The Champion: The Final Fight
Author
Vio Shed
Reads
112K
Chapters
68
Four-Time Champion of the World
SPORTSCASTER
âThere is Hugo Lawrence, trying to lead the champion to the ropes. Heâs trying to find the perfect opportunity to strike. But Marceloâs defense is impenetrable. Hugo is losing his sanity.
âWe can see in his movements that the failure to connect his punches is making him more desperate by the minute. THE CHAMPION LAUGHS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!!!
âMarcelo has no weak points. He seems invincible. Attention!! Heâs cornering him. This may be the opening Hugo was so looking for to land a right hand.
âOh! Noooo! He lost it. He missed the opportunity, managing only to fan in the face of the champion.
âMarcelo laughs again. Our champion even has the luxury of saying NO to his opponent with the finger! Ladies and gentlemen, our champion has all the confidence in the world.
âBut the challenger does not give up. The number of jabs heâs throwing is surprising. Marcelo dodges all of them, with movements of the waist and knees.
âBut now it is Marcelo who surprises the challenger, making a series of combinations between defense and uppers. OOOOH!!! Hugo Lawrence dodges it. The championâs famous upper, fan in the air.
âThe challenger positions himself on offense again, throwing more jabs and an uppercut. But the champion, as if he saw it in slow motion, dodges them all. This is speed.
âIn all my years as a sportscaster, I had never contemplated this. THE CHAMPION IS A MONSTER, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!!!
âWe are already reaching the end of the ninth round, and neither of the contenders seems weakened. The two of them are standing opposite each other, studying.
âItâs the championâs turn to attack. Heâs looking for a hole, a loop. And he finds it. He connects a rectum to Hugoâs nose, making him take a few steps back.â
RINGGGGGGG!
âThe bell rings, and the opponents retreat to their corresponding corners. The champion is wearing a smile, while the challenger looks worried. In this round, the champion takes ten points, and nine for Hugo Lawrence.
âWe can see the corner of the challenger, as his team is trying to stop the bleeding that the championâs blow gave him when he connected with his nose.
âThe outlook is not good for Hugo. And in Marceloâs corner, our champion hasnât lost his smile.
âHe interacts with the public and blows kisses to a group of fans who are cheering him on from their seats. This man is quite a character.
RINGGGGGGGG!
âThe bell rings. This is the tenth round, and things are not looking even. The challenger is no longer as animated as when he started.
âBut he comes with everything. He lunges at the champion with a series of jabs, AND CONNECTS!! Point for Hugo Lawrence.
âMarcelo protects his side and counterattacks with a powerful hook to the liver and some jabs. The challenger doubles and yet manages to evade more blows from the champion. The two embrace.
âHowever, Marcelo tries to get out of the hold. The referee has to intervene. Apparently, this last blow hurt the opponent quite badly.
âEverything seems to indicate that Marcelo Walker is waiting for the challengerâs defense to completely fade.
âMarcelo is beginning to exert pressure. Heâs cornering him and HITTING TO THE JAW! The challenger loses his balance and falls on the ropes. The referee immediately assists him.
âHugo Lawrence nods his head that heâs okay. The referee starts counting, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. The challenger is in the game again. Marcelo is waiting for him, and JAABBBBBBB!!!
âThat blow sends him to the ground. We can see Hugo Lawrence is trying to lift his head and regain consciousness. The referee is by his side, trying to keep Marcelo away.
âThe referee starts the count: One, two. But we see the challenger trying to join, and it is difficult for him. Three, four. Hugo stands up, but his gaze is unfocused, stunned. Five, six.
âThe challenger stumbles back and FALLS ON HIS BACK. KNOCKOUTTTTTTTT!!!!!! THE CHAMPION, THE CHAMPION, THE CHAMPION!!!!
A flurry of applause and shouts came from the audience. Marcelo Walker, three-time world champion, and now fourth. The only undefeated champion in history.
The entire city of Manchester would be celebrating after he came home as heavyweight champion of the federation.
We approached the champion in the ring with the microphones. We saw that his technical team was celebrating with him, patting him on the back and hugging each other.
The happiness of the whole team was evident. Once again, Marcelo Walker had succeeded.
MARCELO
âChampion Marcelo, please, a few words for your audience.â I turned to look at the sportscaster. He was anxious, pushing the mic in my face.
I took it from his hands and addressed the audience. âHEEEYYYYYY! We did it. You and I. Without my fans, Iâm nothing.â
I turned to look at my coach, who was being congratulated effusively by my entire team. âAnd you, Richard.â I pointed my finger in his direction. He turned to see me and just nodded his head.
âThanks to everyone in general who participated in my training. And my family.â I couldnât stop smiling.
I turned to where she was, in the seat reserved only for her. There she was, always with the biggest smile. Jumping excitedly in the same place, she waved her hand in my direction.
âMy wife, who is the one who puts up with me. Because most of the time, I wake up on the wrong side of the bed. And if I were her, I would have already divorced me. Mandy, I love you.â
I handed the microphone back to the sportscaster. The president of the federation was by my side, with the belt that would return home with me again. He placed it on my waist and raised our hands together.
âFour-time champion MARCELO WALKER.â
Shouts of happiness could be heard around the arena.
I live for this. Iâm the best at what I do, and I want everyone to notice.
I extended my arms up with my fists closed. âGRAAAAAAAAA!â I let out a shout of victory. The auditorium rumbled with theirs.
Finally, my team and I stepped out of the ring, heading to the locker room. As we passed, fans extended their hands to greet me. I did not disappoint them. I said hello to those I could before reaching the end of the hall.
Here it was all in silence. The bustle of the people had been left behind. I only heard laughter and conversations between my team.
âWell done, Marcelo, I knew that Hugo was not a rival for you,â My friend and my coachâs helper, Charles, told me with excitement.
âHe was nothing. Do you know how I feel right now, Charly? As if I were invincible. I have no rival, as I am the best. THE CHAMPIONNNN!â
âThis is my friend, the champion.â Charly patted my back several times.
âEnough, guys.â My coach caught our attention. He pointed his finger at Charly, saying, âYou, stop pumping up Marceloâs ego, which, from what I see, is about to explode.â
Then he turned to me, with that fatherly look. âAnd you, champion, put your feet on the ground, because if you start losing your ground, the wind will take you without direction.
âFocus, and remember what Iâm going to tell you, son. When you stop being afraid, that is when you are most in danger.
âDonât ever trust what you have and what you know, did you hear me? Never. I donât like where your thoughts are going, champion.â
âOkay, okay, coach, we got it, but today, itâs time to enjoy,â Charly said in my defense.
I shook my head and laughed. My coachâs frustrated face was priceless. When I was fifteen, he took me under his wings. I have trained with him for the last fourteen years.
If it hadnât been for him, I would probably be dead by now. He took me off the streets and gave me purpose. Growing up in a city like Manchester is not easy, especially when you have parents like mine.
Shit, thatâs what they were. A couple of teenagers who didnât know how to use a condom, thatâs what my parents were. They were more concerned with growing up than taking care of me. After a couple of years, my father left.
On second thought, I was surprised that it lasted that long. After his departure, I never saw him again. Until four years ago. He probably saw me on TV, as I had won my first championship.
Money started to rain, and fame followed. I never had any hope that he would approach me as a father. Iâm sure he only saw the pound symbol on my face.
And the satisfaction I felt, closing the door in his face, compensated for all those years that I was alone, wandering the streets. Richard made up for all of that. He was the father figure I never had.
A stranger taking care of a child practically abandoned to his fate. At the mercy of the vices of this city.
I owed my life to him, and my family, too, since if it had not been for him, I would not have met my wife, Mandy, my rock.
