Biography

Eugene Brosseau, the nation's finest boxer during World War I, won international fame both as an amateur and a professional fighter. A respected man both in and out of the ring, Brosseau never won or lost a fight on a foul and was therefore dubbed "Gentleman Gene." Brosseau was the Canadian welterweight (140-147 lbs.) champion in 1915. In 1916, he won the national championship as well as the U.S. title, defeating four top amateurs in the process. Gaining a few pounds, he captured both championship titles once more in 1917 in the middleweight category. A trained RAF pilot, Brosseau put his boxing skills to use in order to aid in the war effort. He fought in a number of fundraising shows in the United States, at one point knocking out three men in two nights and raising more than $12,000 for the Red Cross in the process. Following the armistice in 1918, Brosseau joined boxing's professional ranks. In 27 fights, he won 24 times, 17 by knockout and seven by decision. His career was cut short, however, when a blow to the neck during a 12-round fight with George Chip left him partially paralyzed in his left arm. Brosseau recovered to a degree and returned to action in 1920, but he was never able to recapture the boxing glory of former days. He retired from the ring shortly thereafter and continued his employment with the Canadian Postal Service.