The Boxing System: I Became the King of the Ring-Chapter 14: First Lessons
By Five PM, something extraordinary happened. The system interface expanded, revealing new categories:
[SKILLS INTERFACE REVEALED]
Jab: Level 1 (3.8/100)
Cross: Level 1 (2.0/100)
Hook: Level 1 (2.0/100)
Footwork: Level 1 (3.2/100)
Defense: Level 1 (2.0/100)
Heavy Bag: Level 1 (2.6/100)
Vicente studied the display with interest. "Four different ways to fight. You’ll need to learn them all before you figure out what works for you."
Danny appeared with a clipboard, gathering the new students around a worn poster showing different boxing stances.
"Boxer-puncher," Danny explained, pointing to the first illustration. "Balanced offense and defense. Works inside and outside. Think while fighting."
"Out-boxer," he continued. "Long reach, fights at distance. Uses movement and jabs to frustrate opponents."
"Slugger. Heavy puncher who seeks knockouts. Aggressive style, high risk, high reward."
"Swarmer. Gets close, overwhelms opponents with constant pressure, never lets opponents breathe."
Tommy raised his hand. "What type of boxers are we going to be?"
"That’s not for me to decide," Danny replied. "Miguel and I will teach you all styles first. Then your body and instincts will show you what works best."
The system activated new categories:
Boxing Styles:
Boxer-Puncher: [LOCKED] - Proficiency: 0%
Out-Boxer: [LOCKED] - Proficiency: 0%
Slugger: [LOCKED] - Proficiency: 0% 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞
Swarmer: [LOCKED] - Proficiency: 0%
[SKILL GAINS: +0.1 per correct technique in training, +1.0 per correct technique in fights]
Javier watched the numbers increase in real-time as he practiced, each correct movement adding to his growing skill base. It felt surreal - like playing a video game except the character was his own body, and the experience points came from actual sweat and effort.
When Miguel explained why hooks worked better at close range, [RING IQ +0.1] appeared as the concept clicked. When he demonstrated how footwork created angles that made opponents miss, [RING IQ +0.1] flashed again. Each tactical lesson registered both in his mind and in the supernatural interface tracking his development.
"Boxing isn’t just about hitting hard," Miguel said, watching Javier absorb the information with unusual intensity. "It’s about hitting smart. Right punch, right time, right distance."
Vicente nodded approvingly beside them. "Most fighters take years to understand what Miguel just taught you. The system’s accelerating your learning, but you still have to think."
[RING IQ +0.1] pulsed as Javier connected the dots between stance, distance, and punch selection. The abstract concepts were becoming concrete understanding through repetition and explanation.
At 5:30, they joined other fighters watching two boxers spar in the center ring. These weren’t kids playing boxing - they were serious athletes with close to two years of experience and bodies that showed it.
"Blue corner is Taylor Washington," Miguel explained quietly. "Been training here eighteen months. Natural southpaw, good body puncher."
"Red corner’s Diego Santos - my nephew," he added with obvious pride. "Orthodox boxer-puncher. Smart fighter, never wastes energy."
The bell rang sharp and clear.
Both fighters touched gloves with genuine respect, then immediately got to work. Taylor, the southpaw, moved clockwise around the ring, his left hand extended to establish distance. Diego responded by cutting off angles, forcing Taylor toward the ropes.
"Watch how Diego controls the center," Miguel said as they circled each other. "Makes the southpaw work harder."
Taylor threw a quick jab that Diego slipped easily, countering with a straight right that caught Taylor on the shoulder. Not hard enough to hurt, but clean enough to score.
The sound of leather hitting flesh echoed through the gym - not the wild slapping of amateur brawlers, but crisp, controlled impacts that spoke of countless hours of practice.
Diego pressed forward with a jab-cross combination. Taylor parried the jab and ducked under the cross, coming up with a left hook to Diego’s ribs that made the orthodox fighter grunt.
"Beautiful counter," Vicente observed, appearing beside Javier. "The southpaw waited for the right moment."
The fighters reset, both breathing easily despite the exchange. This was a controlled match that demonstrated the difference between training and actual fighting. Both moved with no wasted motion or wild swinging.
Taylor stepped in with a double jab, testing Diego’s defense. The second jab found its mark, snapping Diego’s head back slightly. Diego responded immediately with an uppercut that just missed Taylor’s chin.
"See how they stay calm after getting hit?" Miguel pointed out. "No emotion, just tactical adjustments."
Thirty seconds into the round, both fighters had settled into their rhythms. Taylor used his southpaw stance to create awkward angles, landing quick shots to Diego’s body. Diego worked behind his jab, setting up right hand opportunities.
The action heated up when Diego caught Taylor with a clean right cross that echoed through the gym. Taylor’s head snapped to the side, but he immediately tied up, grabbing Diego’s arms to stop any follow-up punches.
"Smart clinch work," Miguel noted. "Buy time to recover, reset the distance."
The referee - another gym regular - separated them cleanly. "Box!"
Taylor came out of the clinch with renewed aggression, throwing a left hook-right hook combination that Diego blocked on his gloves. The impact sounded like wood chopping.
"Volume punching now," Vicente said. "Taylor is trying to overwhelm Diego’s defense."
Diego weathered the storm by moving his head and using his footwork to create distance. When Taylor overcommitted on a left cross, Diego stepped to his right and landed a picture-perfect counter right hand that caught Taylor clean on the jaw.
Taylor’s knees wobbled for just a moment - barely noticeable unless you knew what to look for.
"Ohhh," came the collective sound from watching fighters. Even in light sparring, a clean shot was a clean shot.
Taylor recovered quickly, using his experience to tie up again and buy recovery time. Both fighters were breathing harder now, sweat beginning to show on their faces.
The final minute of the round saw technical boxing at its finest. Neither fighter took unnecessary risks, both landing clean shots when opportunities presented themselves. Diego’s jab found its mark repeatedly. Taylor’s left hand caught Diego with quick shots to the body and head.
The bell rang, ending three minutes that had passed like thirty seconds.
Both fighters embraced immediately, Taylor grinning despite the clean shot he’d absorbed. "Nice right hand, hermano."
"Your left hook’s getting better," Diego replied, touching his ribs where Taylor had landed several body shots.
They walked to their respective corners, neither winded despite the intensity. Professional-level conditioning showed in their quick recovery.
Tommy watched with growing anxiety. "That’s what we’re gonna do?"
"Eventually," Miguel replied. "But not for months. When you do start sparring, it’ll be twice a month - light contact with kids your age and experience level. And sometimes with me, so I can control the pace and teach you properly."
Vicente observed the action with professional appreciation. "Watch how they control their breathing even when getting hit. That’s what separates fighters from brawlers."
"See the difference between what you just did on the bags and this?" Miguel asked, gesturing toward the ring. "Bags don’t hit back. These guys are problem-solving in real time while someone’s trying to hurt them."
Javier studied every movement, every tactical adjustment. The system interface began tracking the advanced techniques:
[ADVANCED TECHNIQUE OBSERVED: Counter-punching]
[ADVANCED TECHNIQUE OBSERVED: Clinch work]
[ADVANCED TECHNIQUE OBSERVED: Distance management]
"Round two is coming up," Miguel announced. "Watch how they adjust their strategies based on what happened in round one."
Tommy watched with growing anxiety. "That’s what we’re gonna do?"
The sparring session lasted six rounds, both fighters showing respect and technique that impressed everyone watching. No wild swinging, no ego-driven exchanges. Just pure boxing skill on display.
At six PM, Miguel gathered all the new students around him. Javier, Tommy, Jerome, Jamal, and Maria.
"Tomorrow we will add conditioning exercises," Miguel announced. "Push-ups, sit-ups, squats. Week one is running and basic strength. Week two adds technical training. Week three, if you’re ready, introduces light sparring."
The system interface activated: [TRAINING REGIMEN DETECTED - ENDURANCE PROGRAM INITIATED]
Vicente appeared beside Javier as they prepared to leave. "Tomorrow’s gonna be worse than today. And the day after that will be worse than tomorrow."
"Looking forward to it," Javier replied quietly.
The walk back to Marcus Garvey felt like returning from another world. Their bodies ached with the pleasant soreness of muscles remembering their purpose. Other group home kids waited with questions and curiosity.
"How was it?" Kevin asked.
"Hard," Tommy replied. "But good hard."
"Miguel says anyone can try if they’re serious," Javier added.
"Maybe I will," Carlos said, surprising everyone. "Watching you guys makes me think I should ask the football coach to help me out, like Miguel did for you."
That night, as Javier set his alarm for 5:45 AM, his body felt different. Tired but alive. Sore but satisfied. The institutional bed felt earned rather than assigned.
Vicente appeared one final time as exhaustion pulled him toward sleep. "You survived day one. But surviving and thriving are different things."
"I know," Javier whispered.
"Tomorrow you’ll understand what real training feels like."
As consciousness faded, Javier’s last thought carried quiet confidence: "I can do this."
The alarm clock glowed, 9:47 PM. In eight hours, day two would begin.
