Trudeau steps into the boxing ring with Olympian Wyatt Sanford

Nova Scotia MP Kody Blois who was also at the gym described the PM as 'tough and crafty' with 'a long reach'

Published Aug 29, 2024  •  Last updated 1 minute ago  •  2 minute read

Trudeau shows media a wound at a press conference where Trudeau gave a Liberal hockey jersey and snipped the hair of Brazeau following a charity boxing match in Ottawa, April 2, 2012. CHRIS ROUSSAKIS/ QMI AGECNY

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joined Canadian boxer and Olympic bronze medalist Wyatt Sanford for some boxing training in Nova Scotia on Tuesday.

Sanford won a bronze medal this summer at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. He stepped into ring with the Canadian leader for a sparring session at a gym in Dartmouth. He shared photos and details about the meetup on a Facebook page dedicated to his boxing journey, called Kennetcook Kid, which is Sanford’s nickname, in reference to his hometown.

“An early morning this morning but great entertainment value though! After a warm up and PM Trudeau getting some pointers from (gym owner) Jim Maloney, there was a few rounds of sparring with Wyatt to get our day started,” it says in the caption of the Facebook post.

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Nova Scotia MP Kody Blois was also at the gym — and got a chance to “throw some punches” at Trudeau in the ring.

“I had never been in a boxing ring, but figured the opportunity to throw some punches at an Olympian and a Prime Minister was too good not to try!” Blois wrote in a post on Instagram.

“Wyatt got me square on the nose, and 3 minutes felt like three hours! The PM is tough and crafty with his long reach and boxing background, but I hung in there and we both landed some good exchanges.”

This is not the first time Trudeau has put on his boxing gloves. He garnered international attention for taking part in a charity boxing match in 2012 against Senator Patrick Brazeau. Rolling Stone published an article about Trudeau, who was quoted saying that Brazeau, an Indigenous man, would be a “good foil,” calling him a “scrappy tough-guy senator.” Trudeau ended up winning the fight, but commentary online wasn’t necessarily on his side.

However, the feedback didn’t slow Trudeau down when it came to the sport. Since, Trudeau has visited other boxing gyms, including one in Brooklyn, New York in 2016, where boxing legend Muhammad Ali trained, Time Magazine reported.

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Liberal MP Justin Trudeau lands a punch on Conservative Senator Patrick Brazeau during the charity boxing match at the Hampton Inn Hotel in Ottawa, March 31, 2012. CHRIS ROUSSAKIS/ QMI AGECNY

People in the comments of Sanford’s Facebook post were happy to see the boxer being celebrated by Trudeau.

“Glad he is getting recognition for his medal,” wrote one person.

“You deserve this recognition and make Canada proud,” wrote another.

Trudeau was in Nova Scotia for a three-day long cabinet retreat in Halifax.

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