford has those four belts. Will he stay in this weight class? Should he retire, Crawford is 38)?
“Will the division be opened up? I want to put myself in position. My time will be perfect for a world title fight.
“In my last fight, skill-wise, I am superior to Bek; I thought I won the fight. I didn’t and it happened (first loss). I think experience was a factor. My ego got the best of me. I never liked bullies, and I made it my mission to not get bullied.
“I wouldn’t take a step backwards, but I should have boxed right from the start. It’s all part of learning lessons. It’s not the end of the world, part of my story. It is what it is! I would like to think that we’ll (Bek) meet again, but for a world title.
“Things will work out. That fight is in the past, and I will grow and keep learning. What I appreciate the most about boxing is that a lot of people make excuses and point fingers at others, but that doesn’t work in boxing.”
Fulghum is sure to have a lot of support in attendance because Fort Worth is a 4-hour drive from Houston, only 2 ½ from his El Paso birthplace.
Fulghum is more than familiar with his opponent, Stevens, the 25-year-old from Reading, Pennsylvania, who lost a 12-round split decision to Melikuziev last November. Stevens’ most notable wins have been over 13-0 Petr Khamukov (DEC10), 26-6-1 Marco Antonio Periban (W PTS 8) and 14-0 Sean Hemphill (TKO1).
“I know a lot about David Stevens,” Fulghum said. “He trains here (Houston), and we’ve sparred. I’ve seen him around for a long time. He is unique to himself; unlike anybody I’ve fought. This is a dangerous fight. He’s going to bring his stuff; I need to set the tone from the start.”
Fulghum was a decorated amateur boxer who was ranked No. 1 in the USA as a heavyweight, but as a professional, he’s fought strictly as a super middleweight. He was the 2018 National Golden Gloves Tournament Champion, and he also won the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. He earned a nursing degree from Prairie View A & M University during COVID-19.
Fulghum is working with 3 Point Management (3 PM), which has a growing stable of gifted boxers, including WBA and WBO Cruiserweight World Champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (48-1, 30 KOs), WBA No. 1-rated world super flyweight title contender John “Scrappy” Ramirez (14-1, 9 KOs).
Former world heavyweight champion/WBC No. 3 & WBO No. 4-rated Oleksandr “Nails” Gvozdyk (21-2, 17 KOs), former WBA Inter-Continental Light Heavyweight Champion Kareem “Supreme” Hackett (12-1, 6 KOs) and German junior welterweight Simon “Saucy” Vollmer (7-0, 3 KOs).
