Arturo Godoy (October 10, 1912 – 1986) was a Chilean professional boxer, also nicknamed "Arturito".
Biography He was born in Iquique on October 10, 1912. He was South American Heavyweight Champion and had an extensive and successful career in Argentina, Cuba, Spain, and the United States roughly between 1931 and 1954. In New York, he beat Tony Galento.
He is best known for his two epic fights with Joe Louis for the World Heavyweight Championship in 1940. The first was held at the Madison Square Garden on February 9, 1940, and went the full length of 15 rounds. The 2 ringside judges split their votes and the tie was broken by the referee, who gave it to Louis, to the protest of a substantial part of the audience, who had been won over by the fact that Godoy showed no fear of Louis and by the additional fact that Louis was not able to knock out his opponent after a string of K.O.s and T.K.O.s. South Americans and Chileans in particular thought that Godoy had indeed won the fight and from then on the figure of Godoy acquired mythical proportions. A second fight was scheduled for June 20, 1940. Joe Louis prepared to counteract Godoy's strategy and ring tactics, focusing on bringing him up from his unusual low stance with a combination of hooks to the body and uppercuts. Godoy fought bravely but the referee had to stop the fight in the 8th round. Godoy continued fighting until 1954 and returned to Chile, where he was regarded as a hero.
He died in Chile in 1986.
Legacy His life was used as the base for the novel "Muriendo por la dulce patria mía" (Laurel Editores, 2017) by Roberto Castillo Sandoval.
Professional boxing record
ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes128Draw Alfredo LagayPTS10Nov 2, 1951127Win92–22–11 Abel CestacPTS10Aug 3, 1951126Win91–22–11 Mario AbarcaKO4 (10)Jun 15, 1951125Win90–22–11 Roberto BalbontinTKO4 (12)Jun 30, 1950124Draw89–22–11 Karel SysPTS10Mar 6, 1950123Win89–22–10 Emilio EspinozaRTD5 (10)Jan 13, 1950122Loss88–22–10 Leonard MorrowTKO10 (10)Aug 16, 1949121Draw88–21–10 Maynard JonesPTS10Aug 9, 1949120Win88–21–9 Elkins BrothersSD10Jun 27, 1949119Win87–21–9 Johnny HaynesPTS10Jun 1, 1949118Loss86–21–9 Harold JohnsonUD10Feb 23, 1949117Loss86–20–9 Alabama KidUD10Aug 17, 1948116Win86–19–9 Pat RichardsTKO4 (10), Jun 14, 1948115Win85–19–9 Pat RichardsUD10Feb 24, 1948114Win84–19–9 Jimmy BellPTS8Jan 20, 1948113Win83–19–9 Phil MuscatoSD10Dec 1, 1947112Win82–19–9 Jack MarshallPTS10Oct 22, 1947111Loss81–19–9 Turkey ThompsonUD10Oct 7, 1947110Win81–18–9 Cyclone WilliamsKO5 (10)Sep 9, 1947109Win80–18–9 Buddy KnoxKO1 (?), Dec 5, 1946108Win79–18–9 Tex BoddiePTS10Nov 25, 1946107Loss78–18–9 Joe MuscatoUD10Oct 15, 1946106Win78–17–9 Cyclone WilliamsSD10Aug 21, 1946105Win77–17–9 Tony MustoTKO6 (10), Aug 16, 1946104Win76–17–9 Larry BouchardKO2 (?)Jun 14, 1946103NC75–17–9 Lee SavoldNC8 (10)Mar 1, 1946102Win75–17–9 Johnny HaynesPTS10Nov 20, 1945101Win74–17–9 Louis LongTKO7 (10)Nov 5, 1945100Win73–17–9 Jimmy CarolloTKO1 (10)Sep 28, 194599Win72–17–9 Dan MerrittTKO2 (10), Sep 12, 194598Win71–17–9 Buddy WalkerKO5 (10)May 14, 194597Win70–17–9 Herb JonesTKO2 (10), Apr 4, 194596Win69–17–9 Johnny DensonKO5 (10), Mar 27, 194595Win68–17–9 Larry BouchardPTS10Mar 1, 194594Win67–17–9 Juan UrlichKO2 (10)Dec 20, 19449366–17–9 Alberto LovellNC11 (12)Apr 15, 194492Win66–17–9 Fernando MenichelliKO7 (?)Nov 21, 194391Win65–17–9 Roscoe TolesPTS10Aug 22, 194390Win64–17–9 Isidoro GastanagaTKO5 (10)Jul 18, 194389Win63–17–9 Fernando MenichelliTKO1 (10)Apr 20, 194388Win62–17–9 Alberto LovellPTS12Feb 28, 194387Win61–17–9 Eduardo PrimoPTS10Dec 12, 194286Loss60–17–9 Roscoe TolesPTS10Nov 14, 194285Win60–16–9 Antonio SoaresTKO1 (10)Oct 31, 194284Loss59–16–9 Roscoe TolesPTS12Oct 21, 194283Win59–15–9 Eusebio RamirezKO7 (?)Sep 12, 194282Draw58–15–9 Roscoe TolesPTS12Jul 10, 194281Win58–15–8 Hans HavlicekKO3 (12)Jun 6, 194280Loss57–15–8 Roscoe TolesPTS12Mar 7, 194279Loss57–14–8 Alberto LovellPTS12Jan 17, 194278Draw57–13–8 Roscoe TolesPTS12Nov 1, 194177Win57–13–7 Ernesto CarnessePTS10Sep 27, 194176Loss56–13–7 Alberto LovellPTS12May 17, 194175Win56–12–7 Tony MustoPTS10Dec 2, 194074Win55–12–7 Gus DorazioUD10Oct 7, 194073Loss54–12–7 Joe LouisTKO8 (15), Jun 20, 194072Loss54–11–7 Joe LouisSD15Feb 9, 194071Loss54–10–7 Eduardo PrimoDQ8 (12)Aug 19, 193970Win54–9–7 Valentin CampoloPTS12Jul 22, 193969Win53–9–7 Alberto LovellPTS12Apr 8, 193968Loss52–9–7 Valentin CampoloPTS12Mar 4, 193967Win52–8–7 Eusebio RamirezKO3 (12)Jan 28, 193966Win51–8–7 Hans BirkiePTS10Dec 18, 193865Win50–8–7 Hans HavlicekTKO2 (10)Nov 26, 193864Loss49–8–7 Alberto LovellPTS12Jul 23, 193863Win49–7–7 Valentin CampoloPTS12Jun 18, 193862Win48–7–7 Dionisio CristanteKO1 (10)Jun 3, 193861Win47–7–7 Eddie MaderTKO5 (10)Nov 9, 193760Loss46–7–7 Nathan MannPTS10Oct 8, 193759Draw46–6–7 Roscoe TolesPTS10Aug 4, 193758Win46–6–6 Tony GalentoPTS6Jun 22, 193757Loss45–6–6 Roscoe TolesPTS10May 21, 193756Win45–5–6 Tony GalentoPTS10Apr 28, 193755Draw44–5–6 Maurice StricklandPTS10Mar 10, 193754Win44–5–5 Art SykesKO3 (8)Feb 25, 193753Win43–5–5 Otis ThomasTKO3 (10)Feb 3, 193752Win42–5–5 Jack RoperKO7 (10)Jan 14, 193751Draw41–5–5 Al EttorePTS10Nov 11, 193650Draw41–5–4 Leroy HaynesPTS10Oct 21, 193649Win41–5–3 Luis Ángel FirpoRTD3 (12)Jul 11, 193648Win40–5–3 Vincenz HowerTKO10 (12)Dec 21, 193547Win39–5–3 Eduardo PrimoPTS12Dec 7, 193546Win38–5–3 Oscar DavidsonKO1 (10)Sep 7, 193545Draw37–5–3 Eduardo PrimoPTS12Jul 13, 193544Win37–5–2 Antonio SebastiaoTKO3 (10)May 18, 193543Win36–5–2 Tommy LoughranPTS10Mar 17, 193542Loss35–5–2 Tommy LoughranUD12Jan 5, 193541Win35–4–2 Jose CarattoliPTS12Nov 24, 193440Draw34–4–2 Tommy LoughranPTS12Oct 20, 193439Win34–4–1 Eduardo PrimoPTS12Sep 29, 193438Loss33–4–1 Billy JonesPTS10Aug 12, 193437Win33–3–1 Erwin KlausnerPTS10Jun 24, 193436Win32–3–1 Erwin KlausnerPTS12Apr 22, 193435Loss31–3–1 Victorio CampoloPTS12Mar 1, 193434Win31–2–1 Esteban SenestraroTKO6 (12)Jan 20, 193433Win30–2–1 Mario LenziKO2 (12)Jan 5, 193432Win29–2–1 Salvatore ZaettaKO3 (?)Dec 6, 193331Win28–2–1 Vicente ParrilePTS10Aug 23, 193330Win27–2–1 Mateo de la OsaTKO7 (10)Jul 26, 193329Win26–2–1 Raul BianchiKO2 (10)Jul 1, 193328Win25–2–1 Rafaele SicilianoKO2 (10)Jun 14, 193327Win24–2–1 Santiago SolaPTS10May 31, 193326Win23–2–1 Jesus RodriguezKO2 (10)May 9, 193325Win22–2–1 Angel RomanKO1 (10)May 2, 193324Win21–2–1 'Young' John HerreraPTS10Apr 1, 193323Win20–2–1 Frank CawleyPTS10Feb 27, 193322Win19–2–1 Pantaleon MusolinoKO2 (?)Feb 25, 193321Win18–2–1 Rufino AlvarezKO5 (?)Feb 4, 193320Win17–2–1 Dewey KimreyTKO5 (10)Jan 24, 193319Loss16–2–1 Frankie EdgrenPTS10Jan 10, 193318Win16–1–1 Chick RainesRTD5 (10)Dec 6, 193217Win15–1–1 Johnny MackTKO5 (10)Nov 21, 193216Win14–1–1 Frankie PalmoTKO10 (10), Nov 11, 193215Win13–1–1 Tony FerranteKO1 (10)Oct 31, 193214Win12–1–1 Joe KingTKO5 (10)Oct 21, 193213Win11–1–1 Irving AshkenazyTKO5 (10)Oct 7, 193212Win10–1–1 Cyclone SmithPTS10Sep 26, 193211Win9–1–1 Ben LoganKO2 (10)Sep 12, 193210Win8–1–1 Gordon FortenberryPTS10Aug 22, 19329Win7–1–1 Ray SwansonKO7 (10)Aug 1, 19328Draw6–1–1 Pedro ProenzaPTS10Jul 16, 19327Win6–1 Antonio HeviaPTS10Jul 2, 19326Win5–1 Pantaleon MusolinoDQ2 (10)Jun 25, 19325Win4–1 Luis AravenaPTS8Dec 6, 19314Win3–1 Peter JohnsonPTS10Jun 14, 19313Win2–1 Oscar RamirezKO2 (6)May 30, 19312Loss1–1 Luis AravenaKO? (10)Mar 7, 19311Win1–0 Peter JohnsonPTS6Dec 21, 1930
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