Damon squared up against Ivan once more, the words from Whittier still ringing in his head.
This time, Damon knew he had to be smarter, use his reach, keep Ivan at a distance.
Bouncing lightly on his toes, Damon felt the familiar tension in his legs, but now he was more focused. He wasn't just throwing low kicks, he had a plan.
Ivan stood opposite him, his eyes sharp, his stance lower than before, ready to pounce.
The Russian was no slouch. Damon knew that. He could already see the adjustments Ivan had made from Whittier's advice.
As soon as Whittier gave the nod, the sparring resumed.
Damon circled to the left, throwing a quick feint with his jab, testing Ivan's reaction.
This time, he stayed further back, just out of range of Ivan's counters. He wanted to keep Ivan guessing, keep him on his toes.
Ivan shifted his weight, trying to close the distance.
