As 87-year-old Doug Harper sat holding his championship belt, he struggled to put into words how it felt to have his accomplishments recognized and etched into Canadian boxing history. “It's hard to describe this,” Harper said.
As 87-year-old Doug Harper sat holding his championship belt, he struggled to put into words how it felt to have his accomplishments recognized and etched into Canadian boxing history.
“It's hard to describe this,” Harper said. “I'm just having a wonderful time.”
On Feb. 6, Harper received an honourary lifetime champion award from the Canadian Professional Boxing Council.
The award recognizes a career that lasted more than a decade and included an eight-month run as the Canadian light-heavyweight champion.
Harper was presented with a plaque and a ceremonial belt at the home of his son, Wade Harper, in Amber Valley just outside Athabasca alongside family and friends from the boxing community.
Those who came to celebrate with Harper remembered his impact and legacy.
“I think when you have an icon a stone's throw from your community, it's hard not to recognize that,” said Chris Ladouceur, a local boxing enthusiast who helped arrange the presentation. “We have so many amazing people in and around this area and for what Doug accomplished in that short period of time and who he fought, it's hard not to recognize this.”
Doug's career began in Calgary in the late 1940s where he worked at a restaurant called the Chicken Inn.
“Guys would come into the restaurant from time to time and cause trouble,” said Wade. “He ‘kept the peace' so to speak and one of the patrons said he should come and train at the local boxing club.”
“He said we need to see how that hook works in the ring,” Doug added.
Doug's debut fight was on June 4, 1947 against Alec Tomelin at the Victoria Pavilion in Calgary. It was a light-heavyweight bout that he won on points.
Doug fought 33 times between 1947 and 1953 amassing a record of 25 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws. During this time he developed a style predicated on a strong, precise left jab that he used to set his opponents up for power shots with his right hand.
He credited his conditioning and stamina to the success he had in the ring.
Doug said he would go on daily “five mile runs” to make sure he had strong legs for his fights.
“Back in those days you had to be in shape,” he said. “There was no one around to save you.”
In addition to fighting in the ring, Doug occasionally had deal with discrimination outside of it. He recalled not being allowed to stay at a hotel in Montreal with other fighters because he was black.
“They really had to wheel and deal to make that work,” Wade said. “His trainer Reggie Westwood said if Doug couldn't stay, he wouldn't fight.”
On Nov. 17, 1953, Harper beat Yvon Durelle to win the Canadian light-heavyweight title in a split decision. Durelle, a world ranked champion who had never been knocked down in his career to that point, went to the canvas three times against Harper in that fight.
“I was going to jab him to death,” Doug said. “If you didn't have a left hand you didn't stand a chance.”
Doug defended his belt three times, including a rematch against Durelle that resulted in a tie, before fighting Durelle for a third and final time on July 7, 1954. He ultimately lost that bout via unanimous decision.
While he lost the belt, Doug said he considered the time he was champion as well as his fights with Durelle to be the highlight of his career.
He only fought six times after 1954, finishing his professional career in 1961 with a record of 32 wins, 9 losses and 3 draws. Doug said he knew it was time to quit.
“You can only stay so long,” he said. “There are some guys who fought for a long time but they can barely talk now.”
Once his fighting career was over, Doug settled into a life of farming, construction and general contracting. The same hands that once sent grown men to the canvas were now put to use building and repairing.
Fifty years later, Doug's legs are not as strong as they were when he would go on his punishing runs as he now struggles to hold his belt. Wade said the belt will hang his garage where everyone can see it and appreciate the his father's legacy.
“If the belt wasn't so heavy, he'd probably walk around with it,” he said.
