fight day

after having cut off

everyone s/he loved or

having them made that decision

for him/her,

s/he was alone in

training for months,

with a minimal diet

reducing

reducing

reducing,

with the workouts from twice a

day to a full time, 24/7,

mental & physical

pure dedication,

where all that mattered

was the

fight---

s/he visited the chiropractor,

s/he wore the suit to sweat beneath

the sweatpants,

in the sauna &

in the run,

with every hill becoming higher as

the trainers, the assistants, the

physicians agreed,

they must become steeper,

for s/he must push him/herself to the

furthest point of human exertion,

must lose every pound that s/he can

to cut him/herself up to the proper

weight class &

the vision became blurry in those last

hours,

with more people around him who have

suffered extreme loss in the ring,

who have bet it all for what others

who have never had an ounce of ambition in

their lives

might look upon them to say

they did it all for

absolutely nothing,

but s/he knows more &

after stripping down to the skivvies &

stepping on the scale,

what has been attained is a

physical perfection,

a human body molded for

implementing destruction,

for bashing a thousand blasts of

energy

into the face of the opponent,

all for the sake of the

fight, all for the sake of a goal

to be attained

by any means necessary---

and loved ones who might get a

few minutes on the phone with

her/him,

treat the fighter with

kiddy gloves,

because they understand more than

anyone who will be watching,

just what dedication really is &

they will forever be inspired by

this person that they have been

so lucky, so fortunate

to know---

s/he rehydrates, s/he pounds the

health calories, s/he gets rest,

s/he spends time laughing with

those around her/him

who have dedicated their lives as

well to

one amazing

focus---

counting down the minutes,

the seconds,

before

fight

day.