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Ella was sure Hector was going to lose his voice Everyone in the roo her chest, was cheering and hollering at the screen Felix had Grecco cornered again landing punch after punch, but Grecco would not go down!

"Finish hiot this!"

Grecco slipped and almost went down, but the ropes held him up The ref stepped in between theround He juht count As soon as Felix was able to, he went at hiht, and he’d never knocked hi his hands to his head, and walked around in a circle, letting out a long breath

"He got that last round too" Ella’s dad offered

"Yeah, he did" Hector agreed, but he still looked worried

The coht Felix took it; the other said it was too little too late

"Grecco had control of the fight the majority of the way," one commentator said, "and Sanchez came alive only when it was clear that he was behind and desperate"

But both agreed the judges had their work cut out for the both training crews in the ring now Both sides alking around congratulating each other as if both believed theirwith the cheering crowds, s as if they were both sure they’d won, but Ella could see it on Felix’s face Even he wasn’t sure

Finally, the announcer with the scorecard in his hand took the o to the Budweiser scorecard Glen Ruiz scores the bout one fourteen, one fourteen He has it even"

The split screen showed both fighters and their crews as the scores were being announced, and Grecco’s crewupset about the tie They obviously didn’t think the fight had been that close

Ella held her breath as the announcer went on "Jerry Hollis scores the fight one fifteen, one fourteen and Theodore Sabada scores the fight one fifteen, one fourteen" Grecco’s side was already lifting him in the air, and Ella closed her eyes "The winner, by eleeeeees!"

Ella’s eyes flew open Felix, whose expression had been nothing more than pure seriousness up until thatImmediately, everyone in the room cheered as the announcer continued to confir his title Ella and Isidora hugged, ju up and down until she heard Felix say her na when she saw the tears in his eyes as he looked straight into the camera "This is for you baby," he said into the announcer’s microphone "I won for you! Re the tears away, then blew kisses at the ca as if he could see her as his ed her and kissed the side of her face "I love you too," she whispered, the tears strea down her face "Of course I remember It’s my turn"

Chapter 26