Tyler stared at the message.
Still, Tyler felt the old pressure settle across his shoulders.
At the gym, he found Martin adjusting the height of a heavy bag.
“Do you ever get tired of people knowing your past?” Tyler asked.
Martin continued tightening the strap.
“Which part?”
“The part where you made mistakes. The part that follows you around even when you're trying to do better.”
Martin tested the bag with a light push.
“People remember what they remember. You don't get to control that.”
“So what am I supposed to do?”
“Give them something else to observe.”
Tyler leaned against the ropes.
“What if they don't care about anything else?”
“Then they don't care about anything else. You can't force someone to forgive you.”
Martin turned toward him.
“You keep treating forgiveness like it's a prize you can earn if you behave correctly for long enough. It isn't. You owe people the truth and the chance to make their own decisions.”
Tyler absorbed the words.
“Then why keep trying?” he asked.
Martin's expression grew serious.
“Because you still have to live with yourself.”
Tyler looked away.
Later that afternoon, a local sports reporter arrived at Champions Den to interview the fighters before the event. Raymond had arranged the visit, hoping to generate interest in the match without allowing the conversation to become a spectacle.
Marcus had already completed his interview when Tyler entered the small office.
“I want to ask you about the incident with Martin,” she said. “Are you comfortable discussing it?”
Tyler could have refused. He had every right to decline questions about his private life, and Raymond had advised him to keep the interview focused on the upcoming fight.
But avoiding the subject would have been easy, and Tyler was tired of choosing the easiest response whenever he felt uncomfortable.
“Yes,” he said.
“Some people believe the incident was an isolated mistake. Others think it revealed your character. What would you say to them?”
Tyler took a moment to consider the question.
“I think I gave people a reason to question my character,” he replied. “I wanted to look powerful in front of other people, so I humiliated someone who hadn't done anything to deserve it. I told myself it was a joke because that made it easier to ignore the fact that I was being cruel.”
“Do you think you've changed?”
“I think I'm learning how to change. That's different.”
“How?”
“By accepting that feeling embarrassed doesn't give me permission to hurt someone. By listening when people tell me I'm wrong. By understanding that an apology doesn't mean much if I keep doing the same things.”
“I also don't expect Martin to be responsible for making me feel better about what I did. He's helped me, but he doesn't owe me that help.”
“Do you believe you deserve another chance?”
Tyler considered the question longer than the others.
“I believe people can choose to give me one. I don't believe I can demand it.”
Dana asked about Marcus, Tyler's training, and the pressure surrounding the fight. Tyler answered honestly. He said Marcus was a skilled opponent and that he intended to compete seriously. He also admitted that he was still learning to control his temper when things did not go his way.
“I expected a different conversation,” she admitted.
Tyler gave a small, humorless smile.
“So did I.”
Others accused him of trying to repair his public image before the fight.
Tyler read several comments, then closed the page.
The old version of him would have answered every accusation. He would have argued that people were judging him unfairly, that nobody understood the pressure he faced, and that his record should count for something.
At the end of training, Martin found him wrapping his hands.
“You read the article?” Martin asked.
“Yes.”
“And?”
“Some people believe me. Some don't.”
Martin nodded.
“Sounds like people.”
Tyler tightened the wrap around his wrist.
“I wanted everyone to understand.”
“Understanding is not something you can force.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
Tyler looked up.
This time, Martin believed him.
Two days before the fight, Raymond ordered Tyler to stop sparring.
Tyler protested immediately.
“I still need rounds.”
“You've had enough rounds.”
“I haven't worked with anyone who fights like Marcus.”
“You've studied his footage for three weeks. You've worked on the patterns he uses. Your timing is improving, and your conditioning is where it needs to be.”
Raymond crossed his arms.
“Now you need rest.”
Tyler looked toward Martin, hoping for support.
Martin was sweeping the floor near the ring.
“Don't look at me,” he said. “I'm not the one who has to get punched on Saturday.”
Tyler exhaled sharply.
“So that's it? I just sit around and hope I'm ready?”
“You prepare by knowing when to stop,” Raymond replied. “A tired fighter makes poor decisions. An anxious fighter makes unnecessary ones. You don't need to prove your commitment by exhausting yourself.”
Tyler wanted to argue.
Martin noticed his expression.
“Come with me,” he said.