Body and Soul Page #7

---

And now I ask,

how much more can one man take?

It's sad to see so much talent

dissipate so rapidly.

I don't think you can knock him out.

You've got to try and outpoint him.

You got to take these next rounds.

Impress the judges.

Finish each round pretty. Now go.

Use your head, your shoulders,

elbows, anything.

So far, this has not been the cleanest

of fights. It's been one hell of a brawl.

What we have here is two superior,

determined, gifted boxers...

and there will be

no early knockout tonight.

Ed, between rounds once again,

this crowd is a little stunned.

One reporter has just yelled...

that he's never seen a fighter

so thoroughly possessed as Ricardo.

He says he must be high

to be so emotionally charged up.

In his corner, Leon has not sat down,

is still on his feet between rounds...

maybe not so smart, because by now,

he must know that he's in big trouble.

But win or lose,

he's shown he's not just a showboat...

but a game champion,

and, Ed, there's no doubt about it.

The man has heart.

You've got the fight won.

Just stay away from him.

Sh*t, you can let him have

these last few rounds.

You lost too many rounds.

Are you gonna knock him out?

You gotta close the show.

This ain't gonna be a judge's decision.

Me and you, one of us is going down.

You finally decided to fight, my friend.

I've been here all night.

Your sister gonna get up off her ass

to dance with me at the victory party?

And now, it's starting to come back,

as four times in a row...

Leon beats Ricardo to the punch.

-Come on, Leon!

-Come on, son.

Leon's boxing much better now.

He's more in control.

The Lover's back, looking pretty as he

turns out his patterned moves.

There you see the old Leon the Lover,

the man who electrified audiences.

This is definitely Leon's round,

but is it too little, too late?

It's still gonna take a knockout

for Leon to win.

You gotta knock him out!

You proud bastard!

Leon the Lover, fighting his way back.

He's had trouble since round one...

but he's shown he's got more heart

than any fighter I've ever known.

You almost had him.

I didn't think he was gonna get up.

One more son-of-a-bitching blow!

-I gave it everything I had.

-I know you did, son.

Let me turn around.

I don't want him to see how tired I am.

There's nothing left.

I can't walk. I can't move.

I can't throw a punch.

I can barely breathe.

One more son-of-a-bitching blow!

And so we're down to the very end.

If Ricardo hangs on for three minutes,

he becomes the undisputed champ.

But Leon the Lover seems

more intense than I've ever seen him.

Don't fight him.

You proud bastard. Don't fight him.

Just stay away three more minutes,

and you're the new champion.

-Not for nobody. I'll kick his ass.

-Aren't you listening?

Aren't I getting through to you?

Stay away from him...

and you are the new champion.

Just stay away. It's won, it's yours.

Just push me out there.

One, two...

three, four, five.

Ricardo, knock that son of a b*tch

on his ass.

What a fight. What a war!

The best thing I've ever seen.

-That's right, Leon!

-Do it, Leon.

-Come on, Leon.

-Come on, baby!

Close the show!

Impress the judges.

One more son-of-a-bitching blow!

One more.

You gotta close the show!

Come on, baby!

He's ready to fall.

He's gonna fall!

Fall, fall!

...three, four, five, six...

seven, eight, nine, ten.

And Leon the Lover

has done the impossible!

-It was an incredible fight.

-Absolutely incredible.

Leon the Lover!

I love you, Leon. I'm so proud of you.

I knew you could do it.

And that makes three, a winner for life.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes