All my mates were drunk and I was sober,

What on Earth possessed me on that night?

Hearing: "Come on, step into the ring, boys!"

Why the hell did I yell out: "I'll fight?"

He was big and ugly, smelt of danger,

Something told me I should run away,

Now I'd get a beating for my big mouth,

Then he smiled at me and said: "Let's play."

Never even saw the first punch coming,

Knocked into Tuesday, that's for sure,

Suddenly a star burst in my brain cells,

Then another as I hit the floor.

Heard the boos and catcalls from the fight fans,

As the count was droning in my brain,

Though I was a mile away in Dreamland,

Somehow I got to my feet again.

Something deep inside of me awakened,

Call it instinct, born of ancient will,

I could smell the bloodlust in my nostrils,

Suddenly I had the urge to kill.

Round the ring I floated like an Ali,

Stung with fists that felt like they were steel,

Lefts and rights, I bashed him in a corner,

Till he didn't have the strength to kneel.

Then I felt a towel land on my shoulder,

Someone yelled at me that I had won,

Through his bloody teeth he croaked submission:

"You're the first in twenty years - well done!"

As they took him off upon a stretcher,

Two small children cried and called him "Dad"

Then the sirens echoed through the building,

I stood there, alone and feeling bad.

Sure, I'd won the purse of fifty dollars,

Yes, the boys all cheered me from the ring,

Somehow though - as I thought of the boxer,

Winning battles didn't mean a thing.