Mindgame

July 11, 12:17 am; Stuttgart, Germany...

“There's no way you're going to win this fight.”

Sitting on the bench, waiting for his fight, Ludwig had to resist the urge to roll his eyes at this provocation from the man sitting beside him.

Not that he wasn't used to this. Most people in this underground fight circuit knew that Reinhold Altermann absolutely hated him, as he had for years now.

He long suspected that it had a lot to do with that match eight years ago. Although to call it just a “match”, he supposed, may have been an understatement. That “match” had been for the heavyweight title.

It had been the championship fight, and he had beaten Altermann by a knockout in the third round.

“Did you hear me, Engelhardt?” came the voice from beside him, bring him back to now. He sighed, was silent a moment, before turning towards Reinhold.

“Are you going to do this all night?”

“No, only until I get to see you flat on your back on the canvas,” Altermann replied, one eyebrow cocked with a twisted smirk on his face. “I know I'll get my chance tonight.”

“You failed the last six times you tried to beat me,” Ludwig pointed out. Usually he wasn't one to brag, but if Altermann wanted to play this game with him, he'd oblige him. “What makes you think the seventh attempt will be any more successful?”

He could see the anger in Altermann's eyes as he said this, and he could see the other trying not to throw a punch. Both of them knew if they were to start fighting now, both would be disqualified and thrown out of the establishment.

“I'm not likely to lose a seventh time,” he snarled, instead. “I'm ready to go this time. There is no way I'm letting you beat me.”

“The question isn't me letting you do anything,” Ludwig retorted, his voice level, almost emotionless as he said it. He wasn't as easily provoked to anger as Altermann was, and that had always been his advantage. Perhaps he could turn this advantage even more to his favor. “The point is that the last six times we've fought, I have knocked you out. What makes you believe that your skill even comes anywhere near my own?”

At this remark, he could see Altermann tense up, but surprisingly, he stopped speaking. He turned his attention back towards the ring, leaving Ludwig alone, at least for the moment.

Looks like he doesn't want to talk anymore.

Altermann had always been a hot-headed man and, although he knew the other would never admit it, that had always been his biggest downfall when these two fought.

He's so blinded by hatred that he always lets it control him. That's why he never beats me.

Then again, he supposed, had he been a different man, in those circumstances, he might have been the same way.

It's one thing to lose a fight, he thought. It's another to lose a championship fight by knockout.

Even so, they had both retired from professional boxing years ago. This rivalry ought to have been left behind then.

He'll never get over it. If I know right, he'll carry this hate for the rest of his life.

Pushing this thought out of his head, he turned his own attention towards the fight in progress. He knew that whoever won this fight would be his next opponent. He was next into the ring, so he wanted to know what he was up against.

Several more minutes went by before Altermann turned towards him again and said, “You do know that you're going to get beat in there, right?” His voice was still full of anger as he said it. “You've already been in two fights tonight. I don't think you're up for a third.”

“You really can't let it go, can you?” responded Ludwig as he kept his eyes on the fight. “You think these mind games you're playing with me are going to intimidate me.” He finally turned towards Altermann and said, “You've known me for how many years? How many fights have we had, how many people have you seen me knock out? Your attempts at intimidation have never had any effect on me. I thought you would have learned that by now.”

“This isn't an attempt at 'intimidation', Engelhardt. This is me telling you what's going to happen.”

“Just like you have predicted in the past, and you were wrong then, too.” He turned his attention back towards the ring and said, “I thought you were smarter than that, Reinhold. You saying something is going to happen doesn't mean it will.”

Without warning, he could feel Altermann grab hold of him, trying to turn him around.

Well, he could play this game. He turned and  grabbed Altermann by the front of his shirt, pulling the other man closer.

“You know what? You've been at this pointless game for eight years now. You need to just let it go,” he growled, getting in his face. “You've never gotten over losing the championship fight and you're acting like a child because of it. You are how old?” He released him, shoving him back to his side of the bench before one of the guards could come over to separate them. “I'd think by now you've matured enough to not play this childish game with me. You want to keep this pointless rivalry going? Fine. But don't expect me to play along.”

He turned back towards the ring to see that one of the combatants was on the canvas. He had been knocked out, and the other man was in his corner, ready for the next fight.

He was on his feet before he could even see the official gesturing towards him.

Pushing Altermann and his mindgames out of his head, he climbed into the ring. This was no time to focus on an old rivalry.

Unlike him, I'm able to focus on the present. My mind isn't stuck in the past.

He turned his attention towards his latest opponent as the bell sounded.

He could focus on the present. Time to show that to Altermann.

Maybe eventually he'll figure it out for himself.

-Ende