Featherweight's Draw: Godfrey v. Blackburn

Sun (Christchurch), Volume IV, Issue 1235, 26 January 1918, Page 1 (Supplement)

Featherweight's Draw: Godfrey v. Blackburn

At the end of a hard and willing contest for the featherweight championship of Australia, at the Stadium last night, between Sid Godfrey and Vince Blackburn, the referee, Arthur Scott, declared the match a draw (says the Sydney "Sunday Sun" of January 13). The verdict was received quietly by the spectators, the majority of whom, judging by the applause bestowed during the bout, appeared to be supporters of Blackburn. Godfrey entered the ring the holder of the featherweight title. Blackburn has been the bantam champion of Australia for a good while. They had met on two occasions, and each had a win to his credit. Godfrey was announced as weighing 9st, which is the weight limit for the division, and Blackburn scaled Bst 91b. The contest was an unusually good one, and some excellent boxing was

witnessed. The bout was fast, and the punching of both boys was of a weighty character. Every credit is due to Blackburn for his splendid and plucky effort, and the forceful tactics he employed, but his combined work in the ring never brought him in line with the points that Godfrey scored by his display at close quarters. In this style of milling he gave Blackburn a frightful gruelling about the body. On the other hand his defence was of a high character, so much so that Blackburn will hardly forget the pounding he gave Godfrey's arms and gloves when he desperately battled to connect and notch points. Blackburn had a hard time of it in the seventh round. Godfrey caught him on the jaw with a weighty right which staggered him. Blackburn was dazed through the effects of the punch, and he moved away quickly. Godfrey saw that he had the upper hand and rushed his opponent. He placed lefts and

rights to the head, and appeared to have Blackburn on the. verge of a collapse, but the lighter boxer pulled himself together as best he could, and weathered the storm of punches in fine style. He was shaky in some of the succeeding rounds, and seemed to be tired. But he managed to keep out of trouble until the sixteenth term, when, feeling that his strength was returning, he set after Godfrey, and fought a hard and desperate battle till the final bell. There were times when he handled Godfrey severely, but judging the match from the beginning to the end, Godfrey was mostly the master of the situation. Blackburn did not appear to be in his best condition. In the second half of the match some of his blows had little weight behind them. Godfrey's left was not at all a forceful punch, but his right to the heart troubled Blackburn a great deal. Godfrey used the left hook, a good punch of his, very little.