Friends, teammates remember LeDoux

Talk about it

DULUTH, Minn. — Scott Hanna remembers the day he and former Minnesota Duluth football teammate Scott LeDoux were clowning around when LeDoux mentioned he was a Golden Gloves boxer.

LeDoux, a former world heavyweight boxing contender and UMD lineman, died Thursday afternoon at his home in Coon Rapids, Minn., at age 62 after a long battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease.

LeDoux was diagnosed with the degenerative motor neuron disease in 2008 but continued to work for the next two years as Anoka County commissioner and state boxing commissioner, a role that occasionally brought him to Duluth for bouts.

LeDoux earned three letters with the Bulldog football team and started on both the offensive and defensive lines as a junior in 1968 playing under legendary UMD coach Jim Malosky, who, like LeDoux, is a native of Crosby, Minn.

“Scott LeDoux had a good time wherever he went, and he made sure everyone else did, too,” Hanna said. “And obviously about as tough as could be.”

LeDoux left school a year early to enlist in the Army before returning to Minnesota to resume his boxing career. Known for taking abuse in the ring, he quickly earned the nickname “The Fighting Frenchman” after starting his pro career 12-0.

Jon Nowacki is a sports reporter for the Duluth News Tribune,

which is owned by

Forum Communications, Co.

Tags: scott ledoux, sports, boxing