Ayaan practiced the same combinations all day, focusing on perfecting his stance, footwork, and posture. As he focused on the details of each movement, the repetitions became meditative.
His midday meal included brown rice, lentils, mixed vegetables, and grilled chicken to provide him with enough protein for his intense training. He then progressed to weight training and ab exercises to strengthen his core and protect his midsection with some protein shakes.
As night fell, he refueled his body with pasta and meatballs, as well as a generous serving of fish, quinoa, and curd-based Dal, to ensure he met his nutritional needs.
He watched boxing videos and matches with the old man as part of his daily routine to broaden his knowledge of the sport. He dedicated each day to learning new punches and footwork, as well as improving his stance and defenses through a variety of training methods.
They sat down in the evenings to watch boxing videos together, often with the Octagon as a backdrop.
Time flew by quickly, and before he knew it, half a year had passed.
*****
The Defense Class…
The gym was in the same building where Ayaan had previously watched the district tournament. It was known as a great place to learn self-defense, with classes in martial arts and boxing for both men and women.
"Mr. Ravi, is your son ready?" a man asked.
"Definitely. Not only is he ready, but he is quite confident in his boxing journey, which he is going to start.
"He had already won the junior category district tournament here, and today is just the sparring match. Next is the state in the senior category, the light welter category for him."
Another man responded, twirling his mustache as he watched his son warm up in the boxing ring.
In the ring, his son moved swiftly, throwing punches and weaving around fictitious opponents. His coach stood outside the ropes, a content smile on his face as he watched his protégé's fluid movements.
A crowd of officials and sponsors had gathered ringside to watch the rising star perform. His group of friends had also gathered there, taking photos and making video reels to post on social media.
In the opposite corner, his son's opponent stood motionless, his intense black eyes scanning every move and technique of his son.
His chiseled abs and well-defined muscles were evidence of his rigorous training. A weathered old man stood beside him, ready to coach him through the game.
The referee entered the ring and motioned for both fighters to come forward. He carefully examined their equipment, including their shorts, gloves, and mouthguards, to ensure that nothing was damaged and that no one would be injured.
He returned the fighters to their respective corners, satisfied with the safety precautions, to prepare for the start of the match.
"Is this the guy you trained, Khan?"
A well-dressed man in a suit and sunglasses approached the old man, who was keeping a close eye on his fighter.
"Yes, he is the kid."
"Do you think he would be directly able to participate in states in the senior category?"
The old man's gaze shifted to the suited man, and a sinister grin spread across his face.
"He will eat them alive in the ring.
"The kid considers boxing a mere step towards his path for the Octagon. He had spent every single training session, as I told him, without uttering a single complaint or asking the reason.
"He ate what I told him to eat, and he did what I told him to do."
"The kid has an aloof nature, and there are many things he doesn't even know about this world, but when he steps into the ring, it's like a beast awakens.
"A lion walking up to conquer the path he walks."
"I have never seen such a strong-willed person in my life. I am calling this so-called genius is going to fall under a minute."
Man in the suit stood there quietly listening while the old man next to him rambled on and on about his fighter without pausing.
"I hope you are right."
FIGHTERS READY?
Referee's voice cut through the chatter, signaling the start of the match. Two fighters exchanged nods as the referee lowered his hand, signaling the start of the fight.
The genius sprang forward, his feet quick and nimble, as he launched a series of basic jabs while keeping his opponent at bay.
His opponent remained defensive, keeping his guard up and avoiding jabs while circling him around.
Both fighters traded punches in a series of one-two combinations, but the genius became impatient as the seconds passed.
His friends cheered and filmed the game, putting pressure on him to deliver an impressive clip for social media.
The genius tried to catch his opponent off guard by punching him in the side ribs. It landed perfectly, and he followed up with an uppercut to finish him. His opponent, on the other hand, quickly used his footwork to move backward, eventually finding refuge in the ring's corner.
"What an idiot." Genius thought, as he quickly took advantage of his cornered opponent.
The genius tried to throw a powerful right straight punch, he shifted his weight to put some extra force behind it.
However, in a flash, his opponent quickly ducked to the left, followed by a left hook and a right uppercut.
It all happened so fast that the genius didn't know what hit him, and he fell face-first to the ground.
*Thump*
The arena fell silent as spectators stared in disbelief at what had just happened.
Even the fallen fighter's father couldn't believe his eyes; his son had been dominating the match just moments before, but now he lay face-first on the mat.
Referee began to count slowly, beginning with one and working his way up to ten. The tension in the air grew with each number as everyone held their breath, waiting for the fighter to move.
Even after the referee had reached the full count of ten, the fighter remained motionless on the ground. While the crowd murmured in concern and disappointment, the referee quickly declared the match over and rushed over to check on the defeated fighter.