His First Boxing Match

This is my entry for the Hive account@freewritehouse contest, "A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words."

photo from Hive account@freewritehouse contest post

Hugo knew he was in excellent physical shape. His muscles impressed men and women alike, his tall stature drew attention every time he walked into a room, and his neatly-trimmed hair gave him the appearance of a model for a shampoo commercial.

Right now, however, Hugo also knew he was in trouble. It had been Karl's idea to enter a boxing match in order to earn some extra money to help pay off his gambling debts. But he had never boxed before. It was the only sport he had never tried. Something about the jabbing and punching had never appealed to him. Yet here he was, facing an experienced opponent in the ring.

Hugo tried to remember boxing matches he had watched in the past. What did they do first? His mind went blank, and unexpected fear overwhelmed him. He held the boxing gloves up in front of his face in what he hoped was a threatening pose, shielding his eyes from the sight of the equally-large and muscular opponent he faced. Maybe the other guy would be so dazzled by his height, muscles, and nice hair that he wouldn't focus on the match. It was his only hope, and certainly not a strong one.