Chapter 14: The Last Rendezvous

As the third round began, the atmosphere in the ring became even more tense. Joe and Chris now seemed to have each other completely figured out. Every move, every step, was part of a strategy. Joe was constantly using his speed to escape, but Chris's defence techniques had improved rapidly. Chris was more cautious than ever.

'Did you think you couldn't catch me, Joe?' shouted Chris as he tried to shake Joe with a quick right hook. 'I won't give you the chance this time.'

Joe quickly backed away, ignoring Chris' words. He strengthened his defence and quickly threw a right cross. Chris, blocking this move, suddenly hit Joe across the face with a left jab. Joe lost his balance for a moment, but quickly recovered and got to his feet.

'Fighting you is getting harder by the minute,' Joe said, smiling greedily. "But I'm learning well from your strategies, old mate."

Chris took a step back, and with his speed he attacked again. This time, the two fighters moved parallel to each other's speed, each blow meeting each other. The spectators could feel that every moment was filled with tension. Suddenly, Chris's left jab struck Joe in the head and Joe took a step backwards and skidded into the corner. Chris, attacking quickly, tried to pin Joe in the corner.

But Joe hadn't forgotten the techniques he'd learnt in the past. The Dempsey Turn was his ace in the hole. Quickly, he spun around Chris' body, sending a quick diagonal right blow against him. Chris tried to strengthen his defence, but Joe's speed made it difficult for him to resist. They were both exhausted, but in constant readiness for each other's moves.

Suddenly, however, something unexpected happened. Both fighters fell to the ground at the same time from a powerful blow. Chris's left hook hit Joe hard in the face, at the same time Joe's right cross connected with Chris's head. Both boxers collapsed in the ring.

The referee looked on in amazement as the two fighters collapsed. 'One... two... three...' he started to count, but Joe and Chris were motionless. The blow to the head had knocked them unconscious.

After a while, the atmosphere in the ring fell into intense silence. The spectators were trying to understand what had happened. Both boxers had fallen to the floor, but they still felt that they were engaged in a struggle that did not recognise each other's victory.

The referee, however, kept counting. Finally, both fighters were immobilised. Neither Joe nor Chris could find the strength to get up. The referee stopped the fight.

'It's a draw!' said the referee, pointing to the microphone. "Both fighters are down. This has been a match to remember."

Joe and Chris looked at each other in the centre of the ring. They both felt that the collapse was not a physical battle, but more of a spiritual one. As they looked at each other, the old friendship and the time spent together came back to him. They had fought this fight more to show how much they respected each other than to beat each other.

Joe slowly looked up and looked at Chris. "Nobody won this fight, mate. But the time we've spent together, no-one can beat us."

Chris smiled slightly. 'Yes, we lost this match together, but we both won. The real victory lies in how much we respect each other.'

The referee took them both to the centre of the ring and raised his hand, ending the match. Instead of hugging each other, Chris and Joe simply locked eyes and nodded to each other in celebration of their victory.

The two old friends had become a symbol not of destruction, but of a reborn bond. This fight spoke volumes not only about the world of boxing, but also about the power of friendship. Even though they both lost this fight, they knew that they could meet again in the ring at another time in their lives. But in that moment, they were stronger together.

Joe realised at that moment: Boxing was not only a physical struggle, but also a struggle of the heart. And they could continue this journey without losing heart.

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