BOXING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 February 1940, Page 5

BOXING

HEAVYWEIGHT CONTENT

LOUIS BEATS GODOY. A CLOWN FIGHT. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. NEW YORK, February 9. In the heavyweight title bout Joe Louis (14st. 71b.) outpointed Arturo Godoy, of Chile (14st. 61b.) over the full 15 rounds at Madison Square Garden. A. crowd of 16,000 booed the decision. Louis was the long-odds favourite and Godoy was not expected to even last five rounds. Godoy danced about the ring full of tight at the finish, after forcing the champion to backpedal most of the rounds. It was a split decision, one judge voting for Godoy. The United Press gave the men five rounds each with five even. Louis concentrated on rights to the head, with Godoy favouring lefts to the body. Both were bleeding from cuts in the face in the third round. The crowd howled with delight during a sensational eighth round, when Godoy cornered and pummelled Louis. He remained fresh, forcing the fight till the fourteenth, when he taunted the champion, “Come on!” Louis was more accurate throughout. He said: “It was my worst fight. That guy is nothing but a clown.” Godoy shouted: “I will fight him again tomorrow.” John Lardner, the correspondent of the North American Newspaper Alliance, said: “It- was a clown fight, with Louis insulted more than hit. The crowning insult occurred in the fourteenth when the bouncing buffooning Chilean kissed Louis’s embarrassed cheek. This slapstick fooled one judge Into giving the loser 10 rounds, but not the referee.” The gate was 88,000 dollars.