BOXING

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 February 1940, Page 12

BOXING

LOUIS DEFEATS GODOY.

[BY CABLE —PBESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.]

NEW YORK, February 9. In a heavy-weight title bout, Joe Louis (14st 71b) outpointed Arturo Godoy, of Chile (14st 61b) over a full 15 rounds at Madison Square Garden. A crowd of 16,000 booed the decision. Louis was a long odds favourite, and Godoy was not expected even to last five rounds. Godoy danced about the ring, full of fight at the finish, after forcing the champion to back-pedal for most of the rounds. It was a split decision, one judge voting for Godoy. The correspondent of the United Press of America gave the men five rounds each, with five even, Louis concentrated on rights to the head, Godoy favouring lefts to the body. Bath were bleeding from cuts on the face in the third round. The crowd howled with delight during the sensational eighth round when Godoy cornered and pummelled Louis. He remained fresh, forcing the fight thereafter until the fourteenth, when lie taunted the champion, crying, “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 to-morrow.” John Lardnar, 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 round when the bouncing and buffooning Chilean kissed Louis’s ombarassed cheek. This slapstick fooled one judge into giving the loser •10 rounds, but not the referee.” The gate was 88,000 dollars.