Ethan's next bout was against a young upstart named Jaxon Reed. On paper, Ethan should have easily won. But his injuries and mental exhaustion caught up with him.
In the second round, Jaxon landed a clean uppercut that sent Ethan to the mat. For the first time in his career, Ethan lost.
This was when it all came crashing down: a defeat that proved so demoralizing. Media scrutiny turned on him with labels like "overhyped," and whether or not the early wins were just luck. Victor stopped talking to him and found more enthusiasm in Logan Grant's surprising comeback.
Ethan trudged back into the gym, confidence destroyed.