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Boxing Failure

by SD

Chris

 

“Please, just endure a little more, John. I’d somehow find a way getting us food these next days. Just… a few more days.”
Chris’ body has been weakening, he can’t afford buying up even basic things for himself and John, the only precious thing to him. The money he gets from the town’s local boxing was short, even then after winning a fight he’d have to heal up his bruises and injuries and he’s have to leave all other work to John, who was all supportive and understanding for his struggling brother. They grew up on their own, they know somehow they’d get all through this.
“You’ve been badly beaten up your last fight. Your face’s still swollen and your body… Your abs are still bruised and injured.”
John lifted up his brother’s shirt and applied cold ice to his bruised body to give some temporary relief. Chris’ body, although he may have not eaten well the past few weeks, still looked pretty in shape, his abs were defined and it could take a lot of beating, while his chest and arms had punch in them. John rubbed off his body with ice and Chris, who felt quite relaxed already replied-
“But I won. Money’s gonna last probably… until the next day. Local tourney bags haven’t been quite full and even if I win fights our stomach’s still gon’ end up beaten up by hunger.”
“Please stop boxing… I’d help you find money, I’d steal, or I don’t know..”
“That’s not what we do, John. I can manage this.”
John has been the town’s known fighter- his fights were always a good show for the folks. He might get beaten up badly during a fight, but he’s known to out sustain his opponents and beating them up, no matter how bruised his face is, no matter how worked over his body is. Their small town had no gold shenanigan belts or somethin’. Them folks rather give the good ol fighters some of their dirt-cheap things or some money rather than looking for useless gold plated crap that would probably cost fortunes.
…
While working out at a gym, Chris spotted some guy looking at him suspiciously.
“Hey fella, may I help you with somethin’?” Chris politely said, while his biceps was begging to pop as he put down those big-ass dumbbells.
“Can I talk to ya for a second?”
He didn’t feel that it was right time, and besides his body was aching from too much workout, but his gut feeling was not enough excuse for him to be rude.
“Yea sure. Let’s head out.”
They went inside the lockers. There were no one else in the room and it was good enough for some private talk.
The guy was quick and straightforward with his words.
“My name’s Dan. My kid wants to fight with you, this Saturday. All town folks we’d be inviting.”
“I’m not sure I’d be ready by then.”
Dan suddenly hammered Chris’ abs with a quick but deep uppercut. Air was out and his body was aching from workout. He can’t react in any way.
“You need money. You’ll get it. LOTS OF IT But my kid- Hayden. He’s gonna need your reputation, and your poor beaten up body.”
“Hayden, eh?”
He shot another left and right Chris’ midsection.
“OOMPH.”
“Come to this address when you’re done thinking. And train harder. You’re probably gonna need it.”
Dan threw a crumpled piece of paper to Chris’ bent body and walked away.
He knew Chris would bite. Boxing, after all, was all just for earnings, for Chris. He knew Hayden’s not gonna pay him anything less worth than the all-out fighter prestige he had in this town. He knew he had to be beaten up. But it all was for John.
It’s all for John.
“Good, I’d send you to Jenny. She’d tell you what lies ahead.”
In their meeting room Jenny entered, apparently there was Hayden. He knocked out this guy probably a year ago.

 

HAYDEN
“Hey there, mate.”
Chris didn’t respond.
“Looks like you agreed with the deal. Tidy up, I’ll punch and break every bone and muscle you have.”
Chris spoke firmly. “Tell me what to do and let’s finish this.”
Jenny spoke. “You’ve been known as a good fighter, one who takes up a lot of beating which ends up tiring an opponent and then beats up an exhausted powerless opponent.”
Hayden interrupted- “I’d like everyone to see I could smash down those walls of yours and continuously beat you to a pulp.”
Jenny then continued- “And so, simply losing is not your work here.”
“I’d have to take strenuous beating for rounds.”
“Exactly. We’d give a thousand if you manage to take it till 7th round. Another half till round 9. Two thousand if you get knocked out at the very last minute of the very last round.”
“And if I get KO’ed before 7th?”
“They’d know it wasn’t the real you fighting. We’d pay a hundred.”
This is it. He has to do this.
“Alright.”
Chris then started working himself out. He knew Hayden- he was fond of barraging body shots to his opponents. He had to train to survive all the punches he could possibly imagine.
Day and night he worked out. All for the worst beating, and the worst loss he’d have to take.
“Good luck Chris.”
John eagerly watched as his brother stepped up the boxing ring. He knew his brother could beat that guy again.
The announcers had their brief introductions, but the crowd already knew too well and so the fight had to start already.
Chris managed to maintain his usual stance, despite knowing what would happened.
The announcers were keen on doing their job.
“HAYDEN- There he goes! He’s the first one to rush in and lands a solid hook to Chris’ chin!”
“Left and right, left and right, looks like Chris is already taking a nasty beating this round one.”
Hayden punched Chris left and right in his jaw- this stunned Chris, but he could take more than just that.
Chris managed to throw back some good jabs, but none seem to hurt Hayden.
“Chris better change his strategies, he might not afford this severe beating for rounds.”
Chris tried to put up a large hook to Hayden’s face but it was too slow. Of course it was too slow. Hayden ducked and punched Chris right in his abs with a devastating left. Chris bent up a bit and Hayden followed up with an uppercut to Chris’ chin and another body blow that made him back out to the corner.
The bell rang.
Chris was breathing heavily- he had to take up as much air as he can. It was still a long day.
Round 2 started. Hayden was dancing around the ring. He waited for Chris to make the first move. Chris then tried pathetically with his massive right uppercut but Hayden dodged it easily. Hayden was smiling, and taunted Chris- “Come on, see what you got.”
Chris tried to connect punches again but he failed- Hayden dodged each punch. Chris was slow and Hayden felt tired of playing games and he suddenly attacked Chris’ midsection without mercy. Continuous uppercuts to the confused boxer and even the crowd was hearing Chris “Ooomphs” and moans.
The round went on like this until the bell rang.
“Looks like Chris’ mouth starting to bleed and his right eye’s pretty swollen.”
“Hayden’s doing a good job pounding his opponent eh. Let’s see what Chris got these next rounds.”
Round 3 started. Hayden’s stance had been the same, and Chris was weakening from the beating he’s been taken so far. But he had to endure this.
Chris was defensive with his movements but he felt that Hayden was cooling up a little and he felt like he was actually opening himself up. He tried to swing a hook to Hayden’s face- And it actually hit the blond guy’s spot on!
“Nice hook by Chris! Good round starter for him.”
He connected then an uppercut to Hayden’s stomach but during his third punch- Hayden was back on his instincts and counterpunched Chris with a hard hook to his eye- Chris didn’t anticipate this, Hayden’s fists stroked his head hard and he immediately was trapped in the ropes. Hayden- worked over Chris’ abs mercilessly and he felt that Chris’ stomach was softening with each punch from his muscular arms and he suddenly wished he could take his gloves off and finally feel his bare fists connected with the beaten up boxer’s body.
A bit of blood was oozing from Chris’ body, and the boxer collapsed to the floor.
“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, CHRIS HIT THE CANVAS!”
The referee then started counting.
One… Two… Three…
Chris was fast on his way up. He was holding his beaten abs as he rose, but he looked ready to continue. Hayden rushed again towards his punch-drunk opponent but the bell rang and so they headed back to their corners.
Chris knew it was John shouting.
“CHRIS WHAT’S HAPPENING TO YOU?! GO BEAT THE CRAP OUT OF THAT GUY. I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT----“
Round Four started. Hayden continued punishing Chris but he was holding back. His punches were light and they danced around the ring. Chris thought- he’d try punching. Why not?
His punches connected Hayden and so he tried to combo his uppercuts out of Hayden’s body. He knew this is in Hayden’s scheme, he’s probably make the most of what he can spit out.
Chris threw a barrage of right hooks and uppercuts to Hayden’s ribs and Hayden backed out to the ropes- Chris was going to follow up but Hayden- he won’t let Chris abuse him and so he smashed Chris’ unprepared abs again, and Chris feet rose from the ground because of the intensity of the punch, and Hayden followed up with a hook to his opponent’s swollen right eye- which was now closed and pretty much a big black lump of punchbag.
Hayden was still recovering from those punches Chris has landed and so he chose to stay out and breathe for the remaining round seconds.
The ball rang.
Chris’ face was badly bruised. His right eye was completely closed and blood was dripping all over his nose, mouth and cheeks. Round Five. Round Five Chris, Round Five.
Hayden was unusually fast this time and forced Chris to the corner. He punched the beaten up boxer in the corner and Chris was helpless- he was taking a severe beating. A hook to the chin- a right hook to the rib, an uppercut to the body, a straight to the jaw, another uppercut to the midsection. Chris’ blood was all over the corner and the Canvas but Hayden didn’t want to stop- but Chris had fell to the ground again.
Chris’ world was spinning. He couldn’t see well. His body was aching. But he had to get up. Round Seven, Chris, round Seven.
As he rose Hayden pounded him again landing shots to Chris’ beaten abs, left and right, left and right, left and right, Chris was a punching bag constantly jumping up a bit from Hayden’s body shots.
Chris fell again. But he rose at the referee’s eighth count and so he could still manage to get- even just for a thousand.
The bell rang.
Chris’ face was simply a mess. There was blood and bruises all over.
Round 6 had started.
Chris was in no shape to move a lot and as Hayden pounded him punch for punch he just took in the corner and everyone seemed stunned seeing the fighter getting beaten up and pounded again and again not able to fight back.
“This Hayden, he’s something. No one has done this to Chris yet.”
Hayden gave his most powerful punches as the round peaked in its midpoint, and his punching bag was mercilessly taking the worst beating everyone in that town has probably seen.
Chris felt that his ribs was all crushed up by now. Still being punched with extreme force, Hayden must have probably trained well for this moment. Chris was spitting blood and Hayden was still beating him up in the corner and all that kept Chris from falling to the ground again was his arms that was already failing from grabbing the ropes.
“I’m sorry, Chris, but I have to end this now.”
Hayden threw a very concentrated uppercut to Chris’ abs. His opponent was knocked down.
The referee counted, but the boxer can’t even rise up a bit.
The fight ended.