The changing room is in silence. Kati, 28 years old, sits silently in the corner of the changing room. Her eyes are closed and her face stare straight unto the empty space. She holds beads in her left hand, while chanting some prayer. She’s been praying devoutly for 20 minuted, for she need God’s hand to pass the trial tonight. She will fight a formidable opponent, yet this one fight she cannot los.
Kati opened her eyes and exhale her breath. She stood and turn her face as she notice a few women standing right behind her. There are five of them, all of them are wearing hijab, and half of them look elderly.
“Kati, we come to support you” said one of the woman.
“Kati, you’re so brave and strong, we here to pray and cheer for your victory” another one said to her.
“Alhamdulillah, aunt Cleo, today I feel 120% fit” Kati smiles at her and hug her “I glad to have you all here aunty and sisters”
“Sister Kati, you will win tonight match, cause you’re a good woman, and you fight for the right thing” one of them said
“You’ve been caring for me for all my life. Now this fist will payback all of it. You all better stay at the venue seat. Now let me do my job” Kati smiles to them.
Then they all left the room after that, except for two person, it is Mina and Abby.
“Kati, I have your outfit for tonight” said Mina. Then she hand over an outfit to Kati. Mina took it, and changes herself. Within 10 minutes, she come out with a new clothes. She now wears a tight blue and white women wetsuit. The wetsuit so tight that it show the physical structure of Kati’s body. She was a lean women, height around 5’6”, with weight around 52 kg. She had few muscle on her upper arm. Overall she looks skinny from afar since she had a rather flat chest and bottom. She had a typical middle eastern face with beautiful blue eyes. Her hair is straight up to her shoulder and let untied.
Mina handed a pouch to Kati. She reach for it and take out what inside, a white sport hijab. She put it into her head. It cover tightly into her head and hair, only her face remain uncovered. Next she let Abby do the tape into her fist and then put on her red boxing gloves, while Mina help making knot into her boots.
“All set now” said Mina and Abby. Kati stood up, she clenched her fist, and then raise both arms into the air. Her outfit looks beautiful, it fully covered her whole body tightly. Now she is ready to war, she is the Hijab Boxer, Kati “Blue Rose” Miriam.
The announcer has just finished welcoming the audience.
“And now, from the blue corner, she weight 53 kg, and height 5’6”, let’s call out her name, the Kati “Blue Rose” Miriam”. Kati walk out through the entrance curtain. On her left is Mina her childhood bestfriend who will be her cutman for tonight. And on her right is Abby, her senior who taught her the basic of boxing. A song, Desert Rose by Sting, plays as she walks into her ring. She put on a fierce face. Once in a while, she held up high her arms and waive to the crowd. But onlyfew return him with smiles and cheers. This isn’t her crowd. Kati moves her eyes around the crowd again. There she finally found a crowd of women wearing hijab, they are her aunt and close relatives. Kati feels a surge of confidence. She climb up into the rings, held her both arms high, her chin straight up high, and she walk around the rings.
“And now from the red corner, she weight 57 kg, and height 5’7”, our lovely blond, let’s welcome Bethany “Baewatch” Woods”. The light suddenly goes off, and a few second later a light focused into the entrance. There stood a woman, decorated with a wonder woman themed sport bra and panties. On her shoulder attached a feathered cloack, which resembles an eagle wings, and she wear a terrific uncle sam hat. As she walsk, a song, New Rules by Dua Lipa, plays into the air. The crowd suddenly turned crazy. They shouted loudly. She walks like a supermodel, and enter the rings with a unforgetable smiles and beautiful hand wave. Inside the rings, she put offher cloack and hat. There stood a curvaceous woman, with beautiful boobs and bottom. And what striking most is her long beautiful blonde hair. It looks smooth yet very dense which was held up by a headband.
“Now ladies and gentlemen, we will have a great match between an Arab vs American. And tonight is a fight for pride, since these women will state their stake for their victory prize”
The annnouncer wave the mic into Kati
“Bethany, I have no grudge over you, I offer you once again to stop this feud. All I want is just an apology from you to all my relatives, and stop insulting or harrasing us regarding our Hijab”
Bethany smiles cynically “Kati… I only have one word for you, DECIMATE. I will crush you and your Arab friends. You have no place in our lands. We rules and we decide what good for you.I have nothing else to say… If I win this match, I want see no more women wearing Hijab, or you just leave our neighbor for good!!! You all with me?!!” the crowd yell loudly “Yeaaaa!!!”
Bethany continues “Now you hear that? And for your punishment, I will strip you right in these crowd, no cloth left, so you can’t hide in all those long dress, burka, or Hijab anymore. I will destroy your dignity and faith. Hahaha…. just go home you scarecrow!!”. Kati gulped tried to hide her tense, it will be the worst humiliation, but it is the price she had to take.
“You left me no choice, but I will agree, I will teach you a few lesson of what a dignified woman can do” Kati continues “If I win, you will stop harrsing us from wearing our Hijab. And more to it, for such a malicious woman, I want to took your most glorified crown. I want to shave off those blond hairs until the last string”
Bethany only replied with smiles and giggles.
“Well, now both fighters has states themselves. Let’s not waste any more second. Both fighters please return to your corner for the first round is about to begin” the announcer said.
Mina check out Kati outfit and gloves once more. Meanwhile Abby brief Kati once more “Just remember one thing, size does matter in boxing, but what matter most is footwork. Keep those legs work. Make her dance in your rhythm. Show her that a Hijab is no obstacle for a fighter”
DINGG!!! And so the first round begin.
ROUND 1
Mina put up her guard close up within her eyes. Though she had two month of full training, the real fight resonate a different wave into her heartbeat. She tried to be calm, but her heart already beating fast. She’s yet to decide whether to attack or counter. Beth doesn’t make much agresive moves. Thirty second been passed without any action.
Abby shouted from the corner “Take some shot Mina, use your one-two punch”. Mina nod and start launching straight jab. She had advantages from her long reach. POW! Her punch nested right into Beth nose. POW!! And another follow up which cause Beth’s nose to start redden.
“Bitch!! I’m gonna kill you!!” Beth shouted furiously. Beth throw a large left hook. It was a bit slow which give Mina chance to duck and parry it. But to her surprise, that left was a feint, the real blow is coming from her right, and it’s now right in front of Mina’s face. BAAMM!!! Mina fall into the canvas. Blood start dripping from her nose, her head is dizzy.
“I fucking did it. I killed the bitch!” Beth is in a great joy. She raise both arms as if she already victorious. The crowd is roaring “Beth!! Beth!!”
“Wait for the 6th!” Abby ordered. The referee start counting. Mina tried to collect her concious. She need to tempo her breath again. But the image of punch still shade her vision. That blow wasn’t a soft-cake. Beth arms might not the most muscular, but she sure had some power.
“7!!!” the ref counting. Mina finally able to stood again, and the ref stop the count. The fight continue as Beth saw her momentum to put more pressure. More punches and blow fly into Mina. Mina had no choice but to raise up her guard. The pain and sore in her nose is still lasting and hinder her concentration for a counter.
Beth harvested a lot of points by keep pummeling Mina. But she’s too reckless, since she’s depleting her stamina quickly by hastily throwing punch. Mina saw her chance, Beth swings start slowing down. Mina throw a double body blow into Beth liver. But Beth still stood strong. Now Beth counter with a left hook right into Mina’s left cheek. Mina got staggered back a bit. But when Beth about to launch follow up punches, her knee start bending, and she falls into the ground. “Grooaan!!!” she growls. The liver punches takes effect at the right moment.
DINGGG!! The first round is ended.
Quite a surprise, as both fighter got downed on the first round. But Beth surely been winning this round by points.
to be continued…
