Story board

By now the amateurs were coming in that school had let out. I stuck around the gym, hoping to get some sparring in, so I could start feeling around for my timing. Beth and I went 8 rounds working the punching mitts, getting right into setting up shots for my opponent Felix Jackson. He had been champion at 154 for three years, and was looking to move up in weight for a HUGE money fight. The three of us, Beth, Ken and me, had been talking about what we'd do if we got to fight him, how we'd approach him. It was interesting, now that the fight essentially fell into our laps.

I didn't think that she could get even more intense, but man, she was certainly 'in character'. "I don't want to waste a moment, Mark(well, what other name COULD you have expected that I'd come up with?!?). You know the basics; we are going to get into what is going to knock this guy out!"

Had already worked on the heavy bag, skip rope, everything. Three of our best kids, two a little bigger than me, fighting open class at 165 lbs. (which means they'll prolly grow into heavyweights) and really sharp senior novice at 147 rotated in to give me a solid 10 rounds of sparring. I was pretty much done, flailing at the double-end bag when Dalton bursts through the door.

"Hey anyone her gonna give me some work?" He was a loud mouth ex-football player who had scratched his way up from Hutchinson JC to play free safety at Kansas. Had a summer in camp with the Chiefs and fought in a few pro/am cards here. He was the BMOC, though in the time I was in the gym, he had to admit I was a 'little' better.

"Why not trying getting here on time, if you want to train Dalton?" Beth countered. "Mark and the kids have already did their sparring and --"

"I got some more left in me, Beth." I interrupted. " I keep four rounds in my back pocket for just an occasion."

She looked surprised at me. "You know he is heavier that you. And he wants to try to run you out." Which was true. He didn't like having to 'share' his place at the podium with me. We didn't spar each other much, but not because of our weight difference. I didn't want to chase him out, by beating the crap out of him. He was big, he was strong, but he played football. In boxing, the cat you hit, is going to hit you back, not try to 'block' you as you smash into him. Dalton didn't understand that yet. He would today.

"Alright then. Dalton go on and change and get warmed up." Then to me, "Ken can work your corner, and I am going to go and work Dalton's, okay?"

"Fine by me." I went to the mirrors to do some shadow boxing with the kids to stay loose. "You guys may want to watch and get your pads out and take notes. I am going to show you how things get done where I AM from."

They smiled. Dalton had been the 'heavy' here, and it was time for someone to let the air out of his balloon.

Was changed, and I could see his smirk as he got loose. He may as well had been 'Dick and Jane', he was so easy to read.

"This" I thought, "is going to be good."