boxing coach, Shad Yarbrough, his strength, speed, and accuracy with his fists and his ability to punch very hard. Within two weeks of boxing practice with the other heavyweights on the school team, Paul had won every three-round boxing match with the other sophomores, as well as the juniors and seniors.
On Friday night, January 18, the first set of boxing matches took place at Denver High School against Fletcher High School, which was from an eastern suburb of Denver.
Paul’s parents and sisters, Uncle Matthew and Aunt Dottie, as well as friends Whip and Annabeth Langford, were in attendance in the gymnasium. All eight of them were sitting in a rowclose to the ring. Paul had gone ahead of them about half an hour earlier in order to meet with Coach Yarbrough, along with the other boxers from his school.
When the Denver High School boxers came into the gymnasium through a side door and headed in the direction of the ring, Meggie pointed at her brother. “Papa! Mama! Ginny! There’s Paul!”
All eight of them rose to their feet, waving at Paul and calling out his name. He smiled and waved back. Then he and the other Denver High School boxers along with their coach sat on benches on one side of the ring.
All of the matches in the high school league were three rounds each. The first two fights scheduled that night were lightweights, the next two were welterweights, the next two were middleweights, and the last two were heavyweights.
Everyone in the crowd enjoyed the fights, and boys from both schools were winning the matches. Paul’s fight was the very last one, as he took on a heavyweight who was a senior and outweighed him by over thirty pounds. He was introduced to the audience by the ring announcer as Fletcher High School’s heavyweight champion from last year, Woodruff Olson.
Paul’s family and friends cheered him when the bell rang for the first round. Both boys immediately slugged each other with powerful blows, and as the round progressed, it looked like Woody Olson would put Paul down because of his greater weight. However, in the second round, Paul caught on to his opponent’s style.
The crowd was entranced with Paul’s change in round twoas he suddenly began to dodge both fists in a surprising way, causing Olson to get off balance. Paul quickly jabbed a left to Olson’s right cheek, making him stagger, then launched a terrific right cross to his left jaw. The blow exploded on Olson’s jaw like a cannonball, and the big heavyweight crashed to the canvas. The bell rang in time to keep the referee from counting Olson out.
By the time the bell rang for the third round, Olson’s mind was clear, and he left his stool, fists clenched in his leather boxing gloves, and began doing his best to take his opponent out.
He tried to use his weight to crowd Paul into a corner of the ring, where he could hit him repeatedly and put him down and out. However, John Brockman’s son was not about to let him have his way. Each time Olson attempted to crowd him into a corner, Paul sidestepped him, drove a potent punch into his midsection, and moved to the center of the ring. The Denver High School fans cheered Paul on, especially his family and friends.
Seconds later, Olson tried again to back Paul into a corner, and Paul surprised him by sending a powerful left hook into his midsection, making him double over, then crossed a mighty right blow to his left jaw. Olson hit the canvas flat on his face.
As the referee began his count, Paul went to a neutral corner and waited.
Woody Olson staggered to his feet in time, looking at Paul Brockman with fire-filled eyes, and rushed toward him, pumping both fists. Paul dodged the fists and smashed him with a right cross that knocked him back on his heels. Before Olsoncould get set, Paul was on him with two powerful blows to the jaw, and Olson hit the canvas flat on his back.
The referee began his count again. This time, he made the count to ten, then stepped to Paul, took hold of
On Friday night, January 18, the first set of boxing matches took place at Denver High School against Fletcher High School, which was from an eastern suburb of Denver.
Paul’s parents and sisters, Uncle Matthew and Aunt Dottie, as well as friends Whip and Annabeth Langford, were in attendance in the gymnasium. All eight of them were sitting in a rowclose to the ring. Paul had gone ahead of them about half an hour earlier in order to meet with Coach Yarbrough, along with the other boxers from his school.
When the Denver High School boxers came into the gymnasium through a side door and headed in the direction of the ring, Meggie pointed at her brother. “Papa! Mama! Ginny! There’s Paul!”
All eight of them rose to their feet, waving at Paul and calling out his name. He smiled and waved back. Then he and the other Denver High School boxers along with their coach sat on benches on one side of the ring.
All of the matches in the high school league were three rounds each. The first two fights scheduled that night were lightweights, the next two were welterweights, the next two were middleweights, and the last two were heavyweights.
Everyone in the crowd enjoyed the fights, and boys from both schools were winning the matches. Paul’s fight was the very last one, as he took on a heavyweight who was a senior and outweighed him by over thirty pounds. He was introduced to the audience by the ring announcer as Fletcher High School’s heavyweight champion from last year, Woodruff Olson.
Paul’s family and friends cheered him when the bell rang for the first round. Both boys immediately slugged each other with powerful blows, and as the round progressed, it looked like Woody Olson would put Paul down because of his greater weight. However, in the second round, Paul caught on to his opponent’s style.
The crowd was entranced with Paul’s change in round twoas he suddenly began to dodge both fists in a surprising way, causing Olson to get off balance. Paul quickly jabbed a left to Olson’s right cheek, making him stagger, then launched a terrific right cross to his left jaw. The blow exploded on Olson’s jaw like a cannonball, and the big heavyweight crashed to the canvas. The bell rang in time to keep the referee from counting Olson out.
By the time the bell rang for the third round, Olson’s mind was clear, and he left his stool, fists clenched in his leather boxing gloves, and began doing his best to take his opponent out.
He tried to use his weight to crowd Paul into a corner of the ring, where he could hit him repeatedly and put him down and out. However, John Brockman’s son was not about to let him have his way. Each time Olson attempted to crowd him into a corner, Paul sidestepped him, drove a potent punch into his midsection, and moved to the center of the ring. The Denver High School fans cheered Paul on, especially his family and friends.
Seconds later, Olson tried again to back Paul into a corner, and Paul surprised him by sending a powerful left hook into his midsection, making him double over, then crossed a mighty right blow to his left jaw. Olson hit the canvas flat on his face.
As the referee began his count, Paul went to a neutral corner and waited.
Woody Olson staggered to his feet in time, looking at Paul Brockman with fire-filled eyes, and rushed toward him, pumping both fists. Paul dodged the fists and smashed him with a right cross that knocked him back on his heels. Before Olsoncould get set, Paul was on him with two powerful blows to the jaw, and Olson hit the canvas flat on his back.
The referee began his count again. This time, he made the count to ten, then stepped to Paul, took hold of
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