John L Sullivan vs George Old Chocolate Godfrey

[LBWood]

One of the things that surprised me when I started to learn about boxing history, a new topic for me, was just how many great black Canadian boxers there were 100+ years ago. Even today the
black population of Canada is not that large. In the 19th century it must have been tiny. They punched above their weight, so to speak.


Like Cap Anson in baseball, John L Sullivan created the colour barrier in boxing through his refusal to face black opponents. Despite that, Wikipedia claims that John L Sullivan and George
Old Chocolate Godfrey (born in Prince Edward Island) were to fight one another in 1881 but the bout was disrupted by the police. It's likely a myth. Nonetheless, could the first black
heavyweight champion have been a Canadian? Let's find out.


Strategy
Godfrey will get his strategy from me, with the computer handling Sullivan. The bout with be 10 rounds. Sullivan is a big puncher but not much defense. Godfrey is the opposite. Sullivan has
a much higher control rating vs sluggers than boxers. I decide the best approach for Godfrey is to keep outside and box. I want to keep away from Sullivan's power.


Round One
From the bell, Godfrey steps right into Sullivan and hurts him with an uppercut. He keeps going at Sullivan and his right eye takes some damage. It's an action-packed round with Godfrey
dominating. He's got a chance. I already notice that Sullivan is tiring faster than Godfrey.


Round Two
Sullivan decides to fight inside and his power there is frightening. It's Sullivan's turn to lay some hurt on, but he can't sustain it. Godfrey targets that right eye and he clearly wins
the second round. Godfrey definitely has more stamina. I need to have him stay out of Sullivan's wheelhouse and wait for Sullivan to tire.


Round Three
It's even for the first half, but midway through Sullivan lands a solid hook, leaving Godfrey gasping. Godfrey clinches his way out of the round. The round goes to Sullivan. Start of the turnaround?


Round Four
A brutal body shot at the beginning of the round hurts Godfrey badly. He covers up and gets through it, but it's all Sullivan and not looking good.


Round Five
Godfrey makes a huge comeback. Both of Sullivan's eyes are now swelling up and he is tiring rapidly. Sullivan stops the attack with a hard cross within the last minute, but it's another round that clearly goes to Godfrey.


Round Six
With a bit of a lead, I decide to have Godfrey fight defensively, hoping Sullivan will punch himself out. Sullivan needs to build up strength so he takes the round off. The ringside commentary notes that Sullivan is out of gas. It's a fairly evenly fought round overall. Even defensively, Godfrey fights pretty well.


Round Seven
Godfrey must really have the lead because Sullivan begins to go all out for the knockout. The power is there, but Edurance and Defense are zero. Godfrey is tiring as well. Sullivan's eyes are worsening, but he puts up a good fight. The round is even.


Round Eight
I decide to have Godfrey take a round off to build up strength for the finish. It is all Sullivan until the last minute when a couple of big punches from Godfrey turn the round right around. Even the ringside commentator says that Godfrey has the fight well in hand.


Round Nine
I have Godfrey go back on the offensive and it's one-sided from start to finish. Sullivan seems desperate.


Round Ten
A minute in, Godfrey drops Sullivan! He's up after a couple of seconds, but barring something shocking, it's all over. Godfrey just has to make it to the final bell.


Decision
It's unanimous decision, and not even close. According to the judges, Sullivan only clearly won the fourth round.


So does that make Old Chocolate the first black heavyweight champion? No, it doesn't. It wasn't a title bout because Sullivan didn't have the title yet. But George Old Chocolate Godfrey has earned the right to contend for the title, if he's just allowed the chance. That's another What-If. For now, I'll replay his real career and pick up an alternative reality later.

[Sirius]

That was excellent!! I have been playing this game for years and when I put
Sullivan and Godfrey in the ring together it is mostly always a great fight!

[Cap]

While researching and updating Godfrey's record on Boxrec I discovered the interesting bit of trivia that Old Chocolate wasn't really Godfrey's nickname. It didn't come up at all until the last couple of years in his career, and then it was used by sportswriters as a kind of term of endearment for a classy aging veteran. He was best known as Boston George Godfrey in his heyday or just plain George Godfrey. A small heavyweight [there was no light heavyweight class] who often fought bigger men, he was renowned for his ring guile, courage under fire and sheer toughness.

In the game, I differentiate between the two Godfreys by calling the larger one "Big George" Godfrey.

Cap