Courage From Within

Today, I watched one of the last few episodes of ‘The Contender’ over AXN.

It was a tough fight between the two boxers, one who worked as a sparring partner (Jesse) & the other (I can’t remember his name) as a professional boxer.

Despite taking several serious beatings, Jesse (seemingly the underdog) managed to KO his opponent in the last round, just 31 seconds from the end of the match. And he did that despite losing all the earlier rounds! All of them!

Just imagine how much focus & determination he had to have, in order to throw that devastating right uppercut that stunned his opponent & knock him off his feet, leaving him staggering, blurry & glassy eyed till the referee had to stop the fight!

Sometimes life is about giving your all in one single last shot. He never gave up. Even till the last round… till the last few seconds of the fight.

He lost ALL the rounds since round one & he still gave it his all. His opponent just needed to stay on his feet for another 31 SECONDS & he would have won the fight! Can u imagine just 31 SECONDS in an entire fight?

And u know what? Jesse had to run on the treadmill for 3 full hrs, just to lose enough weight to meet the weight class to fight his opponent! And the fight was hours away! He went into the ring tired & with a weary look on his face, but didn’t give up.

Everyone thought that he would lose coz it was so obvious that he was tired out, dehydrated, have been a sparring partner in his job (not a professional fighter) & he lost ALL the earlier rounds!

I recalled that during the press interview session before the fight, his opponent still sneered at him & threw a lot of sarcastic remarks in front of all the reporters. His opponent jeered saying that tonight's fight will be just like a sparring match for him, coz this guy is just a sparring partner in his job.

Sometimes in life, it’s about COURAGE. Even Ellen said that to me once.

That's why I admire boxers coz it really requires a lot of determination that training cannot provide. In the midst of being physically tired & your body hurt because of all that beatings, & getting up again & again after getting knocked down several times, it REALLY takes ALOT of guts!

And it’s more than just a skill, e.g. fencing, table tennis, soccer, etc. In other sports u have your team mates to play along & encourage u. In boxing, its just u & your opponent... & u against yourself.