Chapter 20: Jamal vs Tommy III
Jamal still pressed forward - his nature - but the explosive bursts were gone. Now he threw in clusters of two or three before backing off to breathe.
Tommy found his second wind. Or maybe his third. He circled with purpose now, keeping distance, flicking his jab whenever Jamal got close.
The gym went quiet immediately. People sensed they were watching something special. The final act of war.
Tommy’s jab was beautiful now. Snap, snap, snap. Each one caught Jamal clean on headgear and jerked his head back. No power behind them, but perfect timing. Textbook scoring punches.
The judges leaned forward, watching every exchange.
Jamal tried answering with heavy artillery - those looping hooks that had caused damage earlier. But Tommy wasn’t there anymore. He slipped left, ducked right, made Jamal punch shadows.
"That’s it, Tommy!" Miguel shouted. "Box him!"
Still, Jamal was stronger. When he connected, it mattered. A straight right caught Tommy high on the shoulder and spun him.
Tommy staggered two steps, found his balance, immediately got back on his toes. No quit in him, and not tonight.
The clock ticked down. One minute. Forty-five seconds. Thirty.
Both boys knew what had to happen next.
They looked at each other across the ring. Some unspoken agreement passed between them. Time to empty the tanks.