Paul Junior

Paul Junior, formally registered under his birth name, Paul-Aime Labbe, Jr., stands as a powerful example of the tremendously active, high-volume careers that characterised the boxing landscape of the 1930s. Born in St-Frédéric de Beauce, Quebec, Canada, in 1907, Labbe established his residence and professional competitive base in Lewiston, Maine, USA, and is listed as having USA nationality. His extensive journey in the professional ranks commenced on October 19, 1928, and spanned twelve years, concluding in 1940. Paul Junior was not merely an individual contender but was recognised as a key fighting member of a prominent US boxing dynasty, the Labbe family. This notable family included his brothers: Arthur “K.O.” Labbe, listed as a Junior Welterweight (1906–1958); Dom Labbe, a Middleweight (1909–1985); and Jack Labbe, who competed as the Middleweight “Baby Jack Renault”. Paul Junior, campaigning primarily as a welterweight contender, held the distinctions of being the Maine State Lightweight champion and the New England Lightweight champion during his career. He lived a notably long life, passing away in 1995, long after his competitive years ended.

His career statistics indicate a boxer constantly engaged in tough competition. Campaigning predominantly in the welterweight division, Paul Junior amassed a total of 105 recorded professional bouts, logging an extraordinary 661 rounds of competition between his debut and his retirement in 1940. His final professional slate was remarkably durable, resulting in 87 victories, 13 losses, and 5 draws. His fighting style was clearly offensive and decisive, underscored by the fact that 58 of his wins were secured by knockout, yielding an impressive career knockout percentage of 66.67%. Furthermore, he suffered only four knockout losses over the course of his extensive career, a testament to his resilience during an era known for gruelling contests.

The pinnacle of his competitive career arrived in 1940, when his status as a legitimate welterweight contender led to two World Welterweight Title challenges against the all-time great Henry Armstrong. The first of these championship attempts took place on April 26, 1940, at the Boston Garden in Massachusetts. Paul Junior, weighing 141 pounds, was definitively halted by Armstrong via Technical Knockout (TKO) at 1:05 in the 7th round of the scheduled 15-round contest for the title. The bout was exceptionally severe, with Junior officially being knocked down a total of five times—twice in the 1st round, once in the 6th, and twice more in the 7th—before Referee Johnny Martin intervened as Junior was “on the verge of going down again”. Undeterred, Paul Junior faced Armstrong again less than two months later, on June 21, 1940, at the Exposition Building in Portland. This rematch for the World Welterweight Title proved even shorter, as he sustained his second TKO loss to Armstrong, with the stoppage coming at 2:39 of the 3rd round. The referee for both title challenges was Johnny Martin.

These challenges to one of the sport’s legends brought Paul Junior’s active boxing career to an end in 1940. Following the conclusion of his fighting career, he maintained a profound, multifaceted commitment to the sport’s infrastructure. He transitioned seamlessly into various administrative and oversight roles, utilising his deep knowledge of the ring to serve variously as a registered judge, referee, matchmaker, and promoter. This dedication ensured his lasting influence within the New England boxing community well beyond his time as a celebrated member of the fighting Labbe family.