"Most Worstest"

"Who is this Arturo Godoy?" In millions of U. S. homes one night last week, as families gathered round the radio to hear the Louis-Godoy fight, this question was asked but not answered. Most of the U. S. had the impression that this South American prize fighter who was challenging Joe Louis for the world's heavyweight title was just another pushover.

When he arrived in New York from his native Chile three months ago, Arturo Godoy was scarcely noticed by U. S. sportswriters. They remembered that he lad visited the U. S. twice before (in 1933 and 1937), that his greatest feat had been outroughing Tony Galento in a six-round preliminary bout on the Braddock-Louis championship card in June 1937. That he would not last four rounds against the Brown Bomber was the general prediction. Some openly complained that he had no right in the same ring with Louis, that his best punch could hardly knock down Joe's little sister Eulalie.

Because of this scaffoldy buildup, what happened in Manhattan's Madison Square Garden last week made every fight fan sit up and take notice. From the opening bell, the challenger befuddled the champion. Fighting from an apelike crouch, he weaved and bobbed, annoyed slow-thinking Louis, threw him off balance, crowded him against the ropes. These tactics had been tried on Louis before.

Tommy Farr had tried them. So had Tony Galento. But Godoy, besides keeping out of range of Louis' punches, managed to get in a few sound thumps himself.

In the 14th round the Chilean was still on his feet, and the 16,000 spectators were cheering him wildly. Exhilarated, Godoy put on a performance as bizarre as any thing ever seen in a first-class prize ring. Deliberately tormenting Louis, he jumped up & down like a boy playing squat tag, grimaced & grinned and finally, after doing a few mock rumba steps, threw his arms around the champion and kissed him on both cheeks. A few moments later, when Louis was awarded the decision, Godoy hugged him again & again.

In his dressing room. Champion Louis, who had defended his title for the ninth time in 30 months, admitted that it was the "most worstest fight" he ever fought. But what griped him more than his own shortcomings were his opponent's antics. "He's jes' a clown," he muttered. "I ain't never had no man kiss me before like Go doy did. I thought he was in there to fight me, not to play a love scene."

Meanwhile Godoy, only challenger be sides Tommy Farr to last 15 rounds against Louis, demanded a return fight for the championship next June.

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