The Preacher With Steel Hands, Part I

Ray Richardson was known as a fighter, and a big hit amongst the boxing fans, though few of them ever called him by name, his sobriquet in the ring was ‘Steel Hands,’ like Forman, Wilder, he had power, his fights rarely lasted a quarter hour. Now Steel Hands Richardson held a title, which brought him big money, and big challenge, he’d knocked down six men who tried to take it, and believed he could handle the balance, the next man in the ring was ‘Bandit’ McGill, a slippery boxer, trained to great skill. Steel Hands was not that concerned with his foe when he stepped through the ropes into the ring, he figured it would be an easy bout, the flag was waved, the singer did their thing. Finally, they rang the opening bell, and Steel Hands came out to give the man hell. But the speed of his foe stymied his blows, oh, how McGill could duck shots, bob and weave, then slip away quick with fancy footwork, how the man moved Ray just couldn’t believe, his hard punches would hit nothing but air, then two jabs would come back as he stood there. His corner shouted he was losing rounds, before he knew it six had slipped away, to loose the title to such a fighter… the more thought of it filled Steel Hands with rage, to think that another could be the best was not something to which he’d ever attest! When he got back up for the seventh round, he noticed McGill was starting to tire, but even worn out, his jabs kept coming, not that hard, but scored points rapid fire, but Ray would not accept tossing the thing, and used his long legs to cut off the ring. In the ninth round he saw his opening, cornered McGill, landed a body shot, with his man stunned, Steel Hands threw a hard right, putting all his strength in a blow up top, it dropped the bandit, right flush with his jaw, he would not get back up, everyone saw... CONTINUES IN PART II.