Suddenly, a familiar face appeared in front of Jim—Mike Wilson. They shook hands.
"I put some money on you," Mike said.
"Mike, everybody expects Lewis to win," said Jim.
But Mike just gave a confident smile. "Do you need some help in your corner?" he asked.
Jim shook his head. "I have my regular guys for that. You know how it is, Mike."
Mike's shoulders dropped, but he tried to laugh. "Sure I do, Jim. Now go and win the fight!"
•
The powerful jab pushed Braddock back against the ropes. John Henry Lewis was a young black boxer with quick hands and a lot of skill. His perfectly timed combinations of punches pushed Jim on to the ropes again.
"Lewis is here to repeat his win over Braddock," said the radio announcer.
For three rounds, the two fighters danced around the ring, looking for the other man's weak areas. Then, in the fourth round, the fight became serious. The fighters went toe to toe, refusing to step back.
In his corner at the end of the round, Lewis looked confused.
"You beat this guy easily last time!" his manager screamed.
Lewis just shook his head. "He isn't the same guy."
In the opposite corner, Gould checked Braddock's face. The boxer was tired and breathing hard, his body covered with sweat.
"He's even faster than I remember," said Jim.
Gould spoke into the boxer's ear. "He's fast, but he'll be slower after a few more punches. Watch him—he always moves to the right."