The Boxing System: I Became the King of the Ring-Chapter 6: Light Contact

"Yeah," Javier said, reaching for the sparring gloves. "I’m ready."

Miguel nodded while other kids gathered around the ring. Their whispers carried excitement mixed with doubt. Nobody expected the new kid to last two minutes with their trainer.

"Headgear first," Miguel said, lifting protective equipment that smelled like sweat and determination. "Boxing’s about hitting without getting hurt. Protection teaches you proper technique."

Javier pulled the leather headgear over his skull, adjusting the chin strap until it felt secure. The padding pressed against his temples, creating a strange tunnel vision effect.

"Feels weird," Javier muttered, turning his head left and right to test the range of motion.

"You’ll get used to it," Miguel replied, checking the fit and tightening the back strap. "Better to feel weird than get your brain scrambled. This saves careers."

The system analyzed each piece of gear as Miguel secured the straps:

[PROTECTIVE GEAR DETECTED]

Headgear: Damage reduction 35%

16oz Gloves: Impact absorption high

Mouthpiece: Recommended for full contact

Vicente watched from ringside, his ghostly form more solid now but still invisible to everyone except Javier. "Learn to take punishment properly. Champions aren’t made from avoiding pain."

Miguel wrapped Javier’s hands with white cloth. "Wrists are your foundation. Break them, and boxing’s over."

Miguel helped slide the 16oz gloves over the wraps, pulling the Velcro straps tight around Javier’s wrists. The leather felt heavy and foreign, like wearing oven mitts made of concrete.

"These feel huge," Javier said, bumping the gloves together. The sound was muffled and dull.

"Sparring gloves," Miguel explained. "More padding means less damage, more learning. You’ll appreciate the protection when punches start coming back."

The ritual felt sacred. Generations of fighters had gone through this same preparation, transforming ordinary hands into weapons wrapped in tradition and respect.

"Light contact only," Miguel explained, adjusting his own gloves. "This isn’t about proving toughness. It’s about learning distance, timing, and how to move with someone trying to hit you back."

Stepping between the ropes felt ceremonial. The canvas beneath Javier’s feet had absorbed countless hours of sweat, blood, and dreams. Corner posts stood like silent witnesses to every victory and defeat that had played out within their boundaries.

"Touch gloves," Miguel instructed. "Always start with respect."

Their gloves met with a soft thud. The system immediately activated:

[SPARRING OPPONENT DETECTED]

Miguel Santos: Skill level - Expert

Recommendation: Focus on defense and learning

Miguel moved to the center of the ring with grace. No wasted motion, no telegraphed intentions. Just controlled readiness that came from decades of understanding violence as both art and science.

The bell rang.

Javier immediately realized shadowboxing meant nothing. Miguel wasn’t a bag hanging motionless or an imaginary opponent moving predictably. He flowed like water, always just outside reach until he wanted to be closer.

Miguel bounced lightly on his toes, hands loose and relaxed. "Come on, kid. Show me what you learned."

Javier raised his guard and stepped forward tentatively. Miguel’s first jab came slow and controlled, testing Javier’s reactions. The punch landed light against his headgear with a soft pop.

[HIT DETECTED]

Impact: Light

Defense Rating: Poor

Reaction Time: Slow

"Ouch," Javier muttered, blinking behind his headgear.

"Keep your hands up," Miguel said, circling left. "Eyes on my chest, not my gloves. Hands tell lies. Body tells the truth."

Javier tried following the advice but struggled to track everything simultaneously. Miguel’s footwork was smooth, deliberate. Every step had purpose. Feet, hands, distance, breathing, balance - too many variables for untrained instincts to process.

"Stop watching my feet," Miguel added, flicking out another jab. "Watch my shoulders. They move first."

Miguel’s next jab arrived faster. This time Javier’s head moved slightly, and the punch grazed his temple instead of landing clean.

[DEFENSIVE IMPROVEMENT]

Head Movement: Basic

Distance Management: Learning

"Better," Miguel acknowledged, resetting his stance. "Now throw something back. Boxing’s conversation, not lecture."

Javier extended his left hand in a tentative jab. Miguel stepped back casually, making the punch fall short by inches.

"You’re reaching," Miguel observed. "Step with your punches. Get close enough to actually hit something."

"Commit to your punches," Miguel continued, demonstrating proper jab technique. "Half-hearted attacks waste energy and teach bad habits."

The next exchange felt different. Javier stepped forward with his jab, throwing with conviction. Miguel allowed it to land against his gloves with satisfying contact.

[SUCCESSFUL STRIKE]

Target: Guard contact

Form: Improving

Technique +0.5: [Current: 3.5/100]

"Good!" Miguel tapped Javier’s gloves approvingly. "Feel that difference? Full commitment changes everything."

Vicente remained silent in his corner, watching with the intense focus of someone who understood exactly what was happening. No coaching during live action - that was the rule they’d established.

Miguel began moving more, forcing Javier to follow. "Cut off the ring. Don’t chase me instead anticipate where I’m going."

"I don’t know where you’re going," Javier panted, trying to corner Miguel against the ropes.

"Then learn to read movement. Watch my hips. They tell you which direction before my feet do."

Miguel increased the pace gradually. His jabs came more frequently, testing Javier’s ability to defend while maintaining position. Most landed light against headgear or gloves, but each impact taught lessons about distance and timing.

"Duck that one," Miguel called out, throwing a lazy hook.

Javier bent his knees and the punch sailed over his head.

"Perfect! Now come up with an uppercut, just like we practiced."

Javier drove upward with his right hand, landing cleanly on Miguel’s guard.

"Move your feet," Miguel instructed while throwing a combination. "Boxing isn’t standing still and trading punches. It’s chess with violence."

Javier tried stepping to his left after throwing a jab, just as Miguel had demonstrated during shadowboxing. The movement felt awkward but created a different angle for his next punch.

"Better," Miguel said, throwing a gentle body shot. "Feel how that angle changes everything? Now I can’t counter straight back."

Miguel smiled approvingly. "Good. Now you’re thinking instead of just reacting."

"My arms are getting heavy," Javier admitted, dropping his guard slightly.

"Thirty more seconds," Miguel encouraged. "This is where champions are made just when you’re tired, but keep working."

The round’s final minute tested Javier’s conditioning more than technique. His arms felt heavy, his breathing labored despite the moderate pace. Miguel’s punches came steadier now, testing Javier’s ability to maintain defense while exhausted.

"Breathe through your nose," Miguel instructed, landing another light jab. "Mouth breathing wastes energy."

The system tracked his declining performance:

[STAMINA ANALYSIS]

Current Energy: 52%

Heart Rate: 145 BPM

Endurance Drain: Moderate

"Ten seconds!" Miguel called out, throwing a final combination that Javier barely managed to block.

The bell rang, ending two minutes that felt like twenty.

"One minute rest," Miguel announced, walking to his corner where he sipped water and observed Javier’s recovery.

Other kids pressed against the ring ropes, discussing what they’d witnessed. Tommy looked amazed. "He actually hit Miguel a few times."

"Miguel let him," Carlos countered. "Trainer was going easy."

"Still lasted the whole round," Kevin added. "Most kids gas out in thirty seconds."

Vicente materialized beside Javier’s corner, his expression proud but reserved. During rest periods, he could offer guidance without violating their sparring rules.

"You learned more in two minutes than most fighters learn in two weeks," Vicente said quietly. "Miguel’s testing your adaptability. Show him you can think under pressure."

Javier sipped water from his bottle, trying to slow his heart rate. Across the ring, Miguel stretched his shoulders and adjusted his gloves, looking completely fresh.

"Time!" Miguel called out, walking back to the center. "Round two. Let’s see if you can build on what you learned."