1896-03-05 George Godfrey D-PTS15 Nick Burley [City Point Athletic Club, Music Hall, Boston, MA, USA]

1896-03-06 Boston Morning Journal (Boston, MA) (page 3)

POOR BOXING.
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Burley and Godfrey Took Things Easy.
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It Looked as if They Fixed Things.
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Referee Did Not Understand the Rules.
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Flaherty-Sullivan Drew.
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Neither George Godfrey (colored) nor Nick Burley added one leaf to their laurel wreaths by their wretched exhibition of boxing at the City Point Athletic Club boxing show, held last evening in Music Hall.

They sparred 15 rounds, which were of the tamest description and disgusted the spectators and the club officials. Burley was cautious, and in the sixth round was disabled. Godfrey picked him up bodily and deliberately threw him over his head, a clear infringement of the rules. But as Referee Sheehan did not want to award a decision on such a technicality and as Burley, who though limping and in pain, was willing to continue, he called for the next round, after a couple of minutes' rest. After that it was a game of tag, as the gallery gods declared.

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The show outside of this was good, and was attended by about 2700 people. There were three other bouts, in which Capt. Wm. Daly, Jr., was referee. Twenty sturdy blows were not delivered in the big contest. Some claimed that the boxers had arrived at an understanding, and declared that it was another fake.

The first bout was between Peter Corrigan of Jamaica Plain, and Mott Leary of East Boston, at 145 pounds, for eight rounds. This was a bout in which the strong physique of Corrigan carried him to victory. Leary pounded Corrigan time and time again, but Corrigan stood the blows, and then when Leary tired himself by his exertions, Corrigan sailed in just at the close of the sixth round and knocked his man out.

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Joe Mullins, with his dance, went against his fellow townsman from South Boston, Jack Foley. The latter was a tyro, but did well. Mullins is a coward and resorted to most foul tactics. He won, but such boxers as he hurt the sport. "He should never be billed again in this city," said a well-known sport.

The third bout had as principals Martin Flaherty of Lowell, weighing 126 pounds, and Billy (Spike) Sullivan of South Boston, weighing 118½ pounds. This was a rattling good contest with the men interlocked in each others' embrace fully two minutes of the three in each round. Both stayed the 12 rounds and it was declared a draw, with Flaherty having a decided advantage on points, but none on condition at the end of the bout.



1896-03-06 The Boston Daily Globe (Boston, MA) (page 3)

LOOKED "QUEER."
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Godfrey-Burley Bout Was Very Tame.
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Men Acted as if There Had Been an Understanding.
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Flaherty and Sullivan Gave a Good Exhibition.
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Latter Did Much Better Than Was Expected.
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The bout in Music hall last evening between George Godfrey and Nick Burley was one of the poorest exhibitions seen in Boston for a long time, and was on a par with the Hall-Maher "fake."

The exhibition was under the auspices of the City Point athletic club. Godfrey and Burley were scheduled for 15 rounds, and during the whole contest there was not as much boxing as in one round of the other bouts.

Before the men had boxed three rounds it was plain to the 2500 spectators that they had come to some understanding.

In the sixth round Burley should have been awarded the contest on a foul, as Godfrey deliberately threw him to the floor, injuring his left hip.

Referee Sheehan declared the bout a draw, but he would have been justified in declaring it no contest.

The 12-round contest between Martin Flaherty of Lowell and "Spike" Sullivan of Boston was the best bout of the evening. Flaherty completely outclassed Sullivan, and scored fully 10 blows to Sullivan one. The bout was called a draw, as the contestants had agreed that such a decision should be given if both were on their feet at the end of the bout. Flaherty has had much more experience than Sullivan yet the latter made a better showing than was expected.

The next bout was between Peter Corrigan and Mat Leary, two local boxers. Leary started off like a winner, and had it all his own way in the first round. Corrigan made a better showing in the second, and it was more even, both boxers landing often with left and right. The third round was of hurricane order, each one disregarding all the rules of defense, and simply swinging right and left alternately, landing together time and again on each other's face and jaw. Corrigan had a shade the better of it. The next two rounds were even, both men sparring for wind. The sixth round proved the last. Leary did most of the leading and landed often for two minutes. Then Corrigan got in some stiff blows that had their effect on Leary, who went down in his own corner just as the bell rang. His seconds decided it was better not to let him go on again, and Corrigan was given the decision.

Joe Mullen and Jack Foley, two South Boston featherweights, were the next pair. All that can be said of Foley is that he is game and willing. During the contest he seldom reached Mullen, while the latter landed some hard punches with both hands on the face and body. They were to box 12 rounds, but in the eighth Mullen landed a couple of right swings and a left jab on the jaw that dazed Foley, and the referee sent them to their corners, and gave Mullen the decision.