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A respected veteran, famed boxer and a key member of the organizing committee for Back to Batoche was laid to rest this week.
Claude Petit died on Aug. 11, at the age of 90. His wake service and funeral were held this week at the Beardy’s and Okemasis Cree Nation Veterans Memorial Hall.
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Born in Duck Lake on Oct. 1, 1935, Petit grew up to be one of the most influential men in the local First Nations community and received a number of awards, including both the Order of Canada and the Saskatchewan Order of Merit.
In 1951, Petit followed in his uncle’s footsteps and joined the Canadian Armed Forces and served as a paratrooper in the Korean War.
During his 16 years of service, Petit was a five-time Canadian Army heavyweight boxing champion and is the only Canadian to win the British Army Heavyweight Boxing Championship.
Upon returning to Canada, he remained with the army and eventually found himself fighting competitively.
He went on to continue boxing as an amateur, winning the Edmonton Golden Gloves four times as well as the Vancouver and Billings golden gloves.
“The one in Vancouver was the one that kind of struck me,” he recalled.
“They’re all talking that (my opponent) fought Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) at that time and I said, ‘What? I’m going in with this guy?” he said during a 2023 interview with paNOW.
Following his boxing career, Petit shared his love for the sport with others and helped grow the sport in Saskatchewan through his development of coaches, referees, and judges. He later became the recreation director of the Métis Society of Saskatchewan and set up boxing clubs for youth in Saskatoon, Regina, Prince Albert, Île-à-la-Crosse, Green Lake, and Meadow Lake.
He also officiated boxing at the first North American Indigenous Games held in Saskatchewan, hosted in Prince Albert in 1993, and served as president of the Saskatchewan Boxing Association for nine years.
Don Racette, executive director of the Saskatchewan Boxing Association, told paNOW Petit dedicated decades of his life to amateur boxing, shaping Indigenous athletes with his knowledge, discipline, and unwavering commitment to their development.
“As both a competitor and a coach, Claude embodied the values of hard work, humility, and respect. He was known for his steady presence in the gym, his ability to connect with young athletes, and his passion for helping others succeed — both inside and outside the ring,” he said.
Racette added Petit’s influence extended far beyond competition and helped build community, foster confidence, and inspire countless boxers to 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. Boxing Saskatchewan extends its heartfelt condolences to Claude’s family, friends, and all who had the privilege of working alongside him. We honour his memory and thank him for his lifelong dedication to boxing in Saskatchewan.”
Petit’s love for sports extended beyond boxing and he founded the Western Canadian Native Minor Hockey Championship in Saskatoon.
Petit was also a prominent leader in the Indigenous community, playing an essential role in creating the National Aboriginal Veterans Monument in Ottawa as well as the Aboriginal Veterans Millennium Medal. Additionally, he was a founding member of the organizing committee for Back-to-Batoche, and stayed as a member for 23 years.
“The Aboriginal Veterans (memorial) were to recognize them,” Petit explained in his interview with paNOW. “My grandfathers on both sides, my mother’s dad got killed in France at Vimy Ridge in the First World War, but the thing is that they’re not recognized.”
For his commitments, Petit was named the Saskatoon Citizen of the Year in 1994, received the Order of Canada in 1998, and was awarded the Saskatchewan Order of Merit in 2002.
Petit was inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame as a Builder in 2014 and has a park named after him in the Dundonald neighbourhood of Saskatoon.
“It’s been a difficult week for our Métis Nation as we say goodbye to another champion. A fighter on the field and in the ring, Claude Petit will be missed by the many people he touched in his 91 years, ” Metis-Nation Saskatchewan said on their social media page.
— with files from CJME News
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