Читать книгу The Fighter Within. Everyone Has A Fight-Insights into the Minds and Souls of True Champions онлайн

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My corner men attempted to encourage me between rounds, but in all honesty, they were just as green as I was. They were my training partners; my coaches were nowhere to be found. It dawned on me at that moment: they had already held the amateur bouts. That explained why I was fighting a guy that looked like the bodybuilder version of Rob Zombie with seven years of experience in the fight game. Our match was jammed between the pro fights—the promoter decided to pull a fast one on me, and I was the sacrificial lamb for everyone’s entertainment. I was thrown into this predicament as my first hoorah—my very first fight.

I glared across the ring at my opponent who sported dreadlocks and a thick goatee that touched his barrel chest, his face emblazoned with a menacing stare. I wiped my mind clear of the flooding self-doubt. I tried to take deep breaths, feeling my lungs experience difficulty in doing what they had done for my entire life. The harsh gasping for air was expanding my chest, pressing my ribs against my skin as it became more and more difficult to relax. I thought to myself “I’m better than this. This guy has nothing on me!” Almost getting disgusted with myself, I was getting myself amped up.