Chapter 42: Tommy vs Andre Johnson I
Andre Johnson immediately fired a lightning-fast jab straight at Tommy’s face...
Tommy’s head snapped back just enough. The punch whistled past his nose, missing by few centimeters. His heart hammered against his ribs like a caged animal trying to escape. The bright lights overhead felt too hot, too close.
His breathing stayed controlled despite the adrenaline surge that flooded his system like ice water. His vision felt sharp, tracking Andre’s movements, but everything looked too bright, too intense. This wasn’t the gym anymore.
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From the staging area, Javier’s hands gripped the ropes white-knuckled. His system window flickered: [ANALYZING OPPONENT TECHNIQUE...]
His chest tightened watching his friend step into real competition. Real punches. Real consequences.
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"Good! Stay calm! Box smart!" Danny’s voice cut through the crowd noise, but it sounded distant, muffled by Tommy’s own heartbeat thundering in his ears.
Tommy fired back instantly with his own jab, catching Andre clean on the forehead of his headgear. The impact sent a shock up his arm - harder than any bag he’d ever hit. The crowd’s roar crashed over him like a wave.
The Marcus Garvey section exploded: "TOMMY!" Kevin jumped on his chair, nearly dropping his homemade sign. Dr. Vasquez clutched her purse, her knuckles white as bone. Tommy heard his name echoing from every direction.