Chapter. 33

It was Wednesday afternoon as class was drawing closer to ending Vincent received a message from Catherine. Vincent deleted it but was given another one, he deleted it but then another appeared. Vincent deleted it then blocked Catherine as he went back to his work.

Catherine took a pen from her bag and tossed it at Vincent who ignored it. "Vinny. Vinny, I'm talking to you."

As soon as the bell rang Vincent grabbed his bag and walked to Lyle. "Hey Lyle, you got plans for today?"

"Yes, I have boxing practice today."

"You do boxing? That's cool, mind if I come and see? Fencing doesn't have practice today."

"Very well." Lyle opened the door and the two walked out.

Catherine took a long breath then began typing out more messages.

"You said fencing?" Asked Lyle.

"Yeah why?

"You know someone named Peter?"

"Yeah he's the captain. You want to-"

"No." Lyle ended to conversation and kept walking. After walking down the halls they arrived outside the sports clubs, when reached the door to the boxing club Lyle stopped and then stood by it.

"What are we waiting for?"

"Lyle!" Corina shouted running down the hall with Rebecca. "Ready to go?" Lyle nodded as he slide the door open.

"You're in boxing too?" Asked Vincent.

"No, I'm in photography. I like to come by and watch my Lyle fight."

"You too?" Vincent asked Rebecca.

"Corina wanted me to come with her. To see other clubs since I'm not in one."

"Sounds good." Everyone walked inside the gym, Vincent searched the wide area to see heavy punching bags, speed bags, weight lifts, and a boxing ring in the center.

Vincent, Rebecca, Corina took their seats on the benches while Lyle went to the locker room. Lyle returned now dressed in looser clothing with a pair of black boxing gloves and headgear on. Rebecca noticed Corina waving her finger back and forth. "Are you okay?"

"Just taking some photos. I need some new materiel for testing my filters. Oh check them out!" Corina took a cord out of her shoulder bag, connecting it to Rebecca's linker. "These are the photos I took on the way to school today. Then there's the one I left alone to the ones with filters." Corina started rambling.

Vincent watched the club members train until the coach shouted for everyone to gather around him. With the club's attention the coach told them who they'd be fighting against. "Lyle and Sammy. You two are the first one."

Lyle glanced to another club member, they were a foot shorter then him and punched his fists together. "The tower falls today." Lyle and Sammy climbed into the ring with the coach. Sammy got out his fist, Lyle lightly hit them down then the two took a step back.

Sammy bobbed side to side with his fist up, Lyle kept his fist low as he stayed where he was, watching Sammy. After a Few seconds threw a punch aimed for Lyle's face. Lyle dodged the punch and delivered one to Sammy's ribs then followed with one to his head. Sammy staggered back while guarding his chest and face, when Sammy lowered his fist he saw Lyle hadn't moved. Sammy ran at Lyle and jumped at him to trying punching him in the face again. Lyle sidestepped to let he pass the punched him in the back of the head.

Sammy stumbled into the ropes, he pushed himself off of them then rushed at Lyle with a hard jab to the chest Lyle held out a hand to absorb to impact as he took the hit then struke with an uppercut, knocking Sammy onto his back.

"As good as ever Lyle." commented the coach. Lyle took of a glove and held his hand to pull Sammy up to his feet. Sammy patted Lyle's arm and the two climbed out of the ring. Lye took off his gear and joined his friends.

"That was great!" Corina jumped up to hug Lyle.

"It was nothing."

"You didn't really move up there." Commented Vincent.

"I didn't need to." Lyle took a seat next Vincent. "Boxing is a great workout, perhaps the most challenging of all sports. It requires speed, agility, finesse, power, endurance, and mental toughness. Boxing pushes you like no other, pitting the finest and highest level athletes against each other. It's a science but at the same time also a raw and brutal sport."

"I can see that. It's all about using your whole body."

"Yes. More importantly boxing takes you further than you ever thought possible. Boxing makes you more alive than ever, more humble in defeat, and most glorious in victory. Boxing reveals the true fighter deep inside every single one of us. Not to say fencing is a bad or lesser sport."

Rebecca saw Corina's body tighten up. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." Corina sighed. "Come on. Let me show you one of the new subjects I had to do for my club." Corina's voice lost the cheerfulness it held before.

"You mind showing me a few things?" Asked Vincent.

"Sure. How about every these fights?"

"Perfect." Vincent and Lyle fist bumped then watched the rest of the matches. When practice was over Lyle lead Vincent to the locker room, coming back out with a pair of black boxing gloves on.

Lyle patted a heavy bag for Vincent to punch. "The first punch is the jab. since you're left handed you'll lead with you're right because your left is going to be your power punch." Vincent held up is fist with his right out a bit further. "Next, your foot work is important. You want you right foot forward and straight forward. Your back foot will be at an angle." Vincent moved his feet into position. "Don't keep them straight you want a slight bend in the knees to move quickly. Throwing a punch is more then just throwing your fist out, the power from the punch comes from your hips and your legs."

"Like this?" Vincent bent knees a little.

"Stances is good but lower the hands, it'll help you see what's incoming. If you have your hands at the sides of your head you'll be taking punches, it's better to get out of the way then counter punch. Here let me." Lyle lowered Vincent's right fist to cover his chest and his left to cover his stomach. "Now, Jab, the most important punch. It sets things up and it annoys your opponent. Show me a punch."

Vincent jabbed with his right fist, knocking the bag back. Lyle grabbed the bag to stop it from swinging. "Try again but twist it as it go forward, be sure you're far enough to get the full extent of your arm, that's where you'll get the most power. Also snap it, don't push, you want to jab then quickly bring it back." Vincent took a half step back then jabbed the bag again. "Do it a few more times like that."

Vincent punched the bag for a full minute before Lyle stopped him. "Now another reason the jab is important is that it measures things. If you can hit them with the jab or just barely miss them you can hit them with you main arm. It has more reach cause you're turning and leaning into it, giving it more force and more power." Vincent jabbed with right then punched with his left. "No. Don't wait when you left punch, it needs to come as you're pulling your left back. It'll give you more turn and more power in you shot." Vincent jabbed then fallowed with his left.

"Remember, winning fights is about timing, you don't have to be stronger or faster if you have the timing down you'll win. What hurts a fighter is surprise. If you see a shot coming you can dodge or block, but when you don't see it coming your brain shuts down sometimes." Lyle pats the bags. "Now do it again. The one two, it's basic, it's you can hurt people, you can knock them out, and if you miss with the jab you still have the main punch." Vincent threw his punches, this time a bit faster. "As so as you pull that jab back they don't have time to pull back, and if you hit with that jab you got them with the main punch. Now try to double up with the jab."

Vincent did so, even went with three jabs before the follow up with his left. "What else?" Vincent turned to Lyle who was looking at Corina was talking and laughing with Rebecca. "She means a lot to you."

Lyle nods. "Yes."

"Protecting someone precious. I never knew what it really felt like until I met Reby. How did you and Corina meet?"

! #$%^&*()_+}"?:{

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