“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN”, Chad crowed into the dropdown microphone at the center of the Boxing Ring. “In This Corner, The Current Bullworth Boxing Champion, The Leader Of The Preps, The Wise Sage Of Harrington House, The Greaser Destroyer....TAD SPENCER !!!!”
Tad bounded up off his corner stool and danced around, to the cheers of the Preps assembled around his corner at the North-East section of the Ring. The rest of the crowd, which looked to be nearly the rest of the School that was jam-packed into the Glass Jaw, issued hisses and boos, to which Tad blithely ignored as he strutted around.
When the noise subsided, Chad continued, “And, In This Corner, The So-Called Hero Of Bullworth, The All Mighty Mediator, A Greenie In His First-Ever Boxing Match, The Underdog....TONY CALDERONE !!!!”
Cheers, shouts, and whistles broke out as Tony rose from his stool. Not wanting to look unsure, he gave the crowd a fleeting smile as he raised his gloved hands high over his head and touched his Boxing Gloves together. While he realized that Chad’s use of the term ‘Underdog’ was meant to demean him, he also realized it was the truth. As much as he tried to maintain his confidence, he knew he was going to be in for the fight of his life.
The Preps were once again using their Sound System for this fight. Curiously, they had not used it for Tad’s fight with Hal, although there didn’t seem to be any reason why they hadn’t. Tony approached to center of the Ring, where Chad was standing, all done up in a Referee outfit with a black bow-tie. Tad approached confidently from his corner, and the two glared at one another as Chad gave out the instructions.
“All right Gentlemen”, Chad intoned, “Protect yourself at all times, make this a clean fight, don’t hit lower than the belt line.....When I say ‘Break’, I want a clean break.....In the event of a knock-down, you will be directed to go to a neutral corner. Okay, touch gloves and come out fighting at the bell.”
They both were topless, without any headgear, like professional boxers. Tad had on his fancy Boxing shorts with the gold trim, while all Tony could scrounge up was some old Sweat Pants. Tad, with a cruel snarky grin on his face as he mashed his Gloves against Tony’s, said, “You’re going to pay for this, Calderone !! This is all your fault, you and your stinking Agreement !!” With that, Tad turned and danced back towards his corner, while Chad moved away. Tony backed up to his corner was and leaned with his gloved hands on the ropes.
The bell rang to open the first round, and the two fighters approached each other. Over at the scoring table by where the Preps were , Parker Ogilvie was doing the play-by-play with a microphone attached to several speakers about the Gym. Parker did this quite often, and Tony supposed he would retain his neutrality in calling the fight, otherwise a riot would would surly break out. As the round started, the two fighters circled each other. Parker began to call the Round One action.
"Spencer jabs a couple of rights. Calderone is evading the jabs. Slow pace in the first 30 seconds. Calderone tries a hook to the ribs. Spencer evades. Both fighters on the move. Spencer lands a short right to the body, Calderone counters with a shot to the shoulder. Good straight left by Spencer. Now a clinch. Both fighters are not doing much now. But now, both fighters move in and swing. Both are misses. Now Calderone lands a left to the side, now a counter to the chest by Spencer."
The bell rang then to signal the end of the round. Tony went to his corner. Laurent handed Tony some water, which Tony swirled and spit into a bucket.
"Looking good out there, Tony....Keep after him", Laurent said encouragingly. Nick, standing nearby with Melody and Karen, tugged at Laurent and motioned. Laurent understood, and said, “Try for his ribs, where the Greasers hurt him.”
"Oh...Yeah", Tony replied, realizing that Tad couldn’t be completely recovered from the attack as yet, it was probably why he wasn’t being as aggressive as Tony assumed he would be. Either that, or Tad was just playing with him in order to wear him down.
Over in the other corner, Bryce was wiping off Tad. "Kinda started getting to you there towards the end. Better watch that left hook."
"He's moving more than I thought he would", Tad replied. "But I'll get him. Time to show him some real stuff." Tad replaced his mouthguard, and the bell rang for Round Two. Both fighters moved back out into the ring, and Parker resumed the Round Two commentary.
"Spencer charges and opens with a double jab and then a hook to the body. Combination inside by Spencer. Now Calderone evades, stepping back. Spencer follows, trying trying to box Calderone against the ropes. But now, Calderone lands a hook to the ribs. Spencer backs up. Both fighters are on the move now, circling the ring. Now a sudden hook to the body from Spencer. Now Calderone is flicking a jab. Good 1-2 from Spencer. Calderone lands another left hook. Left to the body by Spencer, answered by a left to the body from Calderone. Spencer lands a right. Calderone is backing toward the ropes, covering up. Spencer lands a hard left at the bell."
Both fighters returned to their corners at the sound of the bell. Tony had a small cut on his right temple. Laurent washed the spot, and Tony spit in the bucket. “You are letting him get too close”, Laurent said. “Remember what I showed you with the evade !”
“I’m trying, Dammit !!”, Tony retorted. “He’s just so damn fast.”
“Then, you must be faster”, Laurent told him. “Remember the ribs, keep working on them !”
Over in the other corner, Bryce said, “That was good, you had him on the ropes. Get him a little quicker this time and you can finish him off.”
“I’ll run him into the ground”, Tad sneered. “He’ll get so dizzy, he won’t know which was is up.” The bell sounded for Round Three, and both fighters moved in. Parker resumed his play-by-play.
"Both fighters stalk each other. 30 seconds into the round, no blows thrown yet. Now, Calderone misses a wild left. Spencer lands a good right hook to the head, then a straight left by Calderone. Both fighters on the move again. Another 30 seconds gone by, now they close in again. A flurry of punches from Spencer. Calderone is covering up, blocking the blows. Now Calderone is jabbing occasionally, but it's short ! Lead right from Spencer, but Calderone evades ! Calderone gets in a gut punch and Spencer backs off ! Calderone follows, but Spencer evades ! A flurry of missed blows by both fighters at the bell !”
Both fighters returned to their corners. There was a lot of crowd noise, as the Students felt the tempo pick up near the end of the round. Tony slumped down on his stool. He was a little out of breath as Laurent gave him a drink and wiped him down. “There is a crack in his Armor !”, Laurent declared. “Those punches hurt him !”
“Yeah, but not enough”, Tony said. “He’s tougher than people think. It’s gonna take a whole lot more.”
Over in the other corner, Bryce was telling Tad to land his punches better. “He’s evading too well, you got to get an uppercut in or something. Make him see stars !”
“I’ll make him see the Moon”, Tad responded. “Next time he moves in, I’ll trick him into going high while I go low.”
The bell sounded for round four, and the fighters once again took the ring. Both had determination, and both had speed. However, only one had experience. Parker resumed his commentary.
"Both fighters are wary, circling, circling. Now a flurry of punches from both, but nothing landing consistently. There's a nice left inside by Spencer. Combination to the body and head from Calderone. Spencer gets in a couple of shots, now the two back off. Circling again, circling....Spencer appears to be taunting Calderone. Calderone moves in, throws a roundhouse. Spencer ducks, and lands a right uppercut !! Calderone reels !! Still on his feet, Calderone backs up. Spencer follows, a left to the body, a right to the head. Calderone on the ropes ! Calderone is being punched, left, right, left, right ! He’s Down, He’s Down !! Calderone is down !!”
The blow had caught him under the jaw, stunning him. Tony had stumbled backwards, arms flailing, barely keeping his balance. Tad moved in, throwing another punch, then another. Tony tried to throw his own punch, but his suddenly weighted arms betrayed him. Tad easily evaded Tony’s attempt and sent a blow into his unprotected Stomach, then leveled another punch that connected and Tony fell to the mat. Chad ran over, telling Tad to “Go to your corner”, and then proceeded over to count Tony out. Cries of stunned disbelief surged through the crowd. Tony barely heard the crowd as he fell in what seemed to be slow motion to the mat. Down but not yet knocked out, he managed to hook his arm on the second rope as he fell. Everything seemed at once surreal, as it had been in his dream. And just like his dream, he heard Karen screaming from outside the Ring, “GET UP, TONY, GET UP !!!!”
______________________________________________