Chapter 1
"You can do it, kid! You beat this guy before and you can do it again. So what if he's had his weakness fixed, anything can go down if you hit it hard enough!" Coach Vic encouraged as Big Macintosh trotted around the locker room, shaking his forelegs every step.
"Ah don't know Coach. Ah mean, he was so darn hard the first time. And now he's removed his only weakness. Do ya think I actually stand a chance?" Macintosh replied as he stopped and looked towards Vic.
Vic gave a nod and waved his hoof at Macintosh, "Of course, Mac. You're not the kind to go down easily." He then chuckled and shifted into a more comfortable position on the bench, "Remember all the bouts and tournaments you've been in over the past few years?"
Macintosh smiled slightly, "Ah remember. Why do ya ask, Coach?"
"Mac, you've always been confident in your skills. You're always calm and collect when it comes to boxing. If you think this guy stands a chance against you, then you're losing your touch." Vic said with a small grin.
Macintosh rubbed the back of his head with his gloved hoof, "Well, Ah don't know how Ah could beat em. Last time Ah got lucky, found his weakness. But, now that's he's gotten that fixed, Ah just don't see how Ah could win."
Vic jumped off the bench and put his face in front of Macintosh's, "Listen here, Mac! I've known you your whole boxing career, and I've never seen you back down from a fight. You're defending your title this time, Mac! You can't lose your focus and think about losing. You have to think about winning! Because that's what your going to do! You're going to go out there and win! Don't let this guy even think he can beat you!"
Suddenly, the sounds of the roaring crowd above increased as the announcer's began to give the stats of the fight and the events leading up to this point.
Vic smiled as he heard the crowd chanting 'Big Macintosh!'.
"Hear that? They believe in you, Mac. And I believe in you." Vic then put his front hoof on Macintosh's shoulder, "Now, all you have to do is believe in yourself."
Macintosh looked towards the door that lead to the stadium, and his next opponent.
Memories of the events that lead to this point began to flow into his mind. He remembered fighting his way to the top, and the many challenges of staying on top. He remembered the first time he lost and how his family and friends encouraged him to keep going.
A faint smile formed on his face, "Don't worry, Coach. Ah ain't gonna lose the title to this brute."
Vic smiled widely as he slapped Macintosh on the back, "That's my boy! Nothing can beat you when you know you're going to win!" He then gave Macintosh a light shove towards the door, "Let's go get him, Mac!"
The two walked towards the door, confidence radiating off each of them.
They walked out the door and began to trot down the long hallway to the large stadium.
As he walked, Macintosh smiled happily. He was remembering each and every fight that brought him to this point.
Vic looked over at him and smiled, "Kick his flank, Mac. Make him regret fighting you again."
"That's mah plan." Macintosh said as his face changed into one full of seriousness.
Vic nodded and looked ahead, "Remember, dodge his right hook and you'll be fine."
Up ahead, the opening to the stadium began to come into view. Beyond it was the huge crowd of screaming ponies, all ready to see the champion win another match.
Macintosh raised his head high and picked up his pace. He stepped out into the open, causing the crowd to go crazy. The large stage lights turned in his direction, sending a bright light into Macintosh's face.
Five years earlier
Macintosh, age nineteen
"Come on, princess! Punch it like you mean it!" Coach Vic screamed as Macintosh punched the heavy bag again.
Macintosh gritted his teeth and slammed his gloved hoof into the bag again, "Ah am!"
Vic pulled the bag back and waved his hoof, "Stop, just stop." He dropped to all fours and stared at Macintosh coldly, "You've been coming to my gym for a year now, and you still can't fight worth crap. I think it's about time I pull the plug on your membership."
Macintosh's eyes widened at this, "No! Ya can't! Ah love ta box, it's my only stress reliever!"
Vic put his hoof to his head and rubbed his temple, "Okay, Macintosh, give me one reason why I shouldn't send you on your way? I have plenty other stallions here to train. I don't have time to just baby one!"
"Ah.... Ya...." Macintosh stammered as he looked around quickly. "Can't we make ah deal, or sumthin'?"
Vic 'hmmm'd' as he rubbed his chin, "A deal? We may can work something out."
He looked around the gym and looked at each stallion, a sly smile forming on his face.
"Alright, listen here Macky. I'll make you one deal; If you can win a sparing match against the best fighter in here, you can stay."
Macintosh nodded quickly, "Ah can do..."
Vic held up a hoof, "Not finished. If you lose, then I'm taking your membership and you'll just have to find some other place to box."
Macintosh gulped audibly, "Ah, uhh... Ah accept."
A small smirk formed on Vic's face as he gestured towards the ring, "Alrighty then, get on up there and I'll go get your opponent.
Small beads of nervous sweat began to form on Macintosh's face as he trotted towards the large boxing ring.
He climbed up the small steps next to the ring and crawled through the ropes and onto the mat.
"Are you actually about to fight, Mac?" Carmile asked as he stopped and looked towards the ring.
Macintosh glanced his way, "Eeyep."
Carmile smiled and turned to a few other stallion's, "Guys, you've got to see this! Mac is about to actually fight someone!"
"Whoa, really? I got to see this!"
"He's going to fight? Really? He can't even punch the bag right. How is he suppose to fight something that hits back?"
Macintosh began to ignore them as he watched Vic talk to Rock Hoof, the local champion.
Rock Hoof was the gyms own little celebrity, always boasting about his skills, but never actually joining the professional league. He said it was because he wanted to give the other guys a shot at winning, because if he joined, no one would be able to defeat him.
But to Macintosh, he was just a big mouth who talked to much about himself.
Vic began to trot back to the ring, Rock Hoof close behind him. On the way to the ring, Vic grabbed two sparing helmets.
When he reached the ring, he jumped up on the side and tossed Macintosh a helmet.
"It's for your safety, princess. I don't want Rock to beat your head in." Vic said with a chuckle as he tossed the other helmet to Rock Hoof.
Once Macintosh and Rock Hoof had the helmets on, Vic blew his whistle.
"Okay you two, you both know the rules. No low blows and no back legs." He looked between the two stallions and nodded, "Tap your gloves and begin on the whistle."
Macintosh and Rock Hoof trotted towards each other and tapped their gloves together.
When Macintosh stepped back into his corner, he stood up on his hind legs, taking the pose of a boxer. His front hooves raised up in front of himself.
On the other side, Rock Hoof was doing the same, a smug look on his face.
A second later, Vic blew the whistle.
Macintosh took two steps from his corner and watched Rock Hoof jump dance across the mat towards him.
"Nighty night, Macky!" He said smugly as he came into range.
Rock Hoof threw his hoof forward, jabbing Macintosh in the snout. The padded helmet absorbed most of the blow, but the hit still caused Macintosh's head to snap back.
Rock Hoof followed with a right hook, knocking Macintosh's head to the side. He smiled and slammed his left hoof into Macintosh's chin.
Macintosh shook his head quickly and threw a right hook.
Rock hoof ducked under it and began to pound away at Macintosh's mid section.
A pained gasp escaped Macintosh's mouth as he grabbed hold of Rock Hoof and pulled him into a clench.
As Macintosh caught his breath, Rock Hoof began to try and push Macintosh away. When he was successful, he took a step back and slammed his left hoof into the side of Macintosh's head.
Macintosh stumbled to the side and struggled to catch himself.
Rock Hoof sprung forward and slammed his right hoof into Macintosh's unguarded chest, and another into his slightly protected face.
Macintosh hit the ropes and was able to balance himself. He took a deep breath and brought his hooves back up. He then began to advance on Rock Hoof, who was barely blocking himself.
"Come on, Macky! Hit me!" He yelled, lowering his guard and pushing his face forward, a smug look planted on his face.
Macintosh gritted his teeth, "Ah'ma knock that look off of ya face!"
"Do it then, princess." Rock Hoof taunted.
Macintosh stepped forward and pulled back his right hoof and threw it forward. His hoof slammed into Rock's face, knocking him off of his hooves and causing him to fall to the mat with a loud thud.
"Oh my Celestia..." Vic said in awe at the sight before him.
The other stallion's gawked at the scene, not believing their eyes.
Rock Hoof groaned as he forced himself to stand up, holding a hoof to his face.
"You punched through my helmet!" He then yelped in pain as he applied pressure to his snout, "You broke my snout! YOU BROKE MY SNOUT!"
Roaring in anger, Rock Hoof moved forward and began to throw punch after punch into Macintosh's face.
Macintosh held up his hooves, blocking a few of the heavy punches. He just stood there, letting Rock Hoof unleash his anger, letting him tire himself out.
Soon, Rock Hoof's punches began to slow and his breath began to quicken.
When he threw a lazy left hook, Macintosh threw up his left hoof and knocked his away. He then slammed his right hoof into the side of Rock Hoof's head, followed by his left to the other side. As Rock Hoof began to stumble back, Macintosh stepped forward and brought his right hoof upward and into Rock Hoof's chin.
Rock Hoof was lifted off his hooves again and landed on the mat with a heavy thud. As he tried to stand, he stumbled and fell back to the mat.
Macintosh began to walk forward, hooves still raised.
Vic blew his whistle and jumped into the ring, "It's over!" He then put his hoof on Macintosh's chest to hold him back.
A small smile formed on Vic's face as he looked up at Macintosh, "You know, I think I misjudged you."
Macintosh went back to all fours and let a grin appear on his face.
Vic held out his hoof, "A deal's a deal." A large smile formed on his face, "Welcome to my personal training circle, Mac."
Macintosh reached out and shook Vic's hoof, his heart racing at the news, "Personal training circle?"
Vic put his hoof back down and turned, "I see potential in you. May be worth tapping into. Meet me here in the morning to start."
Macintosh smiled as he began to pull off his helmet.
He had just completed the first step in his boxing career.
