Redemption - Leon Uris [173]
Fighting from this stance in the center of the ring, Rory showed very little. The big fellow’s arms were too long and he was just too high.
“Time.”
“How’s he breathing, Chester?”
“Not quite heavy enough.”
“Shyte. In order to corner me he has to throw that left jab.”
“Maybe he learned better,” Johnny said.
“Time.”
Suddenly, in the middle of the second round, Rory Landers switched from right-handed to left-handed, made a feint, and damned if the Aussie didn’t throw an instinctive jab. Rory ducked under it and slammed two fast right hands into Baker’s reddening ribs.
Rory skipped out, now fighting right-handed again, and faked a hook to the body. Baker lowered his arm to protect his aching side and got blasted on the jaw.
In that moment, Butcher Boy Baker became indecisive and Rory swarmed all over him…and Jaysus Almighty, Baker began backing up!
“Time! Time! Time!”
“He’s puffing now!” Chester yelled.
“Keep your eye on the chaplain,” Rory puffed. “He’s holding the money.”
“Be careful, Rory,” Johnny cried, “he’s going to get dirty.”
“Time.”
Baker blew across the room like a typhoon and sent a punch from hallelujah-land that whistled past Rory’s face so close it nipped his eyelashes.
Rory suddenly became a bit mushy from all his maneuvering. They were a soggy pair squirting and oozing blood from various incisions.
But look! Baker was no longer using his left hand at all, at all. His arm was tucked in against his side to keep his body from taking any more blows. Rory leapt in with a glorious right hand to the jaw. Butcher Boy Baker scarcely acknowledged the blow, but Rory’s right hand felt broken.
“Time!”
“You sonofabitch, you called time early!” Tarbox screamed. Rory was all but done in, getting small comfort from the welts rising on Baker’s map of Australia as if they were new settlements, and the fact that he was puffing and wheezing.
“Time!”
The racetrack danced like an earth rumble from the noise.
Baker held his hands over his face and body in peek-a-boo manner and backed into a corner to lure Rory into range. Rory was moving in and out quickly, but his legs were very rubbery at the knees. Feeling himself evaporating, he did the foolish thing and tried to break through Butcher Boy’s guard….
Baker wrapped his hairy arms around Rory, turned him into the corner, and lay all over him like a side of beef, pinning his arms so he could not punch. Baker led with a knee to the groin and an elbow to the face.
Baker was on his way!
Rory was able to land one more desperation blow on Mother-Heart-Australia and this only enraged the big fellow, who pinned his man again and butted him between the eyes. Rory sank to one knee and Baker unloaded his infamous right hand.
The place went completely wild!
“Throw in the towel, Johnny!” Chester begged.
There was Rory taking a count on one knee…blood gushing from his nose and mouth…and three more rounds to go. Johnny reached around for a towel, Rory leapt to his feet, and as the Butcher grabbed him, Rory bit his ear.
The Australian giant screamed so loud you could hear it clear up to Perth. He covered himself, and as he tried to protect his ear, Rory hit his side, and as he tried to cover his side, Rory hit his ear…ear…side…ear…side…
Butcher Boy Baker fell into the ropes and down came the ropes with Rory falling atop him.
Rory staggered to his feet first. “We don’t need a fucking ring! Get up and fight!”
Baker crawled around on hands and knees like a three-legged dog, then looked up as Goliath must have. “I shouldn’t have butted him.”
“Time!” screamed Baker’s corner, one minute and fourteen seconds early as a half-dozen of his entourage rushed into the ring. Baker tipped over on his face before being dragged to his stool.
Rory was in Butcher’s corner, above him, bleeding and sweating all over him.
“Fuck it,” Baker blubbered, disgorging a mouthful of blood of his own.
“Quit!” Rory demanded.
“Fuck it!”
Rory smashed him and Baker and stool went at the same time.
“Enough!” Baker