Boxing Canada joins the Saskatchewan boxing community in mourning the passing of Claude Petit, a decorated boxer, coach, official and longtime builder of the sport. Petit died Aug. 11 at the age of 90.

Born in Duck Lake, Sask., Petit began his military career in 1951 and served as a paratrooper during the Korean War. During 16 years with the Canadian Armed Forces, he became a five-time Canadian Army heavyweight boxing champion and the only Canadian to win the British Army Heavyweight Boxing Championship.

Following his competitive career, Petit devoted decades to developing boxing in Saskatchewan. He won the Edmonton Golden Gloves four times, as well as Golden Gloves titles in Vancouver and Billings, before turning his attention to coaching, officiating and building opportunities for young athletes.

Petit established boxing clubs for youth in Saskatoon, Regina, Prince Albert, Île-à-la-Crosse, Green Lake and Meadow Lake. He also helped develop coaches, referees and judges, officiated at the inaugural North American Indigenous Games in Prince Albert in 1993, and served nine years as president of the Saskatchewan Boxing Association.

His impact extended well beyond the ring. Petit was a respected Indigenous and Métis leader and played an important role in establishing the National Aboriginal Veterans Monument in Ottawa and the Aboriginal Veterans Millennium Medal. He was also a founding member of the Back-to-Batoche organizing committee.

Petit received numerous honours for his lifetime of service, including the Order of Canada, the Saskatchewan Order of Merit and induction into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame as a Builder in 2014.

Don Racette, executive director of the Saskatchewan Boxing Association, described Petit as a mentor whose influence reached far beyond competition, helping athletes build confidence and pursue their goals.

“Claude’s legacy will endure through the athletes he trained, the coaches he mentored, and the many lives he touched throughout his years of service to the sport,” Racette said.

Boxing Canada extends its sincere condolences to Claude Petit’s family, friends, students, colleagues and the many members of the Canadian boxing community whose lives he influenced. His dedication to boxing and to the development of young athletes leaves a lasting legacy in Saskatchewan and across Canada.

Adapted from reporting by Nigel Maxwell for paNOW, published Aug. 18, 2026.

 

Posted on: August 19, 2026