BOXING.

Franklin Times, Volume 14, Issue 189, 27 April 1925, Page 5

BOXING.

GODFREY LOSES. KNOCKED OUT IN TEN ROUNDS. SYDNEY, April 13. Harry Collins, welterweight champion of Australia, knocked out Sid Godfrey in ten rounds at the Stadium on Saturday night, and retained his title.

There was an attendance of about 11,000. The gate receipts were £2840. With £1420 as the Stadium share, Collins, who guaranteed Godfrey £BOO, received about £6OO.

| The best gate since the war was £3BOO, when Criqui beat Godfrey in 1921. At the finish of the contest there was great cheering for Collins, and when the loser left the ring ho was also well applauded. Godfrey had not had a contest since about the middle of last year,- when he met Billy Grime, and fought a draw. A little later he stated that he had decided to retire from the ring, and took with him the lightweight title, a belt, and a fat purse. Some weeks ago Mr .Charley Spruce, friend and adviser of JJarry Collins, who had been performing in fine style, decided to sign articles for a bout with Godfrey. Godfrey had been working steadily and gradually improved his condition. He trained faithfully, but, with all the work, he was a few pounds above himself. It was expected that he would scale 10 stone, but when he stepped on to the scales the register stopped at 6£lb heavier. Collins scaled Jib heavier.

Collins looked his usual self; Godfrey appeared well, but there. was a showing of fat about the front of the body and over the shoulders. However, with the extra weight Godfrey fought a hard contest, and he was dangerous several times. "It was a great fight all the way," remarked Collins, as. he lay in his dressing room after the match, preparatory to being rubbed down. "He rattled me in the third round, but my right did the trick in the tenth." It was just a minute .after the tenth round commenced that the end came. It was unexpected. Godfrey had been fighting craftily and well, but Collins had forged ahead from the fifth term. \ Rushed Across the Ring. i Something that happened in his favour in the ninth term gave Collins ideas, and when the tenth term com-' menced he rushed across the ring and opened the attack. A few ineffectual punches were delivered by Collins, and then Godfrey let go a left swing to the head. Collins just missed the chin with a heavy right uppercut. There was a period of mixing matters, and it was seen that Collins was very confident. Godfrey stung with lefts and rights to the face, and then Collins placed a heavy right to the ribs. There were some more exchanges. The fighting was very fast, and Collins was at his top. Following Godfrey across to the eastern ropes, Collins attacked, and as Godfrey was stooping the champion sent over a hard right, which caught Godfrey on the chin, and hey dropped to the floor. At the call of nine seconds Godfrey tried hard to rise, but he fell forward, and the fight was over. His attendants soon had him in his chair, and a minute or two later he was able to leave the ring. Taking everything into consideration, Godfrey fought well. As is generally known, Collins is a slow beginner, and as a rule it takes him three or four rounds to make up. It was up to the first half of the fifth round that Collins was in a sluggish mood. During this time Godfrey was decidedly dangerous." He led well with his left to the face, and got in some heavy work to the body with both hands. He forced the fighting and appeared to be closely watching for a chance to land a knock-out blow with the right hand. He got the punch over a few times, but.it failed to reach the vital spot, and Collins weathered a storm in the third term. When Collins did get into his stride the combat was fast and fierce. The counter hitting was, terrific. Collins was coming along splendidly, and although Godfrey*was battling fast and craftily, he was losing ground. When the eighth term was concluded it was realised that Collins was working with his old dash. All credit is due to Godfrey for fighting hard through this and the next round, when he scored heavily with a right cross to the head and staggered Collins. However, before end of the round Collins was on top dealing out punishment.

Sharp and Sudden. The end came sharp and sudden, but not unexpectedly. Tn a feeble kind of way Godfrey tried to connect with a left. The blow was slipped, and Collins drove a right to the body, staggering Godfrey to' the ropes, to which he hung momentarily as the result of a couple of rights that grazed the chin. He staggered rather than skipped to the east side of the ring, and made an attempt to duck another right, but Collins was too fast, and that blow caught Godfrey squarely on the chin, sending him down. At the count of "eight" he attempted to rise, but got no further than hands and knees, when he fell forward again, and Referee Wallis pointed to Collins as the winner.

The man who had tried to win in every one of his hundred and more fights, and succeeded in 95 per cent. of them, was forced to strike his colours to a more youthful and betterconditioned opponent, who fought a better and more .crafty fight than ever before. , ;