CLOSE DECISION FOR JOE LOUIS

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 118, 12 February 1940, Page 10

CLOSE DECISION FOR JOE LOUIS

Fight With Chilean

DESCRIBED AS CLOWNING BOUT

(Received February 11, 7.5 p.m.)

NEW YORK, February 9. In tiie heavyweight title bout Joe Louis (14st. 71b.) outpointed Arturo Godoy, of Chile (list. 61b.) over the full 15 rounds at Madison Square Garden. A crowd of 16,000 booed the decision. Louis was tlie long-odds favourite and Godoy was not expected to even last five rounds. . Godoy danced about the ring.full ol fight at the finish, after forcing the cliuiupiou to backpedal most ol 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 tlie third round. The crowd howled with delight during a sensational eighth round, when Godoy cornered and pummelled Louis. He remained fresh, forcing the lignt till the fourteenth, when he taunted the champion, “Cojne on I” Louis was more accurate throughout, lie said : "It was my worst light. 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 light, with Louis insulted more than hit. Tlie crowning insult occurred in tlie fourteenth when tlie 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 SB,OOO dollars.