Chapter 9: First Big Win
Ding! Ding! Ding!
The first round began slow. They circled, trading feints, but never committed.
If he was being honest, it felt more like a warm-up than a real fight.
But by the second round, the champion began to take some of of the momentum little by little.
It was still anyone’s fight, though, until the fifth round.
The challenger slipped and fell. It wasn’t really a knockout. Even so, it shook his confidence.
By the sixth round, the challenger appeared off balance, moving slower and throwing weaker punches.
The champion noticed and started pressing harder.
As the seventh round started, the crowd was on edge, sensing that the end was near.
The champion’s fists were like sledgehammers, and every hit looked like it could end the fight.
Then it happened.