Chapter 35: Surviving the Storm
The bell for round two rang loud through the gym. Javier pushed himself up, legs shaking like a newborn calf. His chest felt tight, each breath burning his lungs like he’d been running for miles.
The headgear pressed heavy against his skull, making everything sound muffled and distant. Sweat dripped inside the leather padding, stinging his eyes and mixing with the metallic taste of his own blood.
Danny leaned close, his weathered face serious. "Remember what we practiced. Stick and move. Don’t get drawn into his fight. You hear me?"
Behind Danny, Tommy tried to sit up straighter on the bench. The ice pack slipped from his swollen face, revealing a black eye that looked worse under the harsh gym lights. "Box him, Javi... stay smart..."
His words came out thick and slurred, but his eyes burned with something fierce. Something that said he was still fighting, even sitting down.
Javier nodded, trying to shake the fog from his head. The taste of blood in his mouth was stronger now. His mouthguard felt loose against his teeth.
Antoine bounced to the center, 16-ounce gloves held high in perfect amateur form. His chest protector gleamed white under the lights, barely a scuff mark on it. He looked fresh as round one, like he’d been taking a casual stroll instead of boxing.
The contrast was brutal. Where Javier’s gear was already stained with sweat and blood, Antoine looked like he’d just stepped out of a boxing magazine.
He started with textbook jabs, testing Javier’s reactions. Each punch snapped out quick and clean, perfect form that made the watching trainers nod with approval. Perfect timing, perfect technique.
Javier tried to circle left, using his feet like Miguel had drilled into him during countless training sessions. But Antoine’s footwork was polished smooth as glass. Each step cut angles with precision, herding Javier toward the corner like a sheepdog working livestock.
The crowd pressed closer to the ring, sensing something building. Voices mixed together into a wall of sound that made Javier’s headgear feel even heavier.
[ROUND 2 INITIATED]