Famous Island boxer dies in Summerside

Walter (Peanuts) Arsenault fought more boxing champions than any other P.E.I. boxer

The Miscouche Slugger is dead.

Walter (Peanuts) Arsenault died Friday in Summerside at the Prince County Hospital. He was 78.

Born in Miscouche in 1935, Arsenault began boxing in 1945, boxing continuously for 27 years, "and, remarkably for his sport, without the benefit of a manager," said his citation for the P.E.I. Sports Hall of Fame.

He fought 114 professional bouts with 67 wins, 38 losses and nine draws.

His size and fighting style imposed some limits to his success.

"Weighing from 142 pounds to 152 pounds, he was often too heavy for the welterweight class, and too light for the middleweights," said the hall of fame.

He did manage to fight more boxing champions than any other Island-born professional boxer on record, 23 in total, from featherweight champ Davie Hilton to light-heavyweight champ Rene Durelle, said Sport P.E.I.

"Arsenault would claim that former Canadian and British Commonwealth welterweight champion Clyde Gray was the greatest boxing opponent he had fought," says his citation.

He was aiming for the Canadian welterweight title when he fought Albert (Ace) Breau in Wabush, Labrador, on February 17, 1969. His loss was "hotly disputed," said the hall of fame.

"Because of his punishing brand of boxing, “Peanuts” was frustrated in his quest for subsequent title bouts," reads his citation.

He carried on, however, fighting in rings all across Canada and the New England states. During one two-month stretch in 1970, while at the age of 35,

Arsenault fought seven bouts, winning six of them, said Sport P.E.I.

He fought his last fight on February 14, 1972.

"Called by many ring observers the uncrowned Maritime welterweight boxing champion, the ten count never tolled over Walter (Peanuts) Arsenault during his long and gruelling pro boxing career," said his citation.

Source:  www.theguardian.pe.ca/News/Local/2014-04-21/article-3696267/Famous-Island-boxer-dies-in-Summerside/1