Taking It on the Chin

I laid in bed all day long on Sunday, missing church because I felt run down.  I didn't go to work Monday morning because I still didn't feel any better.  I laid in the bed for most of the day, got up to rant about various things on Facebook, and ate a little.  After awhile, I felt well enough to go to the gym.  But maybe I should have reconsidered.  I'll explain in a minute.

Professor brought a buddy of his named Israel to the gym with him.  Brandy came in not long afterwards, followed by Alan and his boss at his day job, Paul.  Amy and Sarah were also in attendance.  Joe, the guy whom Leon led to believe that Leon was a coach down at the gym, came in briefly.  He had his gloves, and he hit the speed bag for one round.  I overheard him asking Alan about signing up again he left.  I thought it was odd that Joe did such a brief workout.

Earlier, Brandy sent me a YouTube clip of the woman who'll be her opponent at the Gloves.  I was a bit concerned to learn that her opponent is a Muay Thai fighter.  The clip was of a bout she had out in Hoffman Estates.  Like a lot of Muay Thai, kickboxing, and MMA fighters, her punches were not very strong.  She was throwing a lot of wild punches, tiring out easily, and clinching a lot.  Her opponent knocked her down with kicks three or four times, indicating that the woman's balance may not be that great.  The woman lost that fight.  Alan saw the clip via Sarah's cell phone.  "Brandy's got to get in on her right away and dig with her punches," he said. 

Brandy and I suited up for sparring after a few rounds of loosening up by shadow boxing and bag work.  As soon as the bell rang, Brandy was on me like white on rice.  I tried to keep the action in the middle, but I got pushed back to the ropes several times.  I didn't time -- or throw -- my overhand rights correctly, and Brandy telegraphed them.  When I was inside a few times, I was able to get off a series of hooks to the body, but not for long, as Brandy danced out of the line of fire. 

I thought I was covering up well, even though I caught a few to my nose and left eye.  How wrong I was.  Brandy came in with a right.  Israel later said it was a right uppercut.  Bam!  Her fist got me on the chin.  I stepped back, thinking I would shake it off.  Instead, I fell face forward onto the canvas.  "I'm sorry!" I heard Brandy say from a distance.  "Are you okay?" Alan said from his spot ringside.  I put my hands under my head and rested on them.  "I'm fine," I said, as I closed my eyes.  "Just stay there," Alan ordered.



A moment later, Alan was helping me to my feet.  Brandy looked on in shock.  "That's how you have to fight when you're in the ring," he told her.  "That's exactly how you have to punch your opponent," I said, while trying to get my balance on shaky legs.  The round wasn't over yet, but Alan told me to come out of the ring for the rest of the evening.  I took my gear off and sat on a stool in front of my locker for a couple of rounds.  Alan kept asking me throughout the rest of the evening if I felt okay.  I wondered for a minute if the hit I took was payback for not going to church and not going to work.

Sarah suited up and got into the ring with Brandy next.  Brandy bloodied Sarah's nose up, not once but three times.  I forgot to mention that the last time they sparred, Sarah's nose was bleeding, too.  I was amazed because Sarah is much taller than both Brandy and I.  Brandy had to reach up to do that damage.  Alan was very pleased with both Brandy and Sarah's work in the ring.

Professor had Israel, Brandy, and Paul in the ring throwing around the medicine ball.  When someone missed catching it, they first had to do push ups in between.  Then Professor had them doing burpees which are much harder to do. 

We finished up doing burn outs on the heavy bags for two rounds.  Alan tried to get everybody to do a third round and everybody said, "No!"  Some of us were dead tired afterwards.

I didn't look at my face before leaving the gym, so I checked it when I got home.  Didn't notice any damage.  My bottom lip was dry, and I thought I felt a lump on it.  As soon as I touched it, my lip bled.  That may have been a delayed reaction to the punch I took earlier.  I pressed a piece of toilet paper to the cut, then sighed, as I realized I would have to order in again because there's wasn't much food in the 'fridge.