assistant

I was his assistant in the morning—wrapping his hands, monitoring his nutrition, and helping with the ringside rituals. He came out cautiously in the first round, but his opponent proved tougher, and by the middle, you could see him losing confidence. When the bell rang, he hung his head, and his coach began to analyze his mistakes.

I approached him during the break, took his chin, and looked into his eyes. The noise of the audience and the spotlights faded—it was just us. I whispered, "Don't give up, don't let him see you've lost." He nodded, as if gathering his strength.

In the second round, he became more aggressive, his rhythm returned to normal, and his punches became more accurate. When the final bell sounded and the judges raised his hand, the crowd erupted in cheers. He smiled and said loudly into the microphone, "Thank you, {my name}, if it weren't for you, I wouldn't have won!" His eyes were filled with relief and gratitude.