Today is the Day

MARCELO

I was sitting on the bench in the dressing room of the venue. My forearms were supported by my thighs. My eyes were focused on the wall in front of me.

It had been over an hour since I’d gotten here, and all I’d done was change my clothes and sit there. Weigh-in followed the press conference. Both of us were at our intended weights.

There was nothing else to do but wait for the fight. My team was outside waiting for me to come out. I asked them to give me some space. My mind seemed unsettled for some unknown reason.

I was sure there was nothing to worry about. Ronald was nothing compared to me. I was the best.

I won’t let anyone take it away from me. My success was what made my life worth living. My triumphs determined my happiness and that of my family.

I closed my eyes and the images of my adolescence resurfaced in my mind.

~“Get the fuck out of here, fucking pest,” my father yelled at me as he pulled me by my shirt. ~

~This was one of the few times that he cared enough about me to yell at me. He opened the door of the flat where I lived with my mom. And without measuring his strength he threw me outside. ~

~I fell backward to the ground. I raised my eyes to him. He was standing, towering over me, looking at me with disgust. “Useless piece of shit.” ~

~After spitting on the floor, he slammed the door, making sure to do it hard. My mother was still inside. ~

~Sporadically, my father came here. One quickie and that was it. Even though they lived apart and had separate relationships with other people, these encounters still took place.~

~I got up from the ground and brushed off my pants. I was thirteen at the time. My vulnerable mind repeated his words over and over again. It was like a mantra, “useless piece of shit.” ~

~There was a moment when I believed it. Back then, it was nothing. I practically lived on the streets. No family, no school, nothing. My mother only kept me in her house because of the benefits. ~

~Nothing more. I was still a minor, and everything she could get from me went straight to her account. My clothes were the same as always, and as I grew older, the clothes had to be replaced. ~

~Not in my case. I had to manage to have something to fit me. Like picking up from the street, or going to help centers. Always wearing second-hand clothes. ~

~My heart was hardening as I grew older. And I started hating everything. I was a nobody. I had nothing.~

I opened my eyes, shaking those horrible times out of my head.

After I met Richard, my circumstances took a complete turn. From there, life opened up for me. I met Mandy, and I knew what it was to be loved. They were my family.

Then came success, money, and fame. Everything that I had earned had made me what I was, the champion, and no one was going to take that away from me.

A knock on the door brought me back to reality. I took a deep breath and inhaled. “Come in.”

Mandy poked her head in, slowly closing the door behind her. She gave me the impression that she didn’t want me to be bothered by her presence.

She walked toward me with light steps until she stopped in front of me. I raised my head to look into her eyes. She smiled at me, and I couldn’t hold back mine.

Mandy was the calm before the storm. “Marce, how are you?”

I grabbed her by the waist and placed her between my legs. I then put my forehead on her stomach and said, “All good, love. You know how it is.”

Mandy started stroking my head, and I melted at her touch. “I love you, Marce. You are everything to me. There is nothing in this world that I could want more than you. Never forget that.”

She leaned down and kissed my head. I sat up and looked into her eyes. Mandy was so beautiful, and her smile alone could light up my darkest days.

I got up from the bench and closed the space between the two of us. Mandy looked up, seeing me with so much love and devotion. I could feel it in my bones.

Unable to contain myself, I lowered my head and took her lips. She responded to me with the same passion as I. A few seconds later, we ended the kiss. Mandy was smiling.

How I loved to make her happy. Her smile told me that everything would be all right.

“Marce, everything will be fine. Trust in what you know and in the training that Richard imposed on you. I will be there as always, supporting you. You got this, champion.”

I nodded my head without saying anything else. Mandy went to the locker and took out my robe. This was a new model that she had designed herself for this occasion.

In the center was “four-time world champion” in red letters. Below the letters, an embroidered crown. The design was beautiful, and the fabric was pure gold silk. My briefs matched.

My love, she spared nothing. She walked toward me, and I stretched my arms. Mandy put the robe on me, and then she wrapped my wrists.

Then she placed the mouth guard in my mouth, and finally the gloves. She looked at me from head to toe, nodding her head.

“You look great, Marce. There is no doubt who is the champion.”

I smiled at her and hugged her, squeezing her tight.

“Ready?” Richard walked in and looked me in the eye.

“Ready,” I told him.

“Champion, you know what to do. But I need to tell you something. Don’t play with him. Take it seriously. Don’t let your guard down at all.

“And if you have the time to land a power shot, do it. Finish him as soon as possible. Don’t give him a chance to recover.”

“Okay, okay. I have it all figured out. Don’t worry, Richard. He won’t be able to defeat me. That would only mean one thing. That he’s better than me, and that is not possible.”

Richard nodded his head and said, “Okay, champ, you have this. Let’s go.”

I took Mandy’s hand, and we left the locker room. The corridor was full of photographers and media. The cameras immediately began to sound. I gave them my best smile.

Arriving at the entrance to the arena, I let go of Mandy’s hand. She took a few steps back.

The lights began to fall on me, and the music that would mark the moment of my entrance began to play. I smiled and took a step forward.