"Dale, I think Hickory has much better footwork this round."

"Your right John, he is moving better and not laying on the ropes at all. But time is on Barns side right now. I show a draw, 10 to 10, in the first round, 10 to 8 Barns in the 2^nd round, and 10 to 9 for Barns the other 4 rounds; this is a fairly even round, but that leaves 3 rounds to make up 6 points. It can be done but something better happen fast. If he could only – Oh, Hickory just landed a beauty to the solar plexus, this might…"

BONG

"That was Hickory’s best punch all night, stay tuned for round 8."

"Great round Hickory, that’s what the crowd came for, good footwork too" Said the cut man.

"Has Sandy been over here, it sounds like she’s back about 6 or 8 rows on the opposite side?" Hickory calmly asked.

The cut man looked at Bugsy and started to wipe down Hickory’s face, saying, "You hurt him, you hurt him bad, just….,"

"Bugsy, I asked if you have seen Sandy, now damn it, has she been in my corner?"

Bugsy looked at the cut man and held his gaze; "No Hick, I haven’t seen her, you see her did ya?"

"No, but I heard her voice, she yelled about my footwork and to watch when Barns dips, he pulls his elbows apart. That’s what earned him that uppercut and that last gut shot!"

"Right, well, ah, just keep moving and maybe he will fade; he hasn’t gone 8 rounds in quite a while." "That jab is working" Stuttered a confused Bugsy.

"15 seconds!" warned the timekeeper.

"I can’t believe she is even out of bed, make her sit down if she gets over here. I thought between rounds she might try to…."

BONG

"Bugsy, you can’t stop the fight because I think he won that last round, but something is bad wrong with his mind." Barked the cut man.

"‘Round 8 Ladies and Gentlemen. John, I might be an old sentimentalist, but I gave that last round to Hickory."

"That’s right Dale, Hickory finished strong, Barns was hurt from that shot to the stomach, 10 more seconds might have made this a different fight, Hickory was ready to follow up. Barns is sticking that jab out there, he really doesn’t want a return visit from that powerful right."

"Yes John, he is jabbing and he has made a couple of them good, it appears Hickory is squinting and trying to check out the crowd, Miller has plenty to see right in front of him. Barns just popped him hard in the ear, they’re in a clinch now, and it still looks like Hickory is looking out at the crowd. Barns is chopping Hickory’s ribs and he’s just stretching to look over Bayou’s shoulder."

"Hickory just pushed off Barns and he has a big smile on his face. Hey, he’s skipping. Folks, Hickory is skipping around the ring out by the ropes. Barns is standing in the middle of the ring with his hands out to his side, he’s smiling, and watching Hickory skip. Dale, Hickory just reversed himself, he skipping clockwise, the crowd is on their feet, about half are laughing and the other half are booing, what’s going on here?"

"John, this the strangest thing I have ever seen in the ring, wait, Hickory is leaning over the ropes, he’s stretching out over Barns corner, he’s talking to the crowd. I can’t believe it, what’s he saying; hold on, he just swiveled, he’s running for the middle, directly at Barns. Holy Cow! he cold-cocked Barns, that left came out of center field and I think Barns was still confused. The referee is counting but that’s just for show, that round-house left picked Barns right off his feet, I hope he is all right."

• - 8 - 9 - 10

"It’s over, knock out for Hickory Miller in the 8^th round. The referee is trying to raise Hickory’s arm, but he’s back hanging over the ropes. The crowd is going nuts; they saw it, but they can’t believe it, what a fight!"