Rise from ashes

Briggs

Two days before his professional debut, Zed entered the final stage of his preparation. Monday's training was the lightest session he had completed since beginning his professional journey. Instead of intense workouts, Darnell focused on light footwork, controlled movement, and a short pad session.

Garrett carefully examined the flaw that had once existed in Zed's right hand.

After checking it several times from different angles, he confirmed that the problem had completely disappeared. There was no excitement or celebration because everyone expected that result after weeks of disciplined work. Darnell simply marked his clipboard and continued with the day's routine.

After training, the three men sat together drinking coffee. Darnell explained that Dayo Briggs' camp had contacted Meridian Promotions earlier that morning.

Although the call seemed routine, Briggs' team had requested additional footage of Zed's previous fights. They wanted professional sparring videos because the four amateur bouts they had watched were not enough to build a complete strategy.

Darnell believed that worked in their favor because those recordings only showed an older version of Zed. The man Briggs would face in the ring had grown far beyond the fighter shown on those tapes.

Garrett reminded Zed not to expect Briggs to remain confused for long. Briggs was experienced enough to study his opponent during the fight and make adjustments quickly.

He believed Briggs would understand the differences before the first round ended and begin changing his tactics in the second. That meant Zed had to make every second of the opening round count. Their goal was not to search for an early knockout but to cause enough damage that Briggs would feel its effects in the later rounds.

Every successful punch would make future decisions more difficult for him. Darnell agreed, explaining that this was the same principle they had followed during the amateur tournament. They wanted Briggs to pay a price for every round he spent inside the ring.

Before leaving the gym, Zed asked to watch Briggs' fight footage one final time. He wanted another look at the movement Briggs always made before throwing his dangerous left hook. Darnell handed him the laptop without hesitation, trusting him to study the details on his own.

Tuesday became the final day of preparation before the fight. There was no heavy training, no sparring, and no exhausting drills. Zed spent twenty minutes moving around the ring by himself, allowing his feet to follow the patterns they had practiced for months. Darnell watched silently without giving instructions. For the first time since training began, he had nothing to correct.

The work had already been done.

After the session ended, Darnell asked about Zed's shoulder, ribs, and right hand. Zed answered confidently that everything felt normal. Satisfied, Darnell remained quiet for a moment before reminding Zed of the day they first met in a clinic waiting room.

Back then, Zed had been bruised and injured after being attacked while collecting medication for his mother. Looking at him now, Darnell admitted that although he had trained fighters with greater speed, stronger punches, and better athletic ability, he had never trained anyone who learned faster, worked harder, or remained stronger under constant pressure than Zed.

He explained that those words were not meant to increase Zed's confidence before the fight. They were simply the truth. Before leaving, Darnell told him that the following night they would finally complete everything they had worked toward since the beginning of their journey together.

Left alone in the gym, Zed sat quietly looking at the empty ring. During the past four months, he had fought his way through three qualifying bouts before winning the amateur championship. Those victories had earned him the opportunity standing before him now.

Tomorrow would not simply be another fight. It would become the beginning of his professional career. As he picked up his bag and left Iron Harbor, he realized he was completely ready for whatever awaited him.

Fight day arrived peacefully. Zed woke up early without needing an alarm. The apartment remained quiet as the morning sunlight entered through the kitchen window.

He made himself a cup of coffee and sat alone at the table. Instead of thinking about boxing, he focused on ordinary things around him. He thought about the laundry he had not completely folded, the loose kitchen cabinet handle he had promised himself to repair, and the short message Mary had sent wishing him success.

He deliberately refused to think about the fight because he believed every necessary preparation had already been completed. Worrying now would not improve anything.

Later that morning, Lila joined him in the kitchen with her cup of tea. She smiled after learning that he had slept well throughout the night..

They quietly discussed the evening schedule. Darnell would arrive at six o'clock, and the event would begin around eight. Before finishing her tea, Lila told him she had spoken with Mary earlier that morning. Mary wanted to attend the fight but could not because of her university classes and transportation schedule.

She promised to watch the result from her phone and asked them to send her the outcome as soon as the fight ended. Although Zed understood, he wished she could have witnessed the moment herself.

He simply asked Lila to tell Mary he would call after everything was over.

The day passed slowly. Zed ate a light meal, rested on the couch without sleeping, stretched carefully, and checked his shoulder, ribs, and hand once more. Everything felt ready. During the afternoon, he opened the notebook that had accompanied him throughout his journey.

On the newest page, he wrote Dayo Briggs' name and professional record. Looking at the notebook, he realized it had changed. It had begun as a place to record debts, struggles, and promises. Now it had become a record of growth, discipline, and achievements. He closed it, knowing he would return later that night to write the result.

At six o'clock, Darnell arrived at the apartment. Rowan was no longer with him because he had already started working at another gym in Cincinnati. Lila slowly came downstairs, and Darnell quietly offered his arm to help her down the last few steps. She accepted with gratitude, and together they drove toward the professional boxing venue on the west side of Columbus.

The arena looked different from every place where Zed had competed before. Bright lights surrounded the ring, rows of seats stretched across the hall, and professional equipment filled every corner. Stewart Okafor welcomed them at the entrance before personally escorting Lila to a reserved front-row seat close to Zed's corner.

From there she would clearly see every moment of the fight and even hear Darnell's advice between rounds. Looking at the ring, she smiled and quietly said she had the best seat in the building.

Before Zed left for the changing room, she simply told him to get ready.

Inside the dressing room, everything followed the same routine they had practiced for months. Garrett supervised the warm-up while Darnell carefully wrapped Zed's hands exactly as he always had. The familiar routine kept everyone calm. Ten minutes before the fight,

an official knocked on the door. Garrett reminded Zed to plant his right foot correctly before throwing his strongest punch. Zed repeated the instruction confidently.

Darnell quietly checked his equipment one final time. There was nothing more to say. The preparation was complete.

As Zed walked toward the ring, the crowd welcomed him with loud applause. His name echoed through the arena as bright lights followed every step. He climbed through the ropes and finally saw Dayo Briggs waiting across the ring. Briggs looked taller than expected and carried himself with the calm confidence of a man who already had seven professional fights behind him. From his expression, Zed could tell Briggs believed he was facing an inexperienced former amateur. That belief would soon disappear.

The referee, Patrick Sule, gathered both fighters in the center of the ring for the final instructions. Darnell had already assured Zed that Sule was one of the fairest and most respected officials in the state. After touching gloves, both men returned to their corners.

The opening bell rang, and Zed officially began his professional boxing career.

The fight began with both boxers showing patience. Briggs relied on his professional experience, while Zed stayed focused on the game plan Darnell had prepared. After carefully reading Briggs' movements, Zed avoided a left hook and landed a clean right hand.

Although Briggs hid his reaction well, the punch clearly affected him and gave Zed confidence.

In the second round, Briggs used his reach to keep Zed at a distance. Zed remained patient, closed the gap little by little, and answered every attack with accurate counters.

Another well-timed right hand landed cleanly, showing that Briggs was beginning to struggle with Zed's speed and timing.

The third round changed the fight completely. Briggs tried to increase the pressure, but Zed adjusted quickly. He interrupted Briggs' rhythm with his jab before stepping in with a perfectly timed right hand that knocked Briggs down for the first time.

Briggs beat the count, but the momentum had completely shifted in Zed's favor.

Knowing he was behind, Briggs attacked aggressively in the fourth round and reopened the cut above Zed's eye. Zed refused to lose his composure.

He stayed disciplined, landed another series of clean punches, and scored a second knockdown. Moments later, one final right hand sent Briggs to the canvas again, forcing the referee to stop the fight and declare Zed the winner by technical knockout.

The crowd celebrated loudly as Zed's hand was raised in victory. Darnell congratulated him on a successful professional debut, while Briggs showed his respect with a simple nod after receiving medical attention. Lila's first concern was the cut above Zed's eye, reminding him to get it treated immediately.

In the dressing room, the doctor stitched the cut, and Stewart confirmed the official fourth-round technical knockout. He also informed Zed that another professional fight was already being planned. On the drive home, Zed noticed workers inside the old Regal building, giving hope that the store would soon reopen. Before sleeping, he completed his notebook by writing the result of his first professional victory.

Three weeks later, Drake Volkov remained in custody, while Abe Salib decided to reopen Regal and offered jobs to people in the neighborhood. Lila's medication support was renewed, Mary continued doing well in law school, and Zed won his second professional fight by another technical knockout.

After recording another victory in his notebook, Zed reflected on everything that had brought him this far. Every challenge, sacrifice, and lesson had shaped the man he had become. He understood that success came from taking one step at a time, and with that mindset, he looked forward to whatever the future would bring.