It was 7am the next morning. Ethan was stood in the shower. He should be pumped. Adrenaline should be flowing but all he felt was down. All because he had turned down a chance to see Lexi. Tell you what Ethan if you win go and see her. Anything less than 1st and your not! He felt the weight lift from his shoulders and legs and a rush of heat through his body. He smiled and dried off. Pulled on his tracksuit bottoms and a white t-short he was soon on his toes moving swiftly from the hallway into the kitchen. Running through moves in his head. Grabbed a slice of toast and saw Alice watching him.

"Tell Lex I'm sorry ok?" he said and took a bite of his toast. "This has been planned for weeks."

"Ok, I just sorta thought that family might mean abit more to you. Might be slightly more important."

"Has it even occurred to you to support me in what I'm doing?" he snapped.

"Which is?"

"Nothing too important. Not enough for my families support! I'll see you later!"

He grabbed his bag off the table and walked outside. She noticed a flyer that had fallen out of his bag.

Johannesburg Boxing tournament.

Amateur and Professional Levels - Final.

She made her way towards the front of the house.

"Ethan." he already climbed in the car and drove off.

"Good luck son." she said as the car disappeared.

(X)

Ethan was sparring with Thabo. He was wearing gloves and Thabo wore the hand targets. Ethan jabbed and danced around.

"Your dropping your fists mate, keep your elbows close too!"

Ethan shook his head. "Right grab some gloves Thabo!"

Thabo did. "Spar with me." Ethan dropped his fists for the third time.

"Dammit!" he yelled pulled his gloves off and flung them on the floor. Put his face in his hands.

"We all feel this way our first final." Thabo told him. "You'll be fine when your in the ring."

"It's not that it's Lexi. She wants to see me and I said no. I was fine then she does this to me. It's like she freaking knew!"

They were in the changing room.

"C'mon mate. You gotta focus. You know Sid only put up your name for a laugh. Watch the cocky white kid get knocked off his perch. He never expected you to get this far. I mean all the way to the final!" Thabo told him. "And you've got an advantage too. You use each fist equally well."

"When's your fight?"

"An hour. Don't worry I'll leave the ring all nice and clean with no blood to clean up!"

Ethan smiled. "C'mon then warm up. Spar with me!"

(X)

Thabo won his fight easily he played his opponent abit. For entertainment purposes. Kept tapping his head. Then he was turn him and tap his back or bum. The other boxer was outta his mind. Then Thabo went in for the kill. It had all been too easy for him if Ethan was being honest. Now he was supposed to be in the ring in 30 minutes and he couldn't focus. His phone rang in his pocket. Alice. He disconnected. He had to focus not argue. Then he got a text.

I rang the place where your fight is. Good luck son. Not that you need it. You do just fine. Love Alice Danny Lex, Dee Jay Nan Ell, Missy, Shauna, James Charlie and last but not least Cathy x

O great that made his focus worse. He appreciated the thought but this did his head in. Knowing they were all there and he wasn't! he turned his phone off and put it in his locker. Plugged his Ipod in his ear and pressed play. Let the music wash over him. It didn't matter what song he just needed to blank his mind.

"Eth it's time!" Sid popped his head in. "Remember what I said this kid is good. Dodge his right coz it just destroys. At the same time use your left on him but alternate. It'll confuse him!"

Ethan nodded and pulled his gloves on. He wore shorts with Sid's gym emblazoned all over them. Best way to drum up business when he's getting his face smashed in!

Ethan stood in the ring in his corner. Got his first look at his opponent.

O god I'm dead! He's freaking massive he thought. His mouth gaped slightly. Is it too late to run? He wondered.

"You gonna go and order my coffin?" he whispered to Thabo.

"Na you'll kill him. He's not even that big." Ethan looked at him. "Joking aside Eth mate I do not envy you. I mean your 6 foot and he stands a good head over you! And those arms!" he whistled.

"Not helping Thabo!" he hissed.

"You ever see Rocky 4?"

Ethan nodded.

"Dolph Lungren played Ivan Drago." Thabo said.

Ethan nodded again.

"Looks abit like him. But with brown hair. O and the skin tone is all wrong too. Good luck mate your gonna need it!"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence."

He walked up to Drago as Thabo called him. They met in the middle of the ring.

"I will break you!" Drago said.

That was abit full on wasn't it? I mean c'mon it's just not that serious!

Ethan smiled cockily. "Bring it on pussy cat!"

Drago's eyes narrowed.

"Meow!" Ethan said as he walked away. He was completely focused now. Went to his corner and beat his gloves together. The bell went

Ethan skirted around the ring. Each fighter getting used to each other. Both got in an equal amount of jabs. Round 2 was a different matter. He dominated Drago. Got in a couple of hard punches. Ethan really felt like he had a chance after that round. The punches had got harder. The bell went for the end of the second was sat in his corner. Thabo told him Drago had a habit of dropping his left hand slightly when he went in for the powerful right. He had dodged a few of them. Felt air whoosh passed him.

"Watch for the dropping mate and then pop him on the jaw." Ethan nodded.

"Your doing really well. With your alternating he doesn't know what to expect. Problem is it's making him angry!"

Ethan decided to stroke it and mouthed Meow. It took 3 people to restrain him. He then danced in his seat grinning cockily.

"Keep moving. He's tiring!" Ethan nodded continuously.

Ethan's stood up and the bell rang again. Both boxers got in far more punches. Although Ethan actually landed more. Until he heard a voice which sounded suspiciously like Lexi's call his name. He froze coz it was so clear. His fists dropped.

Then he hear Thabo shout no Ethan! About a second before he felt a fist or sledgehammer hit the side of his head. Followed by a left. God his head felt like it had been hit by a truck. Carrying another 20 trucks which hit him one by one. He stumbled back onto the ropes but didn't fall. He was dis-orientated though the boxer was frowning, not liking he stayed on his feet. He saw the boxer wind up the right again when thankfully the bell rang. Ethan stumbled groggily over to his corner.

"Ethan?" Thabo asked. He looked like he was wobbling.

"Stand still Thabo!" Ethan answered.

"I'm not moving!" Thabo replied.

"What the hell just hit me?" Ethan asked.

"His fist!" Thabo told him squirting water in his mouth. Ethan spat it in the bucket.

"His fist? It felt like I had been hit by a tonne of bricks!"

"How are you Eth?"

"Well I'm seeing 3 of everything, including him. That punch really got me Thabo!" he admitted.

"Aim for the one in the middle!" Thabo told him. "He's getting tired Ethan remember watch for the left drop."

Ethan had an idea. If it didn't kill him. It would work.

He jumped up. Shook his head trying to clear his vision. The bell rang.

Ethan jumped around the ring.

"Hey Drago." he got in a punch. "Meow."

His opponent tried a hard right. Ethan dodged.

"Ha ha meow!"

Another hard right. Another dodge.

His opponent was tired. The hard rights used a lot of energy.

"This is too easy pussy cat. Meow. Or should I say kitten?"

Ethan saw rage contort his features and his left fist dropped. Ethan didn't quite dodge as well this time though. He swung as hard as he could. Both punches connected well. Both fighters fell back to the mat. Breathing heavily hearing bells ringing in his ears.

"3"

Wait they were doing the 10 count for KO. He had to get up. His visit to Lexi depended on it! He started ordering his limbs to move. His legs obeyed.

"5"

He rolled so he was on his knees.

"7"

His feet rested on the floor.

"8"

Pushed himself to standing.

"9"

He wobbled but stayed up somehow.

The bell rang and he was declared winner.

"And Ethan Bell of Sid's Gym is the winner!"

He exhaled a breath. Thabo came over and shook his hand.

"Well done man! I didn't think you had it in you!" Thabo looked at his opponent. "Seriously I didn't!"

"Thanks mate!"

The judges came and gave him the check. Which was the equivalent of £1500 in English money. His first place trophy and an assortment of Polaroid pictures.

He was in the changing room and the doctor walked in.

"Hey." a blond woman said. She had a nice smile. Warm friendly. "You just fought right?"

"And won!" he said cockily and smiled back.

"You won the other guy I just checked?"

"Yeah! What?" he asked at her incredulous expression. "Look at me. No one can beat this!"

She came over. Shined a light in his eyes. And his reflexes. "Any dizziness, blurred vision, nausea. Headaches?"

"You being funny about the headaches?" he asked.

"Ok then strike that!"

"I had blurred vision but it's gone now."

She nodded. Finished checking him over.

"Well you look fine. No signs of obvious injury or trauma. Concussion is still a problem though." she handed him a card. "If you have any of those symptoms go straight to hospital."

He nodded. "Thank you."

The doctor left so he went in the shower. The hot spray helped. God he needed some aspirin. He felt like truck had ran over his face. Repeatedly.

He towelled off and pulled on his jeans and a shirt. He didn't really care he was going to see Lexi.

He saw Thabo waiting outside. "Can you give me a lift to hospital? I need to make a stop first though!"

A/N go ethan go ethan go ethan lol me thinks this boxin jst mite go sumwhere :) hope ur enjoyin x