While staring into the mirror, blood trickles from my battered-mug into the sink below. In addition to three bruised-ribs, two black-eyes, and a throbbing headache, I’m pretty sure that my nose is broken. At least, I still have all of my teeth. If anyone ever tells you that victory is sweet, their lying. In reality, it tastes like iron.

     ‘Winning,’ it’s about the only part of the fight that went according to plan. While trying to piece together what went wrong, an adrenal-fog clouds my memory. From the moment we touched gloves, before the ref ever told us to go to our corners, all I could see was red.

     My opponent was cocky; I couldn’t wait to pummel the smug expression from his face. He had the love of my life’s name written on his mouthguard. Every time he smiled, there it was; ‘Dream,’ written in shiny-turquoise-lettering. Maybe he was just implying that he’d knock me out, but I had plenty of reasons to believe otherwise.

     Leading-up to the fight, his antics went far beyond showmanship. He must have thought that vulgar-innuendos, and witty one-liners, would see him favored by the fans; either that, or he was trying to get under my skin.

     Dream, she was a recurring theme of his banter. According to him, she was too much woman for me.

     Hmph… He should have just shut his mouth, and let his hands do the talking.

 

Round 1 Commentary

 _Chuck Savory:

          After all of the bravado, and animosity displayed during the press-conference, we’ll finally see which one of our fighters has what it takes to back it up. If your    familiar with either, it should come as no surprise as to who’s wearing what. In the not-so-traditional golden-trunks with silver-trim, we have ‘Royal’ Ronny Crimson.

          And, dressed like death himself, we have his opponent; Sam ‘the man in black’ Scarlett.

 _Arnold Palmer:

          A looping left-hook thrown by Scarlett, misses. And, just like that, the fight is underway.

          Having dodged the punch with relative ease, Crimson makes light of the situation. With a cake-eating-grin, he waves Scarlett back in, as if to say, “do your worst.” 

 _Chuck Savory:

          Scarlett takes the bait. He’s now rushing him down like a madman. Oow! He eats a stiff-jab for his troubles.  Ooh, He’s tagged by another. I can’t recall the last time we saw the champion initiate so recklessly. Either he doesn’t hear his corner yelling, “stick to the plan!” or he just doesn’t care.

 _Arnold Palmer:

          Well Chuck, were definitely in for a barn-burner. Even though Scarlett is getting viciously jabbed for each advance, he won’t let-up. It may only be round one, but it would seem as though he’s playing right into the hands of his opponent.

 

Fighter

     I wanted to retire years ago, but my girl was opposed to the idea. Either, she couldn't see the toll this lifestyle had taken on me, or, the money coming in made that knowledge a moot-point. Lavish-trappings and royal-welcomes require constant upkeep; if I stop fighting, it all goes away. There’s always another mountaintop; always another opponent. The love of fans is fickle, if you can even call it love.

     It’s a simple story; other than pride, and the money needed to find myself beside friends, this profession had nothing left to offer me.

     …If only Dream could’ve accepted that.

      

Round 3 Commentary

 _Arnold Palmer:

          After being lit-up by two left-hands, and a monstrous  right-uppercut, it’s hard to believe that Scarlett is still standing. I’m not sure what’s gotten into him. He’s charging at his opponent like an angry bull. Meanwhile, ‘Royal’ Ronny dances around him like a matador.

          Could it be that our champion has lost a step?

_Chuck Savory:

          That very well may be the case, Arn. It looks as though Crimson’s repetitious hooks to the body, are already having an effect. Just look at the way Scarlett is lowering his guard; he’s leaving himself wide...

_Arnold Palmer:

          Hold that thought Chuck… Crimson just turned his attention ringside, blowing a kiss to Scarlett’s wife!

_Chuck Savory:

          The expression on Scarlett’s face says it all; there’s a visible determination, or should I say ‘hatred’ driving him. He barrels forward absorbing blow after blow, walking through Crimson’s jab as though he were throwing rolls of wet tissue-paper.

           No way!... Scarlett just intentionally spat-out his mouthguard. As Crimson then pointed to complain to the ref, Scarlett cracked him with an overhand-left.

_Arnold Palmer:

          Chuck, this is beginning to look a lot like a street- fight. How demoralized must Scarlett be, to resort to such foul-play?

          You know what; I’m embarrassed for him. Even though he’s fighting dirty, he still hasn’t managed to slow his opponent.               

          Crimson is still playing him like a fiddle.

    

Fighter

              Nobody wants to lose, and no one likes a loser, that includes Dream. For as long as I can remember, I’ve made it a goal of mine not to disappoint. Truth be told, I’m not sure what would happen if I did.

     Back in the day, before I eventually won her over, Dream was Ronny’s girl. Ronny was the popular kid. One of those quintessential-brats that effortlessly excelled at everything. Even back then, people called him ‘Royal’ Ronny. Our high-school was overrun with Ronny-followers, and subjects. This unwarranted fanfare did him no favors. Sure, he had what every young-man in our neighborhood envied, including the girl, but things change.

     Where once his admirers praised, they soon mocked. His cookie crumbled the very moment competition became competitive. And, with a lack of character, Ronny had nothing left to fall back on. When Dream eventually left him, we all secretly rejoiced. There wasn’t a single male with testosterone whom the love-bug hadn’t stung.

     Vying for Dream’s affection resulted in enmity amongst friends, and brothers alike. Fortunately for me, I had neither.

      

Side Commentary

_Arnold Palmer:

          You know chuck, when this fight was first announced, I thought that it was a joke. That Scarlett’s camp would dare    entertain a challenger with only five professional-bouts, seemed utterly ludicrous; so much so that when they      accepted, I went on record, calling it a blatant mockery of the sport. Oh, man was I wrong. Crimson looks phenomenal; he’s toying with Scarlett.

          If there is such a thing as a thirty-eight-year-old prodigy, we very well may be looking at one in ‘Royal’ Ronny Crimson.

_Chuck Savory:

          Arn, you might be right about that. I’m more than a little impressed with Crimson’s performance thus far. Who would have thought that a thirty-eight-year-old newborn to the boxing profession, would be giving the battle-hardened Sam Scarlett the business?

          I mean, just take a look at Sam’s corner, his trainer is furious. Throughout the course of three-rounds, he’s only managed to land one meaningful-punch; that’s it. And, other than a warning from the ref, what did it accomplish? His opponent merely shrugged it off, as though he’d been slapped by a baby hand. Desperation is unbefitting a champion, and if he tries anymore stunts, like the one he just pulled, he could be facing a point-deduction or worse; he could get himself disqualified.

_Arnold Palmer:

          Since you mention Scarlett’s corner, take a gander at Ronny’s. The man’s not even sitting on the stool. Just look at him, bopping to the music that’s playing throughout the arena. He’s just gone three rounds with the champ and has hardly broken a sweat. I’m starting to see how he acquired such a large fan-following after having so few bouts.

          This charisma is infectious.

_Chuck Savory:

          “Cool as an autumn breeze,” that’s how my crazy Aunt Ruth would have described our challenger. ‘Royal’ Ronny Crimson might just have what it takes to become a superstar in the sport.

 

Fighter

              None of the skills I’ve acquired came naturally. I’m not talented, just motivated. From what I could tell, fighting was the only shot I had at gaining Dream’s interest. Having been raised in societies gutter, her presence was the sole reason that I believed in heaven. In the pursuit of said heaven, I put others through hell.

     So we’re clear; every one of those men was standing in my way. Every single one of them, a hurdle I to climb-over to get to Dream, or obstacle I had to demolish in order to give her what she wanted. Because of her, I went from a life of meaningless mediocrity, to a champion of the world.  

     Prior to Dream, training was no-more than a mandatory discipline in my household. Halfheartedly, I’d engage in routine sparrings-sessions, merely hoping to survive the rounds, becoming more and more bitter with each beating I endured.     Quitting wasn’t an option; my father would never have tolerated such impotence. It’s like he was on a mission to cleanse me of all weakness, and in the process, I was purged of compassion. With a body beaten tender, I wasn’t allowed to be soft; I needed to return the favor.

     Can a warrior at heart ever truly have peace of mind? I ask because for some reason I now feel like a fish out of water when I’m not getting hit in the face, or socking someone else in theirs.

 

Round 5 Commentary

_Chuck Savory:

          Due to an accidental head-butt, a nasty-gash has been opened above the right-eye of Ronny Crimson. If the fight is stopped, this match will go to a technical-decision. Ronny Crimson may have just been gifted victory on a silver-platter.   

          With his cut-man successfully slowing the flow of blood, he’s now asked if he wants to continue.

          The crowd erupts. Living-up to his moniker, ‘Royal’ Ronny has chosen to continue.

          Is it at all possible that Scarlett anticipated this?

_Arnold Palmer:

          That’s a great question Chuck. Almost makes you wonder if it was an accident at all. I mean, a blindman could’ve seen that Scarlett was in trouble. Moving forward, that cut could have a monumental-impact on the fight. Forgive me for    saying this; but Scarlett is so behind on the scorecards, that having a point-deducted in exchange for wounding his opponent, might have been worth it.

 

Fighter

              “There’s absolutely no-way on God’s green-earth that I’m going to lose to a second-rate fighter like Sam Scarlett. That slew-footed, punch-drunk, sorry-excuse for a champion will never beat me at anything. I’ll beat him at basketball. I’ll beat him at soccer. I’ll beat him at darts. Hell, I’ll even beat him at table-tennis. And, Saturday night, after I take his belt, I’m taking his girl.”

-        Ronny Crimson

 

     As soon as he said that, I lost it. Outwardly, I must have looked like a madman, but on the inside, my confidence was eroding. I couldn’t think clearly. It’s as though Ronny was parroting the invasive-thoughts that had been eating away at my brain for months. I needed to do something loud, something to silence the incessant-chatter rifling through my brain.

     In a moment’s notice, a chair that had somehow found its way into my hands, was heaved in Ronny’s direction. That he evaded the projectile, furthered my infuriation.

     Truth be told, I was afraid, afraid that he was right. Being a fighter, I had to find out.

 

Round 6 Commentary

_Chuck Savory:

          With Scarlett up against the ropes, Crimson lets loose a volley of thunderous-lefts. The champ is doing a decent job of defending, but he needs to free himself from the corner, and quick.

          Right on time, Scarlett slips right, landing a haymaker of his own. In an instant, the fighters’   positions have reversed. Shoving Crimson into the corner, Scarlett unloads. One two, one two, each combination finding their mark; landing square on the chin of his opponent. He then feints the jab but goes downstairs, tagging Crimson right below the liver.

          Like his grandma’s cornbread, Crimson devours the haymaker. Having had enough, Crimson then returns fire, but misses. Ohhh… he takes one on the belt-line. Reaching to tie-up Scarlett, it’s become clear; Crimson, is hurt.

_Arnold Palmer:

          Woah!... Now that was one hell of an exchange! To   think, we had already begun to question Scarlett’s acumen.

          I wasn’t sure that he still had it in him.

_Chuck Savory:

          Arn, I’m right there with you, but if Scarlett hopes to bring this fight back, he’s going to need to do a lot more than that. I hope he has a rabbit in his proverbial- hat, or an ace up his sleeve, because he’s in for an uphill-climb.

_Arnold Palmer:

          For those of you who are watching this broadcast, I think what Chuck is trying to say is; get ready for the magic-show.

    

Fighter

               When I made it home from the press-conference, Dream seemed distant. I’d marched my way into the house, my head high, roaring my displeasure in search of an empathetic-ear, only for my actions to be met with disdain. The way she cut her eyes at me, could have broken the skin, so I altered my approach. Like a wounded dog, I whined. With solidarity out-the-window, I began begging, soliciting pity.

     Unmoved by my theatrics, Dream simply turned on the news. It was then that I became aware of the fact that my recklessness had led to unforeseen-consequences. While security gently escorted me to my vehicle, asking for autographs, a brawl had broken-out in the conference-room. According to the news-reports, an elderly-attendee, as well as his twelve-year-old grandson, were taken to the hospital. Apparently, my temper-tantrum had roused a few of my more rambunctious fans. As a result of the incident, I’d now lost two of my larger endorsement-deals.

              As I witnessed this world turn against me, a debilitating nausea crept into my gut. Life, as I knew it, was in jeopardy. To make things worse, my marriage to Dream was already on the fritz. For the last couple-years, we’d been hanging-on by a thread; more so than ever, I feared that a loss to Ronny would sever that thread.

 

Round 7 Commentary

_Arnold Palmer:

          Oh man, these fighters are trading like stock-brokers! And with neither giving the other an inch of ground, it’s impossible to say who’s winning these exchanges.

_Chuck Savory:

          I’ll tell you who’s winning; the fans, that’s who!   That goes for everyone in attendance, as well as those tuned-in to the broadcast. What began as a one-sided beating, has morphed into an all-out-war. As our competitors drag each other into deep-water, it’s anyone’s guess as to which of these warriors will end up on top.

_Arnold Palmer:

          The champ goes down!! After being struck by a sneaky right-hook to the body, Scarlett has fallen to his knees.

          And… the round is over! Talk about saved by the bell.

_Chuck Savory:

          I don’t know, Arn. Seeing Scarlett hunched-over while hobbling back to his corner, makes me wonder if thirty-seconds will be adequate for the champ to recover.

 

Fighter

              What did they expect me to do? Was I supposed to just rollover, show him my belly? I’ve worked far too hard to let that little-pissant get all the glory. I’ve sacrificed everything for this; my friends, my family, my health! Did he really think that I would just let him take it from me!? I’d die before I let that happen. He should have been prepared to do the same.

 

Round 9 Commentary

_Chuck Savory:

          I’m beginning to fear for the safety of our fighters. Although both men have sustained an egregious degree of   punishment, it’s plainly evident that neither man is willing to backdown. With each punch landed blood splatters across the mat, painting the canvas like a crime-scene.

_Arnold Palmer:

          The safety of our fighters is paramount. In all fairness Chuck, that’s why the ringside-physician has called for a temporary-halt to the action. He needs to make      sure that the laceration above Ronny’s right-eye, isn’t    impeding his vision. Unfortunately, for Ronny, this pause  has given Scarlett’s corner adequate time to address what   appears to be a broken-nose.

          I for one, think that it would be a shame to see a magnificent-bout, such as this, come to an anti-climactic end. But, if the doc says it’s over, it’s over. Given all of the blood, sweat, and tears shed to get where they are; a short-changed technical-victory, would be bittersweet to say the least.  

 

Fighter

She’s mine!

Dream...is mine!

(Sobbing)

I couldn’t stop.

Why didn’t anybody stop me?

 

Round 10 Commentary

_Arnold Palmer:

          The crowd is going wild, Chuck. It would appear our  newcomer, Ronny Crimson, has won their approval. Just listen to the chants; “Crimson, Crimson, Crimson!” In this  moment, I can guarantee that him and his cornermen are brimming with pride.

_Chuck Savory:

          Due to his bloody-smile, as well as the sudden surge of fancy-footwork, I’m compelled to agree with you. Honestly, it’s amazing that he still has this much left in the tank.

          Oop... a hard-left thrown by Scarlett puts a swift-end to Ronny’s showboating, causing him to clinch.  Like my daddy once said, “swallow your pride, or the truth will swallow it for you.”

_Arnold Palmer:

          Before the ref can separate the two, Scarlett breaks-free. It seems to me that the champ has found another gear.

_Chuck Savory:

           Ooh! With two solid-jabs pinning Crimson in place, Scarlett then lands a vicious-uppercut. The punch leaves Ronny reeling. Having stumbled into the corner, he now braces for dear-life; Scarlett, right on top of him, hammering through his guard. If Crimson doesn’t return fire immediately, the ref is going to call it.

_Arnold Palmer:

          What fight is the Ref watching? It’s clearly over. The ropes are all that’s holding Ronny up. His trainer needs to do something.

          Why isn’t the trainer doing anything!?    

          (screams from ringside) “throw the towel!”

 

Fighter

               In the ring I wanted to kill him, but… he wasn’t supposed to die. As I now stand here bloodied, Dream’s desirous-gaze bores holes through my soul. Given the circumstance, I can’t help but to glean villainy.

     If this is the price of her love, I want a divorce.