84 years ago
Joe Louis vs Arturo Godoy II
Date: 20th June 1940
Venue: Yankee Stadium, The Bronx, New York
Title: World Heavyweight Title
Promoter: Mike Jacobs
Tv:
Joe Louis
(
42
-
1
-
0
)
Weight: 199 lbs
Arturo Godoy
(
54
-
11
-
7
)
Weight: 201½ lbs
Champion Joe Louis made the eleventh defence of his World Heavyweight title on June 20, 1940, at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, New York, facing off against Arturo Godoy in a highly anticipated rematch. The bout, officiated by referee Billy Cavanaugh and judged by Marty Monroe and Bill Healy, ended in a TKO victory for Louis at 1 minute and 24 seconds into the eighth round of the scheduled 15-round fight.
The rematch was officially sanctioned on April 29, following the competitive nature of their first encounter, which elevated Godoy to the top of the National Boxing Association rankings. A crowd of 27,786 spectators packed Yankee Stadium, generating a gross gate of $149,505.
Louis, weighing in at 199 pounds, entered the ring as a 5-1 betting favourite against Godoy, who tipped the scales at 202 pounds. From the outset, Louis demonstrated his dominance, landing punishing blows on Godoy and battering his face, leading the Associated Press to describe it as resembling "barbecued beef."
In the seventh round, Louis floored Godoy, who managed to rise just before the bell rang to signal the end of the round. However, Louis delivered two knockdowns to Godoy in the eighth round, prompting the referee to stop the fight without initiating a count. Godoy could not continue despite his valiant effort, and the referee intervened to prevent further punishment.
Following the fight, Louis remarked that it was "the worst beating I ever gave a man," highlighting the one-sided nature of the contest. Despite the intensity of the bout, Godoy displayed sportsmanship by shaking Louis' hand and congratulating him after the fight.
Arturo Godoy, hailing from Quiriquina, Chile, had turned professional in December 1930, and although he fell short in his bid to capture the heavyweight title, his resilience and determination earned him respect in the boxing world.