Yvon Durelle

Born	(1929-10-14)October 14, 1929 Baie-Sainte-Anne, New Brunswick, Canada
Died	January 6, 2007(2007-01-06) (aged 77) Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
Nationality	Canadian
Other names	The Fighting Fisherman
Statistics
Weight(s)	Middleweight Light Heavyweight Heavyweight
Height	5 ft 9+1⁄2 in (1.77 m)
Reach	70 in (178 cm)
Stance	Orthodox

Boxing record
Total fights	115
Wins	88
Wins by KO	49
Losses	24
Draws	2
No contests	1

Yvon Durelle (October 14, 1929 – January 6, 2007), was a Canadian champion boxer. He was of Acadian descent.

Early life

Durelle grew up in a family of fourteen children, in Baie-Ste-Anne, a small Acadian fishing village on Miramichi Bay on the Atlantic coast. Like many others of his generation, he left school at an early age to work on a fishing boat. In his spare time, Durelle liked to box and while still working in the fishery, he began prize fighting on weekends.

Career

Billed as The Fighting Fisherman, Durelle began his professional career in 1948, boxing at various venues around the province of New Brunswick. By August 1950, Yvon showed only one defeat in twenty three starts, the lone blemish a loss by disqualification, to Billy Snowball. Over time he was gaining a reputation as a tough opponent with a hard punch. A large fan following in Chatham, one in Newcastle and as well in Fredericton resulted in a groundswell of popularity as his victories eventually made him one of the top ranked middleweight fighters in Canada.^[1]

Light Heavyweight

In May 1953, Durelle won the Canadian middleweight championship. He defended his title, winning 8 straight bouts. He moved up in weight class to fight in the light heavyweight division.

In his first fight against a heavier and stronger opponent, he defeated the Canadian champion to take the light-heavyweight title. The following year, he fought outside his native Canada for the first time, going to Brooklyn, New York to fight Floyd Patterson, an up-and-coming American Golden Gloves champion. Outpointed in 8 rounds by the man who soon became the heavyweight champion of the world, Durelle's strong performance in a losing cause against Patterson gained him wide respect in the international boxing world.

In New York City in March 1957, Durelle broke into the top ten world rankings with a 10-round decision over Angelo Defendis. In May he won the British Empire light-heavyweight championship and the following month fought the top-ranked contender in the world, Tony Anthony. In a fight most experts say he won handily, Durelle was given only a draw against the heavily favored Anthony but it elevated him to the number 3 ranking in the world. He became a much talked about sports personality in his native country after he beat the German champion, Willi Besmanoff. In 1958, he defeated Clarence Hinnant, regarded by many as one of the best all around boxers of the time. The victory provided Durelle with the opportunity for his first chance to fight for a world title.

Title Fight

Durelle's light-heavyweight championship fight against the great Archie Moore on December 10, 1958 at the Forum in Montreal, Quebec, is one of the most memorable fights in boxing history. Listed as a 4-to-1 underdog, Durelle became a legend in Canada after the bout. In one of the first fights broadcast coast-to-coast on American television, Durelle stunned boxing patrons by knocking the champion down 3 times in the first round. Under boxing rules today (except those of the World Boxing Council), the fight would have been stopped after three knockdowns in one round and Durelle would have been world champion. Also, he missed an opportunity when, after the first knockdown, he stood over Moore watching for several seconds before returning to his corner. As a result of his delay, the referee had to wait to begin the count, and Moore made it to his feet at the count of nine. Durelle would have likely won if he went to his corner. Durelle swarmed all over the champion for four more rounds and knocked him to the canvas again in round five but Moore held on and eventually wore Durelle down to retain his world championship with an eleventh-round knockout. The fight was the talk of the boxing world and members of the Canadian press voted it the sporting event of the year. In an interview in 1994, Archie Moore, upon recounting the fight still hailed as classic, had this to say: "As the fight wore on and I got stronger, I thought to myself that this fella was the toughest man I'd ever fought. I turned professional in 1936 and fought until 1965--229 bouts. And I still think Durelle was the toughest man I ever faced."^[2]

From Boxing to Wrestling and back

Six months later, in June 1959, at Durelle's home village of Baie-Ste-Anne, thirty-five fishermen died when they were swept out to sea by 40-foot tidal waves that pounded the wharf. Distraught at the loss of friends and relatives, in August he lost in a world title fight rematch with Archie Moore by a third-round knockout. In November of that year he lost in 12 rounds to the Canadian heavyweight champion, George Chuvalo. Durelle fought only a few more times, before taking up professional wrestling in 1961. He returned to boxing in 1963 winning twice more before retiring permanently. He continued to earn a living at wrestling, primarily in eastern Canada but on occasion with Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling, in Calgary, Alberta.

Later life and death

Despite his size and brutal profession, Durelle is often referred to as a modest and gentle man (his nickname was "doux", meaning "soft"). However, in the 1970s an event profoundly impacted him and his family when, in a bar that he owned and operated, he shot and killed a man who had attacked him. Charged with murder, he was defended by a young lawyer by the name of Frank McKenna and was acquitted on the grounds of self-defence.^[3] The trial received massive and sustained publicity and McKenna eventually went into politics and was elected premier of the province of New Brunswick.

Retired in his native village, a small museum with souvenirs of his twenty-year boxing career was built attached to his home where he and his wife of more than fifty years greeted fans who still showed up to see the New Brunswick boxer. In an article for ESPN.com about the most memorable matches in boxing history, current-day referee Mills Lane said: "I don't think you'll ever see a fight like Durelle-Moore again...That fight transcended what great fights are."

Durelle incurred a stroke on December 25, 2006, and died at age 77 on January 6, 2007, at the Moncton Hospital in Moncton, New Brunswick. He also had Parkinson's disease prior to this. His funeral was held on January 11, 2007, from Ste-Anne Roman Catholic Church in Baie-Ste-Anne, New Brunswick.

Professional boxing record

87 Wins (48 Knockouts), 24 Losses (9 Knockouts), 2 Draws, 1 No Contest [4] Result Record Opponent Type Round Date Location Notes Loss 87-24-2 Jean-Claude Roy PTS 8 06/12/1964 Montmagny, Quebec Win 87-23-2 Phonse LaSaga TKO 1 24/03/1963 Trois-Rivieres, Quebec Win 86-23-2 Cecil Gray KO 7 25/02/1963 Paul Sauve Arena, Montreal, Quebec Loss 85-23-2 Paul Wright PTS 10 15/09/1960 Moncton, New Brunswick Win 85-22-2 John Armstrong KO 4 22/06/1960 Woodstock, New Brunswick Win 84-22-2 Ray Batey DQ 9 15/06/1960 Chatham, New Brunswick Win 83-22-2 Emile Dupre TKO 3 26/05/1960 Brewer, Maine Loss 82-22-2 George Chuvalo KO 12 17/11/1959 Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, Ontario Canada Heavyweight Title Win 82-21-2 Young Beau Jack TKO 9 23/10/1959 Moncton, New Brunswick Win 81-21-2 Charlie Jones UD 10 28/09/1959 Exhibition Grounds, Quebec City, Quebec Win 80-21-2 Al Anderson KO 4 15/09/1959 Chatham, New Brunswick Loss 79-21-2 Archie Moore KO 3 12/08/1959 Montreal Forum, Montreal, Quebec NYSAC/NBA World Light Heavyweight Titles. Win 79-20-2 Teddy Burns TKO 3 12/05/1959 General Carter State Armory, Caribou, Maine Loss 78-20-2 Archie Moore KO 11 10/12/1958 Montreal Forum, Montreal, Quebec World Light Heavyweight Title. Win 78-19-2 Louis Jones KO 2 02/10/1958 Moncton, New Brunswick Win 77-19-2 Freddie Mack PTS 10 28/08/1958 Moncton, New Brunswick Win 76-19-2 Mike Holt RTD 8 16/07/1958 Montreal Forum, Montreal, Quebec Commonwealth Light Heavyweight Title. Win 75-19-2 Germinal Ballarin UD 10 21/05/1958 Montreal Forum, Montreal, Quebec Loss 74-19-2 Tony E. Anthony TKO 7 14/03/1958 Madison Square Garden, New York City Win 74-18-2 Clarence Hinnant TKO 6 31/01/1958 Madison Square Garden, New York City Win 73-18-2 Jerry Luedee UD 10 11/12/1957 Fort Homer W. Hesterly Armory, Tampa, Florida Win 72-18-2 Mario Nini KO 4 22/11/1957 Edmundston, New Brunswick Win 71-18-2 Floyd McCoy KO 2 07/11/1957 Moncton, New Brunswick Win 70-18-2 Willi Besmanoff UD 10 25/09/1957 Olympia Stadium, Detroit, Michigan Win 69-18-2 Tim Jones TKO 8 29/08/1957 Stadium, Moncton, New Brunswick Win 68-18-2 Guenter Balzer TKO 8 15/08/1957 Chatham, New Brunswick Draw 67-18-2 Tony E. Anthony PTS 10 14/06/1957 Olympia Stadium, Detroit, Michigan Win 67-18-1 Gordon Wallace KO 2 30/05/1957 Moncton, New Brunswick Commonwealth/Canada Light Heavyweight Titles. Win 66-18-1 Leo Johnson TKO 5 16/05/1957 Moncton, New Brunswick Win 65-18-1 Angelo DeFendis MD 10 22/04/1957 St. Nicholas Arena, New York City Win 64-18-1 Clarence Floyd TKO 7 25/03/1957 St. Nicholas Arena, New York City Loss 63-18-1 Clarence Hinnant TKO 7 19/02/1957 Miami Beach Auditorium, Miami Beach, Florida Win 63-17-1 Bobby L. King KO 1 27/10/1956 Fredericton, New Brunswick Win 62-17-1 Chubby Wright SD 10 04/10/1956 Moncton, New Brunswick Win 61-17-1 Gary Garafola KO 1 20/09/1956 Moncton, New Brunswick Win 60-17-1 Wilfred Picot TKO 4 06/09/1956 Lord Beaverbrook Rink, Saint John, New Brunswick Win 59-17-1 Alvin Williams UD 10 16/08/1956 Moncton, New Brunswick Win 58-17-1 Wilfred Picot TKO 4 19/07/1956 Moncton, New Brunswick Loss 57-17-1 Arthur Howard PTS 10 19/06/1956 Clapton Greyhound Track, Clapton, London Win 57-16-1 Jerome Richardson PTS 10 20/05/1956 Hamilton, Bermuda Loss 56-16-1 Artie Towne DQ 7 28/11/1955 Nottingham Ice Stadium, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire Loss 56-15-1 Yolande Pompey TKO 7 18/10/1955 Harringay Arena, Harringay, London Loss 56-14-1 Jimmy Slade TKO 8 03/09/1955 Glace Bay, Nova Scotia Win 56-13-1 Billy Fifield KO 1 28/07/1955 Moncton, New Brunswick Canada Light Heavyweight Title. Loss 55-13-1 Floyd Patterson RTD 5 23/06/1955 Newcastle, New Brunswick Win 55-12-1 Jimmy J. Garcia TKO 8 16/06/1955 Moncton, New Brunswick Loss 54-12-1 Ron Barton DQ 3 24/05/1955 Royal Albert Hall, Kensington, London Loss 54-11-1 Art Henri PTS 12 10/12/1954 Sportpalast, Schoeneberg, Berlin Loss 54-10-1 Gerhard Hecht UD 10 12/11/1954 Sportpalast, Schoeneberg, Berlin Win 54-9-1 Gordon Wallace UD 12 27/09/1954 Glace Bay, Nova Scotia Canada Light Heavyweight Title. Win 53-9-1 Bob Isler PTS 10 25/08/1954 Newcastle, New Brunswick Loss 52-9-1 Paul Andrews KO 5 26/07/1954 St. Nicholas Arena, New York City Win 52-8-1 Doug Harper UD 12 07/07/1954 Newcastle, New Brunswick Canada Light Heavyweight Title. Win 51-8-1 Jerome Richardson SD 10 23/06/1954 Moncton, New Brunswick Win 50-8-1 Sampson Powell UD 10 09/06/1954 Newcastle, New Brunswick Win 49-8-1 Charley E. Chase SD 10 04/06/1954 Stadium, Moncton, New Brunswick Win 48-8-1 Billy Fifield KO 10 24/05/1954 Glace Bay, Nova Scotia Loss 47-8-1 Waddell Hanna PTS 10 05/05/1954 Chatham, New Brunswick Loss 47-7-1 Floyd Patterson UD 8 15/02/1954 Boxing From Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, New York Draw 47-6-1 Doug Harper PTS 12 27/01/1954 Victoria Pavilion, Calgary, Alberta Canada Light Heavyweight Title. Loss 47-6 Doug Harper SD 12 17/11/1953 Victoria Pavilion, Calgary, Alberta Canada Light Heavyweight Title. Win 47-5 Gordon Wallace UD 12 15/10/1953 Moncton, New Brunswick Canada Light Heavyweight Title. Win 46-5 Al Winn UD 10 30/09/1953 Newcastle, New Brunswick Win 45-5 Melvin Wade KO 9 24/09/1953 Moncton, New Brunswick Win 44-5 Gordon Wallace UD 12 07/09/1953 Glace Bay, Nova Scotia Canada Light Heavyweight Title. Win 43-5 Wilfredo Miro KO 2 26/08/1953 Sinclair Arena, Newcastle, New Brunswick Win 42-5 Curtis Wade TKO 8 20/08/1953 Moncton, New Brunswick Win 41-5 Archie Hannigan KO 5 02/08/1953 Glace Bay, Nova Scotia Claim Maritime Light Heavyweight Title. Win 40-5 Joey Greco TKO 4 20/07/1953 Chatham, New Brunswick Win 39-5 Curtis Wade SD 10 25/06/1953 Moncton, New Brunswick Win 38-5 Harry Poulton SD 12 19/06/1953 Memorial Rink, Stellarton, Nova Scotia Canada Middleweight Title. Win 37-5 Tony Amato KO 6 20/05/1953 Chatham, New Brunswick Win 36-5 George Ross TKO 12 04/05/1953 Glace Bay Forum, Glace Bay, Nova Scotia Canada Middleweight Title. Win 35-5 Jimmy Nolan UD 10 09/10/1952 Stampede Corral, Calgary, Alberta Win 34-5 Hurley Sanders UD 10 24/09/1952 Chatham, New Brunswick Loss 33-5 Hurley Sanders UD 10 25/06/1952 Chatham, New Brunswick Win 33-4 Eddie Zastre UD 10 21/05/1952 Chatham, New Brunswick Win 32-4 Cobey McCluskey TKO 6 12/07/1951 Moncton, New Brunswick Win 31-4 Arnold Fleiger KO 2 20/06/1951 Chatham, New Brunswick NC 31-4 Cobey McCluskey NC 9 05/06/1951 Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island Win 30-4 Bob Stecher SD 10 23/05/1951 Chatham, New Brunswick Win 29-4 Tiger Warrington PTS 10 10/12/1950 Yarmouth, Nova Scotia Win 28-4 Alvin Upshaw KO 7 05/11/1950 Yarmouth, Nova Scotia Loss 27-4 Cobey McCluskey UD 10 22/10/1950 Springhill, Nova Scotia Win 27-3 Al Couture TKO 6 25/08/1950 Chatham, New Brunswick Win 26-3 Ossie Farrell KO 1 19/08/1950 Moncton, New Brunswick Loss 25-3 Cobey McCluskey UD 10 14/08/1950 Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island Win 25-2 Tiger Warrington UD 10 01/07/1950 Moncton, New Brunswick Win 24-2 Coot O'Rea KO 2 18/06/1950 Bathurst, New Brunswick Win 23-2 Alvin Upshaw TKO 7 23/05/1950 Chatham, New Brunswick Loss 22-2 Roy Wouters PTS 10 20/01/1950 Halifax, Nova Scotia Win 22-1 Eddie Hamilton TKO 3 25/11/1949 Chatham, New Brunswick Win 21-1 Bob Stecher UD 10 11/11/1949 Chatham, New Brunswick Win 20-1 Ossie Farrell KO 1 26/10/1949 Chatham, New Brunswick Eastern Canada Middleweight Title. Win 19-1 Bernard McCluskey KO 5 12/10/1949 Chatham, New Brunswick Eastern Canada Middleweight Title. Win 18-1 Pat Davis KO 2 18/09/1949 Newcastle, New Brunswick Win 17-1 Bill McLaughlin PTS 8 26/08/1949 Fredericton, New Brunswick Win 16-1 Kid Wolfe PTS 10 07/08/1949 Chatham, New Brunswick Win 15-1 Billy Landry PTS 8 20/07/1949 Chatham, New Brunswick Win 14-1 Cobey McCluskey PTS 8 15/07/1949 Newcastle, New Brunswick Win 13-1 Jimmy Mooney UD 8 06/07/1949 Chatham, New Brunswick New Brunswick Middleweight Title. Win 12-1 Cobey McCluskey PTS 8 12/06/1949 Baie-Sainte-Anne, New Brunswick Win 11-1 Joe Tyne KO 1 30/05/1949 Chatham, New Brunswick Win 10-1 Manuel Leek KO 6 17/05/1949 Fredericton, New Brunswick Win 9-1 Harry Poulton PTS 8 20/04/1949 Newcastle, New Brunswick Win 8-1 Harry Poulton PTS 6 23/03/1949 Newcastle, New Brunswick Win 7-1 Crosley Irvine TKO 3 25/02/1949 Chatham, New Brunswick Win 6-1 Al Batten KO 5 02/02/1949 Newcastle, New Brunswick Loss 5-1 Billy Snowball DQ 4 07/12/1948 Tracadie, New Brunswick Win 5-0 Al Batten PTS 8 03/12/1948 Baie-Sainte-Anne, New Brunswick Win 4-0 Percy R. Richardson PTS 4 11/11/1948 Chatham, New Brunswick Win 3-0 Al Fraser PTS 4 13/09/1948 Chatham, New Brunswick Win 2-0 Al Fraser PTS 4 25/08/1948 Chatham, New Brunswick Win 1-0 Sonny Ramsay KO 2 28/07/1948 Chatham, New Brunswick

Related works

Yvon Durelle's biography, The Fighting Fisherman: The Life of Yvon Durelle by author Raymond Fraser (Doubleday, ISBN 0-385-15863-7), published in 1981, republished in 2005.
In 2003, Ginette Pellerin of the National Film Board of Canada made a French film documentary on his life called Durelle.