In the third round, Joe's body was really tired. Malone's blows were so hard that each of Joe's moves felt like an avalanche, the harder blows were doing more damage to his body each time. But Joe refused to give up in this match.
Malone quickly prepared for one last blow. He tried to completely control Joe's body with a right hook, a left cross. However, Joe slowly regained his composure and decided to make one last move.
"I'll end this!" Joe muttered, quickly performing the Dempsey Turn. He landed a right hook that left Malone completely defenseless. However, just as Iron Fist was about to fall, he suddenly swung his fist and hit Joe squarely in the head. Joe fell to the ground, shaking, but still unconscious despite the blow.
As Joe's vision began to fade, the referee began to count. "One… two… three…"
Joe tried to get up with all his strength. "Four… five…"
A fight that was getting harder by the second, but Joe pulled himself together with one last move. "Eight… nine…" and Joe got to his feet. But Iron Fist was still in the ring, quickly recovering. Both fighters looked at each other, their breaths taken away.
---
Joe and Malone continued the fight, looking at each other. Iron Fist threw another right cross, knocking Joe away, but this time Joe was only on the defensive. He threw a quick left upper hook, and Iron Fist pulled back, shaking.
Slowly, wearily, but determinedly, the fight continued. Every blow echoed through the air like an avalanche, the floor in the ring shaking with every blow.
Finally, Iron Fist caught a moment of space and landed a left cross. Joe was thrown towards the corner of the ring. But all was not over. Joe got up quickly for one last move, one last victory. In one move, he delivered his most powerful blow to Malone. A right hook!
"It's over!" Joe shouted, "I won!"
Malone fell heavily to the ground. The referee began counting.
"One… two… three…"
Malone was too tired to get up now. The referee ended the count.
"Ten!"
And there he was, Joe, "Tomorrow's Hope," the national champion!