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7. The Final Grand Prix Arrives! <3>
The day of the match.
There was an audience of around 1,800 people gathered at the special stage in Seoul’s P Hotel.
“It’s freaking hot. Is the air conditioner really on?”
Chunkyu spoke as he flapped the front of his shirt.
“Which match are you, Changgong?”
Seongcheol asked.
Chunkyu looked through the pamphlet.
“He’s in the 3rd match. And if he wins that, the finals will be the 6th, the last match.”
The first two matches were the lightweight semi-finals, while the 3rd and 4th were the welterweight semi-finals. Match 5 was the lightweight finals and 6 was welterweight finals. Changgong would be fighting in the 3rd match, and then the 6th if he won.
“Fuck, why am I so nervous when I’m not the one fighting.”
Seongcheol’s legs quivered.
“Bitch, be a man.”
“I don’t want to hear that from a retard so nervous he’s holding the pamphlet upside down.”
“I was just preoccupied, moron.”
The arena darkened as the two friends bickered.
-Hello ladies and gentlemen. The vice president of the Golden Glove, Heechul Kim, will give an opening speech before we begin the Golden Glove Interleague Grand Prix.
“It’s starting.”
A clean-cut middle-aged man gave a brief speech under the center spotlight. The tournament officially started once the vice president disappeared back into the audience.
-We will now begin the Golden Glove Light and Welterweight Final Grand Prix!
The audience stood and cheered. Chunkyu and Seongcheol also gave out a shout, taken in by the crowd.
***
Changgong was warming up in the waiting room 20 minutes before his match.
Tap, tap, tap! Smack! Smack!
Changgong hit the mitts with a flurry of punches followed by a middle kick and a low kick.
“Good!”
Dongsub shouted.
“Keep your kicks short. Pull with your stomach! Got it?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, the standing sweep (flipping the positions)!”
Dongsub dug his arms under Changgong’s armpits and clinched.
Changgong stuffed his right arm below the clinch and dug into Dongsub’s left armpit. He then used his left leg as the axis to spin left, forcing Dongsub off balance and into the wall.
“Good, don’t forget that it’s a mental battle.”
“Okay.”
“Alright, let’s take a break.”
Changgong sat on the edge of the bench. Doyoon massaged him from his shoulders down to his arms.
“How’s your condition?”
“Good.”
“Seungkook has a lower rank than Kisub who you fought before. But you’ll be down before you know it if you let your guard down. Kisub didn’t know anything about you, but Seungkook most likely analyzed you thoroughly.”
“I know.”
Woo!
The sound of cheers seeped into the room.
“It seems like the second match just ended.”
Just as that was said, a staff member knocked on the door to the waiting room.
“It’s time for your match. Please standby.”
“Let’s go.”
Changgong put in his mouthpiece and headed for the entrance gate. Dongsub and Doyoon prepared a bucket, ice, and towels before following behind him.
It was finally time for Changgong’s Final Grand Prix match.
8 Changgong in a Pinch! <1>
-The Golden Glove Final Grand Prix. We will now begin the 3rd match, the welterweight super fight semi-finals. Fighter Changgong Lee will enter first!
Booming rock music started to play, as dry ice was pumped out around the entrance.
But Changgong stood as if he was stuck in place.
“What’re you doing. Go in.”
“

Alright already. I never said I wasn’t going to go in.”
Changgong spoke with an attitude, but still hesitated.
“Kid.”
“I’m going, I’m going.”
Changgong took a deep breath and entered the arena.
The eyes of the almost 2,000 audience members all focused on Changgong.
HAHAHA!
And then boisterous laughter burst through the arena.
In the center screen showing Changgong, ‘Grandma Kim’s Bossam’ stood out in clear large letters across his chest.
“Ack! What is that!”
“Did you come here to promote bossam!”
“I got it Changgong! I’ll have bossam for my midnight snack!”
As expected, various jokes flew out from the audience. God, this stupid bossam. Changgong resolved not to eat anymore bossam.


Of course, he would have no choice if someone bought it for him though.
Changgong swayed towards the octagon with a beet-red face. He quickly went through the body check and light shadowboxed in the octagon.
A cameraman suddenly thrust a camera into Changgong’s face.
“What the fu-! You scared me!”
Changgong, who had been focusing on his shadowboxing, shuddered in surprise.
That reaction was displayed clearly in the center screen.
HAHAHA!
Laughter burst through the audience once again.
“Hey you moron. Are you going to continue to embarrass yourself?”
Doyoon quietly grumbled at Changgong.
“How can you call your fighter a moron!”
“Hey

! Quiet down.”
“I’m saying it to be heard!”
“Think about the audience you moron!”
The fighter was arguing with his second. The audience was filled with laughter before the match.
Dongsub felt like hiding under a rock.
-Changgong Lee is showing us quite a humorous moment. He doesn’t look nervous at all for a rookie.
-It’s great to see that. I personally have high hopes for this fighter. He’s a rising star from Team Fighting Spirit, having crushed two pro fighters in his earlier matches. I wonder if he’ll be able to show us another great outcome. Let’s keep our eyes on him.
The commentators spoke.
-And following is Seungkook Baek.
The ring announcer shouted.
Boom! Boom! Yeah! Boom! Boom! Yeah! Yeah!
Seungkook entered in rhythm to Asher’s ‘Yeah!’
-Seungkook Baek is a veteran fighter turning 30 this year. There’s 13 years between him and Changgong Lee.
-That’s right. He’s at that golden age where he still has the energy of the twenties and the experience of an older fighter. This fighter has never lost by a TKO and is a real tough one.
Seungkook entered the octagon as the commentator introduced him.
Dongsub spoke during the time Seungkook warmed up and greeted the audience.
“Okay, let’s repeat it one more time. Kicks?”
“Should be short, pulled from the stomach.”
“In a clinch?”
“Don’t give up control of my armpits and lower my head below my opponent’s.”
“Good. Keep your guard flexible and your footwork light.”
“Got it.”
The ring announcer came into the octagon with a mic.
-The Golden Glove Final Grand Prix. Introducing the fighters for the welterweight super fight. In the blue corner, weighing in at 77.1 kg with a height of 183 cm, the up-and-comer who debuted with a bang! The instant killer! Changgong Lee!
Changgong raised both his arms. The audience roared.
‘When did I get such a nickname?’
It was a bit awkward, but it wasn’t too bad. It was kind of cool, actually. It was better than sex man or bossam fighter. Yep, much better.
-In the red corner, weighing in at 77.1 kg with a height of 174 cm, he’s made it here with endurance alone. The leading wrestler! Seungkook Baek!
The audience roared one more time. Seungkook also raised his arms in reply.
-This match is made up of two 5-minute rounds. The main referee will be Jaewon Shim.
The bald, bearded referee approached.
“Fighters, to your positions.”
Changgong and Kisub (tl: probably supposed to be Seungkook) faced each other at the center.
“No attacks in the throat, no fingers in the face, no elbows, no attacks on the testicles, and don’t grab on to the cage, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Okay.”
“Touch gloves. To your corners!”
Changgong went to his corner.
“Take it slow. Your opponent has never been knocked out.”
Doyoon spoke.
Changgong scoffed.
“You’re telling me something that important now?”
“Hey, hey! Focus on the match!”
“Blue corner!”
The referee warned Changgong just then. Changgong scratched the back of his head as he apologized. But nevertheless, he had a point deducted.
In that brief moment, Seungkook’s second spoke to him.
“That guy’s never gone to the second round. Slowly tire him out and take it to the ground.”
“You think I won’t be able to take care of that little twerp?”
“Take it slowly. Don’t rush it.”
The short commotion finally ended.
“Ready? Ready? Fight!”
Ring! The bell rang.
-And the match has started

! Woah!
The commentators suddenly gasped.
Woo!
The audience’s cheer followed.
Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack!
Seungkook was on the floor grabbing onto Changgong’s ankle for life. Changgong was pounding down on Seungkook’s head with fists like steel.
What had happened?
It had occurred right along with the bell.
Changgong suddenly jumped at the start and kneed Seungkook straight in his face.
Having been hit by a flying knee kick, Seungkook fell right over and could only hold onto Changgong’s ankle, leading to the current situation.
Changgong calmly held onto Seungkook’s head with his right hand as he pounded down on his face with his left hand.
Smack! Smack! Smack!
Unable to take the strongest punch in the weight class, Seungkook eventually let go of Changgong’s ankle to cover his head.
“Stop!”
The referee threw his body and pushed Changgong away. Ring! The bell rang.
“Ah!”
Changgong spit out his mouthpiece and yelled from on top of the cage.
-Wow! How could this be! The match has ended! Can this really be happening!
-Woah! Haha

! This is really

! Amazing. That’s Changgong Lee for you. He immediately knocked down Seungkook Baek, a fighter with no history of being knocked out.
-Seungkook is still unable to come to his senses. Oh! His forehead is cut open! There’s a lot of blood.
-Wow

I hope it isn’t a serious injury. Honestly, the punching power of the welterweight class can really kill. And even amongst the class, Changgong Lee is considered to have the strongest punch, correct?
-And the official record is out. Oh! 6 seconds! Changgong Lee has achieved another TKO in just 6 seconds!
-Wow

! This may be the fastest knockout in Korean martial arts history. Gosh
..haha, really. Changgong Lee is really amazing. And he’s only 18 years old.
One of the commentators could only laugh from amazement.
The audience was in an uproar.
6 seconds.
Changgong had secured his spot in the finals while setting the record for the fastest TKO in Korean martial arts history.
***
“Who told you to jump in like that!”
Dongsub yelled as soon as they got into the waiting room.
A flying knee kick was not part of the plan.
It wasn’t even considered for the plan. Not a single word had been spoken about a flying knee kick. It had obvious not been part of the practice, either.
This guy had not fought as a sport. He had just simply fought.
A fighter who doesn’t communicate with his seconds should be reprimanded. It would be bad for it to become a habit, so they had to be even firmer now.
“I’m sorry.”
“What would you have done if he dodged it? Did you have a plan for when it went to the ground?”
“No.”
“Then what? If you’re going to do whatever you want, why are you even here, you bastard!”
“

”
“You don’t have anything say?”
“I’m sorry.”
“That’s it?”
“I won’t do it again.”
“And? Anything else?”
Changgong’s face fell even more as he sighed.
“Can we do this later?”
“

What?”
“I know where you’re coming from, but can’t we do this later.”
Dongsub was too shocked to say anything.
This guy could joke at times, but he wasn’t a rude kid. He didn’t think he would talk back to him this directly.
“Come over here for a sec.”
Doyoon dragged Changgong over to the corner when Dongsub couldn’t speak out of surprise.
“What are you doing? Do you think you’re all that since we’re so easy on you? Huh?”
“It’s not like that.”
“Then what is it? You’re being scolded right now, bastard. Do you get that?”
“I know that. God, just

let’s do this later.”
“Look at this bastard. Are you out of your mind?”
“Jeez, it’s not like that

 God! So frustrating.”
“What’s so frustrating? Speak.”
Changgong sighed heavily and glanced at Dongsub before whispering into Doyoon’s ear. Then he slumped out of the waiting room without permission.
Dongsub walked over to Doyoon with a dumbfounded expression.
“What did he say?”
“

He was nervous.”
“Nervous?”
“He suddenly had to poo.”
“Poo?”
“Yes. He thought he was going to shit himself

”
“

”
The two men stared at each other.
He had set a Korean record because he had to take a shit.