Breaking Up, Breaking Down

There had been bouts before and surely there would be bouts after. But in round one, this fight felt like the only one that mattered. It always felt like this.

She feinted with her right and telegraphed the left from a mile away. Still the gut shot caught him by surprise. He couldn't breath. She had taken the most basic thing from him. Six months of training and the fight ended before it began.

He struggled to stand. What had he learned from previous fights? When he got lucky it went to the judges. Unlucky and it was a knock out in the first round. He fleetingly wondered: Who would be his next opponent? Maybe he would just retire.

Was this fight over? Would he stand, only to be humiliated again? Or would he rise, a glorious phoenix? Right now, he just needed to breath.