The Boxer
February 28, 2018 at 2:36 pm 58 comments
For Friday Fictioneers 100-Word Challenge: 2 March 2018
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Photo Credit: J. Hardy Carroll
It was the biggest fight of his career, a ticket out of the ghetto where he grew up. He had 20 professional wins, half of them by knockouts.
“I pray to the Virgin for your victory,” his mother said. “So far, she hasn’t disappointed me.”
On the night of the bout, Carmelo entered the ring to the cheering of the crowd. It looked more like a coronation than a real fight.
Standing in the opposite corner, his opponent looked confident and raring to go.
Bookmakers predicted he’d win by a knockout. If only they knew, Carmelo was paid to lose.
The Boxer by Simon and Garfunkel
Entry filed under: Blogroll, friday fictioneers. Tags: 100-word challenge, Boxing, fiction.
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Musings of a Random Mind 
1.
James | February 28, 2018 at 2:50 pm
Uh oh. Taking a dive.
2.
plaridel | February 28, 2018 at 3:14 pm
james:
i know.
3.
Dale | February 28, 2018 at 3:01 pm
Ach. I hate that part of sports… So not right. Ever.
4.
plaridel | February 28, 2018 at 3:14 pm
dale:
what do you know? boxing isn’t for the squeaky clean.
5.
Dale | February 28, 2018 at 3:22 pm
Nope.
6.
plaridel | March 1, 2018 at 9:19 am
dale:
better not knowing. i’d lost trust in boxing as a sport.
7.
Sascha Darlington | February 28, 2018 at 4:24 pm
Oh, he’s throwing the fight! Well done!
8.
plaridel | March 1, 2018 at 9:17 am
sascha:
yes, he took the money and ran.
9.
anuragbakhshi | March 1, 2018 at 3:01 am
Excellent ending.
10.
plaridel | March 1, 2018 at 9:16 am
anurag:
thank you.
11.
Iain Kelly | March 1, 2018 at 6:06 am
Nice one – links in to my own take with the idea that boxing is not the noble sport it once may have been.
12.
plaridel | March 1, 2018 at 9:15 am
iain:
rumor has it that the mafia controls it.
13.
pennygadd51 | March 1, 2018 at 7:53 am
Classic plot, Plaridel. I like the way you show us Carmelo’s mother. I bet she’d hate to think he took a dive.
14.
plaridel | March 1, 2018 at 9:15 am
penny:
i thought adding his mother into the story would add punch to it. 🙂
15.
pennygadd51 | March 1, 2018 at 9:21 am
It really does! Well done!
16.
plaridel | March 2, 2018 at 8:46 am
penny:
thank you.
17.
draliman | March 1, 2018 at 8:00 am
Oh dear, he’s gone to the Dark Side.
18.
plaridel | March 1, 2018 at 9:14 am
draliman:
i know.
19.
rochellewisoff | March 1, 2018 at 12:09 pm
Dear Plaridel,
This is the theme song this week. 😉 So much story here. Such a sad one. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
20.
plaridel | March 2, 2018 at 8:46 am
rochelle:
i’m glad you liked it. initially, i thought of writing about boxer shorts but it didn’t go anywhere. 🙂
21.
Moon | March 1, 2018 at 9:58 pm
Sad ending, excellent storytelling.
22.
plaridel | March 2, 2018 at 8:46 am
moon:
i’m glad you liked it. thank you.
23.
spicedmullings | March 2, 2018 at 12:54 am
The irony of it all!
24.
plaridel | March 2, 2018 at 8:45 am
sabina:
it was an offer he couldn’t refuse.
25.
spicedmullings | March 2, 2018 at 8:57 am
🤔
26.
Norma | March 2, 2018 at 7:14 am
A classic story well told. His mom would be disappointed, I guess. Nice song!
27.
plaridel | March 2, 2018 at 8:45 am
norma:
thank you for reading. much appreciated. by the way, i clicked on
normag.wordpress.com and i didn’t get anywhere.
28.
Norma | March 3, 2018 at 10:56 pm
Ooops! Thanks Plaridel, I’ll check. 🙂
In the meanwhile I’ll leave the link here: https://normashilpi.wordpress.com/2018/03/04/an-unexpected-guest/
🙂
29.
plaridel | March 4, 2018 at 12:14 pm
norma:
ok, just make sure when somebody clicks on your avatar, it will show the correct link. 🙂
the wrong link could be the reason why you’re not getting a lot of comments.
30.
Norma | March 5, 2018 at 6:35 am
Could you please help Plaridel?
I don’t know I checked my avatar. Some don’t find the link but it shows me right there. And then when someone tells me then I have to go and check it again and it’s ok. It goes on and off somewhere, I guess. 😦
31.
plaridel | March 5, 2018 at 9:15 am
norma:
the system could be busy. 🙂
you can try this: login to wordpress.com and go settings and change your site address there.
32.
Norma | March 10, 2018 at 7:45 am
Thanks Plaridel. It’s done. 🙂
33.
plaridel | March 10, 2018 at 9:31 am
norma:
you’re welcome.
34.
Norma | March 10, 2018 at 7:46 am
Please check my story: https://normashilpi.wordpress.com/2018/03/10/story-bond/
35.
plaridel | March 10, 2018 at 9:34 am
norma:
will do. thanks.
36.
Norma | March 10, 2018 at 10:08 am
🙂
37.
granonine | March 2, 2018 at 9:19 am
Which is another reason I’m not enamored of the sport.
38.
plaridel | March 2, 2018 at 1:44 pm
linda:
you’re not alone.
39.
liz young | March 2, 2018 at 9:50 am
I’ve never liked boxing, which is why I didn’t write about it. Your story points out perfectly one of the reasons for my dislike.
40.
plaridel | March 2, 2018 at 1:44 pm
liz:
you could have written about boxer shorts. 🙂
41.
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) | March 2, 2018 at 1:14 pm
Maybe it’s a good thing… getting out of it with money in his pocket…
42.
plaridel | March 2, 2018 at 1:43 pm
björn:
under the circumstances, he really had no choice.
43.
Inside the Mind of Isadora | March 3, 2018 at 2:02 pm
AND … his brains. Those head shots have to do something to the brain. ~~~ : – (
44.
Alicia Jamtaas | March 2, 2018 at 3:08 pm
And then there are the wasted prayers of the mother. Interesting and well done take,
45.
plaridel | March 3, 2018 at 8:58 am
alicia:
it’s quite an irony i know.
46.
Sandra | March 3, 2018 at 8:01 am
Not a noble sport at all. And even less so when it’s a fix.
47.
plaridel | March 3, 2018 at 8:58 am
sandra:
it’s all about making big bucks and fooling the aficionados.
48.
Inside the Mind of Isadora | March 3, 2018 at 2:01 pm
YIKES … I hope Carmelo isn’t going to be swimming with the fishies.
Great ending … a real boxing type story. Well done !!!
Isadora 😎
49.
plaridel | March 4, 2018 at 12:12 pm
isadora:
either way he could be. 🙂
50.
Inside the Mind of Isadora | March 5, 2018 at 8:03 am
😳
51.
Sarah Ann | March 4, 2018 at 5:00 am
Oh dear. I hope he isn’t lynched by all those backing him and about to lose as well. Very well set up to the twist at the end.
52.
plaridel | March 4, 2018 at 12:12 pm
sarah ann:
he’d take the money and run for dear life.
53.
k rawson | March 4, 2018 at 5:24 am
Love the way your story expertly winds the readers expectations, and then goes for the gut punch.
54.
plaridel | March 4, 2018 at 12:11 pm
karen:
you’re very kind. thank you.
55.
rgayer55 | March 5, 2018 at 6:02 am
Thanks for playing one of my favorite songs.
Unfortunately, I think the winner is often determined in a lot of sports before the participants enter the arena.
56.
plaridel | March 5, 2018 at 9:16 am
russell:
i think you’re right. that’s why it’s important to know somebody who’s in the know before placing your bet. 🙂
57.
Dawn M. Miller | March 5, 2018 at 8:38 am
Nice twist!
58.
plaridel | March 5, 2018 at 9:15 am
dawn:
thank you.