“The jab is the most basic punch in boxing, but it is the fundamental punch that sets up everything else crucial to win the fight. Establishes the rhythm, sets up combinations and helps gauge the distance from your opponent.” A tall, fit, enthusiastic onlooking female with dark-skin and curly hair watching the fight ringside explained this to his companion. Ivory takes note of some snippets of the conversation. Hoping that she could understand the nuances in this fight a bit more, her eyes locked at the actions of both pugilists inside the ring.
As Mango clearly shows her frustration, off-rhythm she randomly throws a quick counter from her rear hand, a counter right straight. What seemed like a punch out of nowhere to most was like a slow-motion punch for the green-suited boxer, as she smiled and weaved her head to the right avoiding the punch. As Gale tries to reply with a punch, Ivory couldn’t help but clench her fist on the side. “There.” She thought.
“Ding!” the bell rings. The referee separates the fighters. As it rings, Ivory snaps out from a trance-like state. Realizing that she had a conversation with Sky, she turns back to him.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to go all silent back there. How rude of me.” She apologized to Sky as the guy started chuckling.
“Why are you laughing?” she asked.
“You were so into it that you were clenching your fists there. You seemed like you wanted to fight as well. Is it really your first time watching a fight?”
Embarrassed. Ivory turned a bit red. “Yeah.” Trying to dodge the idea of her getting riled up from a fight, she tried to change the topic, “Your sister is doing well, it seems. Her opponent could not land a punch on her.”
With a poignant, serious undertone Sky replies, “Yeah… she’s always had great reaction time.”
Before Ivory could point out the slight difference in tonality, the bell rings again, a new round starts anew. Continuing with the trend the previous round, Gale showers her opponent with a barrage of punches. As she gracefully moves around the ring, finding space to land punches from afar, Mango could not find her range. She swings wide as she looks for the punch that can swing the fight back to her favor.
“Looks like the veteran is looking like an amateur in this fight.” A fan can be heard with a snarky remark.
Feeling cornered and overhearing this, Mango lunged upon her opponent and clinched with her, she managed to grab below the arms of Gale. This allowed her to slightly shove Gale’s arms upwards and generate enough space to land several body shots to Gale’s left flank that caused some damage during the clinch.
Ivory thought out loud, “Hey! Isn’t that unfair!?”
The lady that was explaining facts earlier heard this and turned towards her, “Not if the referee sees it. She purposely did it out the referee’s line of vision. A veteran move.”
She turns back and watches the fight and added, “I think Gale’s prepared for it, she’s smiling.” As the referee separates them, you can see Gale still smiling despite that dirty move.
Ivory turns to the ring and sees Gale still smiling despite some slight bruises starting to form on her side.
As the fight continued, it was the same story. The only way that Mango was able to land a punch on Gale was doing it from close range or clinching. It would not take any scientist to figure out that Mango, the veteran, was losing this fight. With her face starting to swell and breathing heavily, she looked desperate.
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Her coach, visibly angry and frustrated, “You need to win this damn fight! This is the last round the only way you could win is to knock her out!”
As the coach tries to put in her orange mouthpiece, “We can’t have the GFBC re-assess your FTL division status.”
Mango, with a serious look as she prepares for the final round, nods back to her coach with a slam both her gloves with each other.
In the other corner, Gale, was being scolded by her trainer, a male trainer with a determined aura, “You were being careless…”
Gale, smiling back at her coach, “Is it okay if I do it this round?”
The coach defeated by the enthusiasm of Gale says, “Okay but use your left hand, okay?”
Gale puts back on her mouthpiece as she pushes it back on her mouth and says, “We’ll see.”
The coach replied, “Ugh. Just finish the job and let’s go to the GFBC.”
“Copy.” Then she stands and eagerly waits for the bell to ring.
“DING!” as the bell rings. Mango was ready to take the initiative until-
Like what felt like strong winds blowing towards Mango. Gale rushes towards Mango. “Let’s go up a gear.” She thought.
The fans in the small arena erupted. As they figured what this was.
“UPSHIFT!” the commentator exclaimed, “That’s her trademark move that stormed her through the non-GFBC circuit.”
Mango, clenches her mouthguard with frustration. “I’m not losing my FTL status!” as she tries to meet Gale in the middle of the ring. As she approached her head on, she found herself looking at the audience as her head snapped sideways. As her mouthpiece tries to slip out her mouth, she desperately tries to hold it in as a barrage of punches landed squarely to her face. Not even being able to process the situation she desperately tries to up her guard.
“No! Don’t retreat!” her coach tries to yell from her corner. It was to no avail. Gale has gone up to another gear, landing blows after blow. Smiling and enjoying her handiwork. However, her corner was not having it, as she shook his head and placing his hand in a facepalm he whispered, “She used the right.”
Gale was using a barrage of right hands that was from behind her body to throw a plethora of blows to Mango. A mix of straights, hooks, and uppercuts that came one after the other met the face of the poor veteran who could only guard as she was being overwhelmed.
Ivory was in awe as the image of Gale, smiling and dominating the fight burned in her memory. A one-sided fight with one fighter enjoying herself throughout the fight. The bell rang and as the barrage stopped, the crowd started clapping and cheering as Gale waves both her hands signaling her clear victory as the veteran hung her head low in defeat as she goes back towards her corner.
Gale goes back to her corner and embraces his trainer. He remarked with a sigh, “That was pretty reckless.”
“Hehe sorry. At least we won right?” She replied.
“Wait until the judges officially announce it.” As he takes out the gloves from her fist. They await the announcement. As Mango with her a towel around her head visibly distraught the announcer announced the scorecards.”
“With all three judges scoring this card, 40-36. The winner by Unanimous decision, Gale Greenwind!”
New Record: 7 wins (2 KO) – 0 losses – 0 draws
As the crowd once again erupts and joy overcomes their corner, Gale approaches Mango and hugs her and thanks her for the fight along with her corner. She was met with a slightly resentful and hesitant vibe however, out of sportsmanship, Mango also thanks her and shows a bittersweet smile. As she goes back to her corner, he sees a man in a suit talking to his coach. As she reaches the corner, she is met by these words.
“Congratulations! On behalf of the Global Female Boxing Championship. You’re in!”
- Paulo M. Fortes:
- Allen Gacias: