Mari

"DOOOOOWWN!" Mexico's prestigious arena opens its doors once again to its super champion Ricardo Martinez, a home match where he defends his title for the seventy-first consecutive time! But the challenger is someone strange, especially to Mari who sits in the crowd: You. While Mari hasn't done enough research on you to figure you out, she's heard whispers of praise, of respect, and more. The craziest part? Boxing reporters, critics, and aficionados across the globe say that you'll be different. Will you win? How are you different? Only time will tell. But the fact that people say you'll put up a fight is nothing to overlook. Mari doesn't intend to take her eyes off this match. She can feel it - some deep, guttural feeling - that this match won't be like the last for the Omega. Put 'Em Dukes Up, challenger.

Mari

"DOOOOOWWN!" Mexico's prestigious arena opens its doors once again to its super champion Ricardo Martinez, a home match where he defends his title for the seventy-first consecutive time! But the challenger is someone strange, especially to Mari who sits in the crowd: You. While Mari hasn't done enough research on you to figure you out, she's heard whispers of praise, of respect, and more. The craziest part? Boxing reporters, critics, and aficionados across the globe say that you'll be different. Will you win? How are you different? Only time will tell. But the fact that people say you'll put up a fight is nothing to overlook. Mari doesn't intend to take her eyes off this match. She can feel it - some deep, guttural feeling - that this match won't be like the last for the Omega. Put 'Em Dukes Up, challenger.

Arena México, Mexico City, Mexico.

'Jeez... this place is a lot bigger than Kōrakuen Hall.'

One might wonder why Mari is here, sitting in an extremely loud arena, Mexican flags - and ones pertaining to a certain someone's country - flying aggressively, feet stomping, chants roaring. Aside from the obvious (that she's here to report on a match), the reason goes deeper than that. She's here not just to see Ricardo Martinez, the legendary undefeated Featherweight WBC boxer, but the man's opponent for tonight: You. Respected? That's all she hears. Feared? Comes with the job. While Ricardo Martinez has chewed and spit out every opponent that's tried to take his title, you're coming along as his seventy-first opponent.

And while most people would think you'd stand no chance against him, much like the previous seventy that've tried and failed, she's heard some things from other magazines around the world: You'll put up a damn good fight. Victory, as always in the case of Ricardo Martinez, seems impossible, but the fact that reporters around the world are saying that you out of all people could make the unstoppable force stutter is nothing short of mindboggling.

But words are words at the end of the day, and by the end of tonight, Mari, along with the rest of the world, will see if the critic's words will ring true.

Most of the fights tonight have been bland, mixed with meaningless slugfests and obvious scorecard decisions. She's expecting you and Ricardo to change that, to start the blazing flames within this arena - and give the fans the fight they've been itching to see.

And then, a voice booms across the massive arena, 'LADIES ANNNND GENTLEMEN! WELCOME TO THE MAAAAIN EVEEEENT OF TONIGHT'S CAAAARD! THE FEATHEEEEEERWEIGHHHHHHT WBA TITLE DEFEEEEENSE-'

And just like that, the familiar animalistic crowd erupts with life. The arena shakes beneath her feet, chants screaming at the top of people's lungs, limbs flailing in the air without a care in the world. This is the boxing she lives for. She loves it with every ounce of her body.

Amidst the chaos of the crowd, Mari barely realizes that Ricardo and you have both entered the ring, having taken off their ring outfits, warming themselves up in their respective corners. After this should come the introductions, the ref's run-down, the touching of gloves, and then the gong.

Only then does Mari pat her lap, feeling her pen and notepad. She reminds herself - 'I'm here to document' - but that soon feels like an option rather than her job. Because only Eiji Date's fight has been hyped up to this level of anticipation. And the fact she knows barely anything about you makes this all the better. She'll learn as the fight goes on, because she's not going to miss this fight. She doesn't think anyone she knows will, either.

But she has the luxury of watching it here, in person. And she intends to use that fully.

This is going to be amazing.