Rematch
Johan whistled happily as he walked home from the restaurant. Tommy had managed to get Luisa to agree to going on a date with Johan. It would be the first date of Johan's life, and it was looking like Luisa would be his first girlfriend.
"I am a lucky guy," said Johan smiling happily to himself, "this day just keeps getting better and better."
Johan returned to Slum Gym to find Guang Hoi and Guang Chong sitting on the edge of the ring talking.
Johan hadn't seen Guang Hoi since he dropped Johan off at Slum Gym a month ago.
"Boy," said Guang Hoi standing up upon seeing Johan, "I hear you win fight! Team Guang win! I knew you good!"
Guang Chong smiled and said, "My brother wants to setup a rematch with Beiber, to save face with Chris. Show he wasn't lying about you being from the pit."
Excitement started to stir in Johan's belly. He didn't expect the ability to meet his next strength goal to present itself so soon.
"You scare, yes?," said Guang Hoi, "but no be. I get you good room soon, take care of you instead of you stay in storage. You fight, you live better. Team Guang take care winners."
"You gave Ivan a concussion," said Guang Chong with a smirk, "a 30 kg weight difference and he is still out. Not anyone can do that. You've proven yourself."
Johan went pale and he felt his heart drop upon hearing the news about Ivan. He recalled being told that Ivan was a single father with three children. He wanted to win, but didn't want to ruin three innocent children's lives.
"I heard he had three children," said Johan, "how are they?"
"You no worry," said Guang Hoi, "Ivan gym take care. He have friends. Ivan be okay with doctor help. We get best doctor."
"Ahhh, okay," said Johan feeling relieved.
"You fight Beiber tomorrow," said Guang Hoi, "prove yourself."
"Tomorrow!?," gasped Johan surprised.
"Ya," said Guang Hoi, "no loose you. Winning get you opportunities. You win match today easy, you be good tomorrow."
-- Ø --
Johan slept restlessly that night, however, as uneasy as he was about the last minute notice, he was not willing to give up the opportunity to have a rematch with Beiber. He wanted to know how much he'd improved and wanted to test his strength. Beiber, was the weakest at Chris's gym, and yet Johan recalled Beiber being an amazing fighter.
"Johan wake!," yelled Guang Hoi, "We go to Chris gym for match now!"
"Are you insane, Guang Hoi?," yelled Gracie, "He hasn't even prepared! Chris's gym is a MMA gym who contracts for the army, they aren't run of the mill fighters."
"We go!," said Guang Hoi, "we win. We get money. Johan come!"
"What if Johan gets hurt!?," yelled Gracie.
"He win," said Guang Hoi, "no hurt!"
"Cabrone! You are taking advantage and putting him in a dangerous situation," said Gracie, "He isn't ready!"
"He fight Beiber," said Guang Hoi, "He ready. Beiber never win real match."
"Ahhhh," said Gracie, "its Beiber, he should be alright. But I want to come, I'll stop it if anyone gets out of hand."
"Ya ya!," said Guang Hoi, "You come."
Johan got up and walked out of the storage room to see Gracie and Guang Hoi standing at its entrance.
"Ready?," asked Guang Hoi, "here breakfast."
Guang Hoi tossed Johan a drink bottle and muffin.
"Amigo," said Gracie, "if you don't want to do this you can stay with me. Don't let Guang Hoi make you do anything."
"I'm fine," said Johan, "I want this."
Gracie nodded understandably.
A little while later, Gracie, Johan, Guang Chong and Guang Hoi arrived at Chris's gym. Today the gym was empty, none of the fighters seemed to be training.
Chris came out to greet them.
"Hey boys," said Chris, "Been a while Guang Chong, Gracie, Guang Hoi."
Chris shook Gracie, Guang Chong and Guang Hoi's hand.
"Fight now, yes?," said Guang Hoi.
"Its gonna happen," said Chris.
Chris looked at Johan and said, "I hear from Guang Hoi that you beat Ivan. Ready for a rematch?"
"Yes," said Johan looking around to see if he could find Beiber.
"Alright," said Chris, "stretch and get ready for a rematch. Beiber's improved, he isn't the person you fought before. Know this. But you apparently have improved as well. Plus, you're Guang Hoi's pit prodigy. Don't disappoint me."
-- Ø --
Johan stood at a corner of the ring and Beiber stood at the opposing corner. They were both wearing mouth guards and MMA gloves. Eyeing Beiber, Johan noticed that Beiber was significantly more muscular since their last match.
"Alright!," said Chris, "you know the rules, fight at the buzzer!"
"BUZZZZZ!"
The buzzer went off.
Johan raised his hands to take a boxing stance while Beiber danced towards him with his smug smile.
Johan cautiously shuffled forward watching Beiber carefully. He wanted to learn as much as he could from this fight.
As Beiber danced into Johan's range, Johan sprung forward lashing out with a left punch. Beiber dodged to the left of the jab, and returned with a kick. But Johan saw it coming and blocked it by pulling back his jab hand.
[I saw it this time,] thought Johan, [and the kick didn't hurt as much as I thought it would. Pedro and my sparring partner's punches hurt more.]
Beiber started throwing punches, while moving from left to right.
Johan deflected the majority of them with his hands and dodged while moving backwards, while a few caught his face and body. But they didn't hurt and he saw them coming.
"The kids gotten better!," yelled Chris, "but he still is only block Beiber's attacks. Common! Stop playing! Fight guys!"
Beiber planted his feet and threw a kick, his abs rippled with the strain of pulling his leg. Johan blocked the kick with his boxing guard, but the power from the kick pushed him back into the ropes.
[How much stronger have I gotten?,] wondered Johan, [that didn't hurt ...]
Johan planted his feet and threw a punch with all his strength and body weight behind it at Beiber. Until this moment he'd only been defending. Beiber didn't expect it, but managed to parry it. Bieber countered with his own punch, Johan saw it coming but instead of blocking threw a kick with all his power. Beiber's punch connected as Johan's kicked connected.
"OooooOoooffff!," groaned Johan being pushed back.
Johan shuffled forward and threw another punch. Beiber saw it, blocked the punch and threw a kick to counter it.
"BOOM!"
"BOOM!"
"BOOM!"
They exchanged punches and kicks, almost totally neglecting their defense. The ring resonated with the impact of each hit.
"Johan," yelled Gracie, "what are you guys doing? Don't brawl, fight like fighters! You're both ignoring defense and just hitting each other."
Johan ignored Gracie and began throwing attacks faster with all his power and body weigh behind it. His muscles strained under tension as he forced himself to move faster. Beiber attempted to match Johan's ferocity but soon realised that he was loosing out on the exchange. Beiber retreated, backing away and to the side of Johan quickly.
"SCARED?," yelled Johan, "STAND AND FIGHT LIKE A MAN, WEAKLING!"
Something in Beiber seemed to be triggered by Johan's comment, he jumped at Johan and started hitting Johan with a flurry of kicks and punches with all his power. Johan taken by surprise was forced to defend.
"BOOM!"
"BOOM!"
"BOOM!"
The ring and Johan's body resonated as he absorbed each of Bieber's attacks.
"I AM NOT WEAK!," screamed Beiber.
The power from Beiber's attacks seemed to grow when aided by his rage.
"Offff," groaned Johan.
[These hits,] thought Johan, [each one of them can knock me out ... and this guy is the weakest at this gym?]
Johan held strong in the center of the ring while Beiber struck out with all of his strength. He realised he was being pushed back. Johan turtled up and forced his way forward through the barage of attacks and used his shoulder to deflect Beiber punch, and then threw a hook at Beiber with all his strength.
Beiber slipped the hook and lashed out with a powerful hooking punch of his own that caught Johan on the side of his head. Johan felt his legs give out as he fell to the mat.
Bieber seeing this threw out a knee at a Johan's face, Johan quickly used his arms to block it, but the force threw him onto his back. Bieber mounted Johan sitting on his belly and started to throw punches and elbows at Johan's face. Johan covered up and tried block the hits but many got through and he felt blood trickling down the side of his face as his face was cut open.
From outside the ring, he heard Pedro yell, "Get out of there Johan! You are going to loose!"
John raised his knee with all his power hitting Beiber on the back and tossing him forward. Beiber's chest came crashing down on Johan's face.
"I won't loose!," screamed Johan as he grabbed the back of Beiber's head, "Flints don't give up!"
-- Ø --
"AHHHHHhhhHHH!," Beiber's scream could be heard throughout the entire gym.
Johan lying on his back in the center of the ring, and Beiber sat near him surrounded by Guang Hoi, Gracie and Chris.
"Are you insane?," said Gracie pale in the face looking at Johan, "you and Guang Chong are psychopaths!"
Johan looked outside the ring to see Guang Chong holding his gut and laughing. Red in the face. Tears streamed down his cheeks.
"GAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!," cackled Guang Chong, "BEST ... FIGHT ... EVER! HEHE HAHAHA HOOOH HO HO HO HOO! GAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA! ELITE FIGHTING GYM MY ARSE! NO MORE! GAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!"
"MY EAR!," screamed Beiber covering the side of his head where his ear should be with a bloody hand, "HE BIT OFF MY EAR AND ATE IT!"
"THIS KID!," growled Chris looking at Guang Hoi, "GET THIS KID THE HELL OUT OF HERE! WE ARE DONE!"
There were droplets of blood on the ring and Johan had the taste of blood his mouth.
"You Chris!," said Guang Hoi, "You keep deal, Johan do well, you give money! Team Guang Win!"
"YOU DAMAGED MY FIGHTER!," yelled Chris, "YOU BIT OFF HIS DAMN EAR! YOU SHOULD GIVE ME MONEY! GET THE HELL OUT BEFORE I MAKE YOU LEAVE!"
"I'll call the hospital for Beiber," said Gracie, "Guang Hoi, take Johan and Guang Chong and leave. You have done enough."