Owen Paquette’s return to the national stage didn’t come easy. After two years away from boxing due to a shoulder surgery, the Brock University student fought his way back to the top, capturing gold at the 2026 Canadian U23 National Championships in Calgary, Alberta.
Paquette, age 20, from Brantford, Ontario, competed in the men’s 65-kilogram division, representing Team Ontario at the tournament held from March 18 to 21 at the Genesis Centre. The Brock student balanced his academic studies while preparing for his return to competition. From his first bout, it was clear that he hadn’t missed a beat.
In the round of 16, Paquette defeated Alberta’s Sam Sorg by referee stoppage in the third round. He followed that win with dominant unanimous decision victories over Quebec’s Jimy-Mikael Green in the quarterfinals and Emilio Rossi in the semifinals, before defeating New Brunswick’s Habibullah Hassani 5-0 in the final to secure the national title.
Known for his long jab, quick speed and relentless pressure, Paquette controlled every fight, not losing a single round throughout the tournament. The performance marked his fourth national title, but this one carried a different meaning.
After six shoulder dislocations over four years, Paquette said that his shoulder had been “unreliable and popping in and out during fights.” With significant bone loss and a torn labrum, he made the difficult decision to undergo surgery in 2024, putting his boxing career on hold.
When asked about the most difficult part of his two-year absence from the sport, Paquette said it was staying positive.
“You’re living in the moment, but at the same time trying to plan your future with no real return date,” said Paquette.
The road back was as much mental as it was physical.
“You’re working every day toward an invisible goal with no clear end date,” he said. “One bad sleep, one missed stretch, pushing too hard, it feels like it sets you back.”
Despite the uncertainty, Paquette stayed committed to his recovery, balancing rehabilitation with a full course load at Brock — a routine that demanded constant discipline.
“It really came down to planning my time, but also giving myself some grace,” he said. “I was balancing training, physio, a full course load and work. I just tried to stay positive and treat everything as an opportunity,” said Paquette.
His return to competition came with little preparation. After being fully cleared for competition just two months before nationals, Paquette entered the tournament with no tune up fights, making the event a true test of where he stood.
“Nationals kind of become a sink or swim moment,” he said. “Either I come back the same or better, or I realize things aren’t the same.”
Any doubt Paquette had quickly disappeared during his first fight, claiming “that [in the] first fight, I actually felt calm. I was just grateful to be back.”
As the tournament progressed, the physical toll began to build, but Paquette leaned on his mindset to push through.
“The moment that stands out is after the semis,” he said. “I was sitting in an ice bath, physically battled, just thinking, ‘I’ve got one more.’”
That final fight became the completion of two years of work.
“When my hand got raised, the same arm that was in a sling, it was just relief,” Paquette said. “Two years of doubt gone in that moment.”
For Paquette, the comeback wasn’t just about winning, but proving something to himself.
“It showed me that I am who I say I am,” he said. “I believed I’d come back and do this, and I did.”
He also credited those who helped him along the way, including the support he received at Brock.
“I’ve got to give a huge shoutout to the Brock Sports Medicine Clinic, David Albines and David Pandolfi,” Paquette said. “Without them, this comeback looks completely different.”
Now back at the top of Canadian boxing, Paquette’s focus has already shifted.
“For what’s next, it’s really just about banking as much time in the ring as I can,” he said. “The focus shifts to preparing for qualifiers and ultimately the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.”
For a Brock student balancing lectures, assignments and recovery with elite competition, the journey has been anything but conventional. But after overcoming injury, doubt and time away from the sport, Paquette has proven that he is only just beginning.