Pete Sanstol vs. Pete DeGrasse

Montreal newspaper clippings (click image for larger view)

Pete Sanstol 119 lbs beat Pete DeGrasse 123 lbs by SD in round 10 of 10

• Date: 1933-07-26
• Location: Forum, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
• Ballyhooed as "The Battle of the Petes"

Pete Sanstol was scheduled to fight Pete DeGrasse, the St. Regis Canadian Indian fighter, and apparently negotiating to fight Bobby Leitham, the Canadian Bantamweight Champion. Then, if things worked out, he'd face Panama Al Brown once again for the world title.

But Pete DeGrasse didn't see it that way. "So Sanstol is going to fight Al Brown for the title, eh?" "Well, he might think so now but he won't for long. And he's going to knock me out, huh? As if he could knock any kind of fighter out. That Scowegian couldn't break an egg. The only ones he's been licking for the last two years were setups and that's why I'm certain I can send him back to Norway where he'll be a lot healthier."

He then predicted: "Say, if he happens to be lucky enough to get away with a win over me he'll take a pasting from Leitham who is the best bantam I've ever fought. Not that I couldn't beat Leitham if I met him again," DeGrasse quickly added. (DeGrasse quotes courtesy of one unidentified Montreal news article.)

Meanwhile Sanstol continued his work-outs at the Exchange Stadium. "He showed speed galore in a set-to with Greggy Gregersen, bounding Danish bantam," a paper reported. "The blonde battler, whose popularity is undiminished judging by the large [400 person] crowd of interested railbirds, was oozing confidence as he discussed future plans."

"I am in the best fighting shape of my career," Sanstol told the press. "And if I don't take that title from Brown, I'll be ready to hang up the gloves."

On the day of the fight, July 26, a headline read, "Sanstol Slight Favorite" and "Established Class Gives Him Slight Edge Over DeGrasse in Bout Tonight." The text says, in part:

Possibly a chance at a world's title is the stake as Pete Sanstol, after an absence of many months, and Pete DeGrasse swing into action at the Forum tonight in the first major boxing bout of the year here. The winner to meet Bobby Leitham on his return from England, and that winner to tackle Al Brown is the generally-recognized program.

Sanstol goes into the ring tonight a slight favorite.... Sanstol's proven class and generalship and his harder hitting give him the call.... DeGrasse has the edge in speed, there is no doubt of that... DeGrasse blazes around the ring at a terrific rate, leaping in with daring wide-swinging slashes... Both are colorful performers and highly rated bantams and with the incentive of a match for the winner against Bobby Leitham, Canada's bantam king who is returning from his invasion of British rings, for the right to meet Al Brown in a world's title bout urging them on, the action should be sensational.

Sanstol won the decision in the so-called "Battle of the Petes" after going the distance in the ten-rounder. "DeGrasse gave Sanstol a real battle," said one Montreal article, "and curiously for a fighter of Pete Sanstol's dashing style, it was his defensive skill which loomed large in his victory. DeGrasse, slashing out aggressively and taking the lead in the first two rounds, lost the range as Sanstol began to bob and weave under punches, and the blonde gave a masterly opposition of feinting, then making his opponent miss."

The 1934 Everlast Boxing Record, p. 128, would incorrectly list this fight as a loss for Pete Sanstol.