Below The Belt

Round 32

Tyreek's POV

My eyes finally flashed open, right as I heard the count hit eight.

Get up, pretty boy.

The world seemed to move in slow motion as I placed my gloves fist on the mat and pushed myself up onto my knees. My ears were still ringing, my ribs still hurt like a bitch, and I still couldn't hear the crowd around me, but that didn't stop me from struggling to my feet.

"Tyreek?" A muffled voice spoke to me as I stumbled to my feet. The count had stopped, and now the referee was standing in front of me holding up his fingers. It took a second for me to realize what he was doing, but then I quickly told him how many fingers he was holding up. He did the same thing two more times before leading me back to my corner. "Are you good to continue?"

His voice was still muffled, but I wouldn't tell him that. Instead I nodded my head at him. He asked if I was sure, and I nodded again. He gave me a knowing look, but ultimately turned to move back to the center of the ring to announce that the fight would continue.

Get it together, pretty boy.

I felt a tap on my calf that made me look down behind me. Quan was standing there, and I could see his mouth moving— Asking if I'm okay, probably. I didn't hear a word he said, but I still nodded and smiled at him before turning my attention back to the referee just in time to see him drop his hand.

Red approached me with rage still deep in his eyes. I don't even get why this nigga hates me so bad. I took his title, so what? One thing it never was? That fucking serious.

I met him with a jab straight to his face followed by a right hook that he blocked with his arm before reciprocating with a hard ass hook straight to my head that made my ears stop ringing. Suddenly the noise of the world came rushing back, and I stumbled and shook my head as I felt my head clearing.

Damn. Nigga knocked my thoughts back into place.

I took too long to recuperate from the attack, and soon I received another punch to the head that made me lift my hands to protect my face. As I should've expected, that led to Red punching me in my ribs again, making me hiss in pain and back away from him. He followed me as I moved around the ring. He'd throw a punch, and I'd block it or back out of range before rushing back in and delivering a combination of punches before backing away again.

When the bell rang to signal the end of the round, Red huffed and glared at me before returning to his corner.

I kept my eyes on him as I watched Mr. Onyx get into the ring. The older man got into Red's face and seemed to be having a heated conversation with him. Red was too busy glaring back into my eyes, but his attention snapped away from me when Mr. Onyx smacked him.

Red immediately looked up at Mr. Onyx with drawn up eyebrows, almost like he was... Afraid. Of Mr. Onyx? All that nigga does is sit behind a desk all day and make money. What's there to be afraid of?

"Bruh, ion know why Red hates you so bad..." Quan started as he wiped my face. "But I'm startin' to think it's yo fault. 'Cause ain't no way this nigga hate you bad enough to do all this for no reason."

"I ain't do shit but prove he wasn't the best." I scoffed. The nigga's been jealous since I took that fake ass title from him back at the onyx.

"If all this really is over that title, I'd be shocked." Quan muttered as he stuck my mouth guard back into my mouth. The rang again, beginning the seventh round as Quan and Red's crew slid out of the ring, leaving just us and the referee again.

When we met in the middle again, Red wasted no time jabbing me straight in the face... Twice.

I made sure to return the favor with a jab and a right hook that made him stumble to the side. When he was knocked off balance, I hounded on him. Punching him anywhere I could land a hit. He covered his head while I hit him and stayed like that for a moment before he suddenly dipped away, breaking away from me and bouncing around in the center of the ring.