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....

I got to the hospital and Jimmy was waiting for me with tears in his eyes. 'I only left her for a second Danny….' he said. 'Where is she Jimmy ?' I pleaded The DR appeared and started talking in medical terms… 'Just tell me she's going to be alright Doc…' He put his hand on my shoulder and said 'We've done all we can Danny she's got no more than an hour left'. 'Take me to her' I whispered. I walked into her room and flinched when I saw her. My angel was barely recognizable. 'Daddy' she whispered… 'are you still mad at me ?' I held her head gently in my arms and kissed her gently on the forehead. I fought back tears and told her 'No Angel. Daddy was wrong to shout I never meant it' She smiled… 'What's going to happen now Daddy'. 'You're going to have a long sleep Angel and go to see mummy for a while' As the clock on the wall beeped out 9 she slipped away.
It was 6 months until I got back to the gym and prepared for a comeback fight. I'd told the press that I wouldn't answer any questions on my daughters accident. How could I when I blamed myself for her death. One reporter just kept pushing and pushing asking me over and over how I had been affected and eventually I snapped and slapped him hard across the face. The press had a field day and the boxing authorities were equally unsympathetic handing me a $50000 fine and revoking my license for a year.
Now I was back and after 4 successful comeback fights had been signed to fight the champ. I was expected to lose but I didn't care, the money was good and after I'd been beaten up I'd retire and spend the rest of my life s hiding in a bottle of whiskey. Then the press attention turned to me. Jimmy my coach squeezed my arm - he knew where the questions would head…. They asked me if I felt the lay off would affect my chance's in the fight. No I lied. I said I felt fresh and the unexpected shot at the title was what I needed to bring the best out of me. The best out of me I repeated inside… I deserved nothing. A few more polite questions and then they hit me with it. 'How do you feel about fighting on the 3rd anniversary of your daughter’s death and will winning the title ease some of the pain of your loss?‘ My head felt like it would explode and I felt the anger swell up inside me… I knew Jimmy felt it too he was squeezing my arm much harder. I screamed at him 'Nothing can replace the loss of my little girl' I refused any more questions and stormed out.
On fight night in the dressing room I asked God for the same favour I asked for before every fight…. If you can spare my angel for an hour I could sure use her in my corner.
The first 3 rounds were easier than I expected and close. The champ was feeling me out, checking my strengths and clinically recording my weaknesses. He smiled at me at the end of the 3rd round pleased with what he'd seen. The next 6 rounds were brutal. He was setting everything up with the southpaw jab and I could see the openings but something stopped me fighting back at 100%. He's started to throw power shots to my body which now screamed for mercy every time he connected. My left eye was cut and swelling from the constant peppering of his jab. I welcomed it - it was what I deserved for letting my Angel down on the night she died.
I went back to my corner at the end of the 9th round dejected and feeling all was lost. I looked at Jimmy and my eyes betrayed my feelings. He spoke 'Danny listen to me…. we're 6 rounds behind with 3 left. I know something died inside when you lost Becky and I know you blame yourself but if she were here and saw what was happening it would break her heart. I blamed myself for leaving her in the car but damn it Danny it was an accident and no one is too blame. I swear if you don't start fighting I'll throw in the towel and walk away forever'. The bell sounded and I walked out for the 10th round ready to pay some more penance.
About 30 seconds into the round the Champ hit me with a left hook to my body and as my arm involuntary dropped to protect my now broken rib he doubled up with a left hook which caught me flush. I hit the canvas hard and everything went black. When I opened my eyes the arena was in darkness - there was no one there ! I got to my knees and as I did a light shone in my corner and a voice whispered 'Daddy' and Becky stepped into the light… B.B.Becky.. my Angel. I thanked God that I was dead and could finally be with my little girl again. 'Daddy' she said 'It's not your time to sleep yet. It was my time that night I was in the car… we all have a time you see and nothing anyone does can change that. That was my time but this is not yours. I love you Daddy and I don't want to see you hurting anymore. You have your Angel in the corner now Daddy so go back and don't blame yourself anymore'. Then she started counting 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, , and then darkness and I heard the noise of the arena and the referee saying 7.
I clambered to my feet. The ref looked at me and asked me where I was and what round it was, I told him and he waved the fight on. I stood looking at my corner for a few seconds as the Champ came towards me. He threw the southpaw jab and I blocked it with my right glove and countered with a jab of my own that landed flush. I gave him a little smile and the look of utter confusion on his face amused me. I continued countering the jab and blocking his body shots until my head cleared. In the last 10 seconds of the round I moved forward and landed two solid jabs followed by a haymaker of a right hand that caught him on the point of the chin. His legs betrayed him doing a silly dance but he some how stayed up right and clinched to the bell.
I went back to the corner and Jimmy screamed at me 'DANNY at last that's what I wanted from you'. 'She's here in my corner Jimmy' I said calmly. Jimmy looked at me 'Who is Danny ?' 'Becky my Angel… she's in my corner' I repeated. Now Jimmy looked worried. 'Danny are you okay, should I stop the fight ? he said assuming I was concussed. 'No Jimmy' I assured him 'things are clear now, no one is to blame and I'm through with punishing myself. I don't think I can win this fight but I'm going to give this guy hell for the next 6 minutes' I jumped to my feet and almost ran to the centre of the ring as the ref held me back.
The champ came out and his eyes were clear. The minutes rest had been enough for him to recover and he looked confident again but not for long. I attacked him with a frenzy for the first two minutes of the round and in the last minute he clinched, ran, complained to the ref and did everything he could to try and keep me off him the look of confusion returning to his face every time I winked over at my Angel in the corner. The 11th round was over and I returned to my corner. Jimmy poured virtually a full bucket of water over me and said 'Danny you've got this guy… you've got him !!!' I smiled and kissed Jimmy on the cheek. The 12th round started and I met the champ in the centre of the ring. We hugged - the respect you gain for your opponent in a fight can not be explained but it is of the most genuine kind.
The ref shouted fight and we went at it toe to toe. He caught me to the rib and the pain almost forced me to my knees but the thought of Becky kept me up and as he went to follow up I caught him with an uppercut that broke his nose. He staggered backwards and hit the floor heavily. He got to his feet at 8 and a half and the ref waved the fight on. I had him and we both knew it. He tried to cover up but I was literally like a man possessed and caught min with three left hooks to the body and then a final right uppercut sent him to sleep before his head hit the canvas. The ref started to count 1…. 2….. 3….. 4….. 5….. 6….. 7….. 8…. 9…………… and then the final bell rang. Utter confusion followed and it felt like the whole arena jumped into the ring.
After several minutes when security had managed to clear the ring and the Champ had been brought back from unconsciousness the referee announced that he had won a unanimous points decision. The sounding of the final bell had ended the fight and even though the Champ was asleep he'd won the fight. Pandemonium broke out in the ring with both sets of corner men and hangers on pushing and screaming arguing about the result. I made my way quietly to my corner knelt down and kissed the centre of the turnbuckle. 'Thank you Angel. I miss you. I love you and we'll get this guy next time I promise'. The rematch was made 7 months later. I knocked out the Champ in a one sided fight in round 5. I'd kept my promise…

I'd appreciate any constructive comments guys.....