The Challenger Page #4

So take it.

Hmm?

Take it.

I'm gonna

take the fight.

Oh, yes.

There's one thing

i need to know first, though.

Okay.

How do you know my mother?

She says she's heard things

about you.

Everybody's heard things, j.

She doesn't know anybody

in the boxing world.

-How old are you now?

Well, about 23 years ago,

your mother and I...

We were in love.

What?

Even talked about

getting married.

She wanted a kid so bad.

When she found out

she couldn't have any, well...

I think that's why she worked

at that adoption agency

for so long.

One night I came home,

a little bit

later than normal.

She was holding a baby

in her arms...

A white baby.

She just said he was

left on the doorstep.

That it was a sign.

She believed in that stuff...

Although,

i might believe in it too.

So what'd you do?

What could I do? I panicked.

I was saving up to open

up my own gym.

Establish myself.

I was trying to do like you...

Be somebody.

I could hardly

take care of myself.

I couldn't

take care of a kid.

Even if that kid needed you?

You got to

give us something.

You got to give us something.

The camera's heavy.

Did you... tell me

about the neighborhood.

This looks like

a rough neighborhood.

You grew up around here?

Did you... did you go

to school around here?

So man,

what was it like growing up

in this neighborhood, man?

Hey, did you get in

a lot of fights

when you were at school?

Is that what kept happening?

Yeah, is that how you

learned how to fight?

How long have you been, uh,

training with Duane?

-Come on...

-Come on, man...

Open up. I'm telling you.

-You're gonna wanna...

-You signed a contract

to do this, man. Come on.

So is this, uh,

how long

have you been living here?

I'm digging the, uh,

the vibe in here.

How long have you been

in this place, Jaden?

I told you, man.

I'm done with questions.

Ma! Ma? Are you all right?

What happened?

What's wrong with her?

Are you okay?

What's the matter?

Call 911! Right now! Call 911!

Okay, yeah, yeah...

Get your phone!

Just

put the Mike down!

Get out of here!

She's stable now.

I'm surprised

it didn't happen sooner.

Has she been taking

her medication?

I give 'em to her every day.

She hates taking pills.

I don't know if

it would've mattered.

Her heart is very weak.

I'd like to keep her

in the hospital.

Get her strength back.

When she's ready,

we need to operate.

Operate?

I don't see another option.

Star boxing's

new show the challenger

has been canceled

following the shocking news

that Jaden Miller,

at the very beginning

of his promising career,

has quit boxing.

The sudden decision came

just days after

Miller's mother suffered

a massive heart attack,

last Thursday night.

It has been reported

that she will need

to undergo a triple...

Hey, what happened?

Where'd it go?

Cops took it.

Said it was gambling.

-Let me have a pack of gum.

-All right.

How you feeling?

Better.

Great.

Hey, who got you these?

He didn't leave me, j.

What do you mean?

Well, maybe for a day.

But the very next day,

he was at my door.

With a dozen roses in one hand

and a ring I wanted

in the other.

He proposed...

Every day that week.

I left.

Why?

I wanted to be a mother,

more than anything.

And I couldn't take

a chance on someone

coming in and out

of your life.

I chose you.

I chose you.

I love you, Jaden.

I love you too, ma.

-Hey.

-Hey.

She, uh...

She told me everything.

Sorry it took this long

for you to hear.

Me too.

Flowers and everything, huh?

She still didn't

take you back?

She's a tough woman.

Yeah. That's the truth.

You know she needs surgery.

We can't afford it.

Your mother never gave me

a second chance, kid.

But you did.

Turns out, just a few weeks,

the ratings of

that show of yours...

They want you to finish it, j.

The purse is big. 70-30 split.

If you win,

it'll be more than enough.

What if we lose?

We don't fight to lose.

Okay,

breaking news, New York.

Star boxing's hit show

the challenger is back!

Apparently, Jaden Miller

has officially agreed

to continue filming the show

that will follow him

all the way

to the light

heavyweight title.

Now, where did Miller's

change of heart come from?

His mother.

The fighter says he will

continue the show

and win the fight to pay for

his mother's heart surgery.

That little bastard.

Good for you.

-Good for you.

-Jaden Miller is literally

fighting for his

mother's life.

We have to take her

in there now, Jaden.

Mmm-hmm.

Let's go.

Anderson drives Miller back.

Miller hasn't even

thrown a punch yet.

It's a one-sided fight so far.

Anderson would've been

your best fight in a while.

Anderson with the jab,

now the cross.

Miller is on the ropes again.

And this fight is

turning out to be... oh!

Miller's first punch

is devastating!

Anderson doesn't know

what hit him!

Miller with a left!

Another left!

There's another left.

Another left!

Now it's Anderson

on the ropes!

Anderson is saved

by the bell! Wow!

Who the heck is Jaden Miller?

I'll tell you what...

Miller

knocks him out next round.

He threw only eight punches

the whole fight.

Is that right?

Let me take a look at that.

Another left!

Now it's Anderson

on the ropes.

Anderson is saved

by the bell! Wow!

Who the heck is Jaden Miller?

Looks like we found

our challenger after all.

Doctor said

the surgery went great.

Thanks, honey.

-Get some rest.

-Hmm.

I'm ready.

Now first, we're gonna

watch him in slow motion.

Good. Good.

Chin up. Confusion.

Study his moves.

Learn his style.

Technique.

To the body,

to the body!

Push him back,

push him back. Good. Good!

And then, gonna speed

the whole thing up.

Push him

back on the ropes.

Easy. Easy. Easy, stop! Stop!

'Course, nobody

i put you against

is gonna be as strong,

or as quick,

or as fast as burchard.

Take it easy.

I said the body. Easy! Stop!

Stop! Stop, James!

The hell is wrong with you?

'Cause in that ring,

you gotta be

a split second faster.

The hell's wrong with you.

You okay?

-You sure?

-Yeah.

Okay. James.

Every man is beatable,

gentlemen.

But to beat the man

you gotta learn

things about him.

You gotta do your homework.

This is homework.

He's there for a reason.

He has worked it.

He has earned the right

to wear that

championship belt.

So on those days you don't

feel like working too hard,

remember, somebody's workin'.

That's him.

When you don't feel like

hitting that bag

for three more minutes,

he feels like it.

He wants to be a champion.

You want what he has.

But he has worked

hard to get it.

How hard are

you willing to work?

Because I have seen him work.

And believe me,

you better be ready.

Because he's gonna be ready.

When I get on you,

it's not because

i don't like you.

I want you to be ready

for that right there.

'Cause that is a machine.

That is gonna come after you.

When that bell rings,

it's going to be eye to eye.

You lookin' at him.

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