The Angel in my Corner
I squinted as the flashbulbs exploded into life. The Champ had walked in and suddenly the room was alive. The champ provided good copy and charmed his way though most of the questions fired at him or dodged the ones he didn't want to take. Much like he'd done with the 37 straight opponents he'd beaten.
I'd never had much to do with the press before and that suited me. They had intruded into my life once before and my response had got my license suspended.
You see I had been blessed with a beautiful daughter my Angel I called her - her mother died of cancer three years after she was born and I had to be both father and mother. It wasn't easy - I'd been a pro fighter for 3 years and was starting to make a name for myself at a local level but money was tight. We forged an unbreakable bond.
Becky my little girl would often come to the gym after school because I couldn't afford to pay for a child minder. She loved it ! She would sit next to the corner while I was sparring shouting instructions to me. I asked her once if she was ever afraid that her daddy would get hurt and she said you can't get hurt with your Angel in the corner…
I'd been given a fight on a big fight under card this was my chance to make our lives better. My sparring on this particular day had gone badly - I was sparring with a southpaw in preparation for my opponent and had been getting hit all night with the southpaw jab. My head was throbbing with the punches and the pressure of needing to win this up and coming fight. Becky was messing around and had knocked over my bag. I lost my cool for a moment and shouted at her - the look on her face made me instantly regret it. She ran to Jimmy my coach - he treated her like a granddaughter - and asked him to take her home. I nodded to Jimmy - I could use the extra time to watch some more films of my opponent.
An hour went by when the phone rang. I had a sudden feeling of dread. Jimmy was on the phone his voice shaking as he spoke. He'd called at convenience store to get Becky some ice cream and left her in the car while he went to get it. A drunk driver had come round the corner and ploughed into the back of the car…. Becky was in the operating theatre…. I dropped the phone grabbed my car keys and rushed to my car....
'To speak with his equal and irish man is forced to talk with God...'
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