Boxing was one of those classic sports that caught on in Animalia pretty well. Males in most species tended to fight each other over food, territory, or mates. Boxing was a more civilized way to deal with it for most of them. The Octagon in Claw Coliseum had plenty of Animalians sparring with each other. But for the IAC, these matches were just friendly competition. Though that didn't keep some brawls from becoming personal.
Beth was heading back to the rest from her latest match. Her head was still ringing from the blows that kangaroo gave her. Beth wasn't sure she'd have won at that point. But thankfully, Beth figured out to dance around her opponent. While the kangaroo's legs were no longer bound at the hips like a car's axle, her footwork was not as nimble as Beth's. Probably because of her larger feet. Still, Beth was pretty sure that was the hardest fight she ever had. But if none of her remaining opponents were that hard, she'd be a shoe-in for the gold medal.
Just then, she heard a bit of growling. She paused and looked over towards the male locker room. Both Riley and Trevor were already decked out in their boxing gloves and headgear. They weren't wearing their mouthguards yet, presumably so they can keep talking smack to each other.
"You're going down today, wolf," said Riley, "I beat your butt the day we've met and I've been doing it ever since."
"Your memory's impaired, mutt," said Trevor, "I've been the one who's been kicking your tail. Not that you have much of one to kick."
Beth sighed to herself. Trevor and Riley's rivalry had been fun to watch for a while, but now it's gotten old. "You two still aren't still at loggerheads over Jamie, are you?" she asked.
"Well, maybe a little," said Trevor.
"She said she'll be picking which one of us will be her mate after our match," said Riley.
"Yeah, I know. And despite what you might think, whoever wins isn't going to get the girl," said Beth.
"Say what?" asked Trevor.
"She already made up her mind about which one of you she wants. And whether that guy wins or loses won't matter. So beating the snot out of each other won't count for anything," said Beth.
"So, do you know who she wants?" asked Riley.
"Maybe, but if you two actually think about it, it might be clear. But I'm not telling anything else," said Beth.
Trevor and Riley exchanged glances at that. "I suppose we have been letting our rivalry get carried away lately," said Trevor.
"If we keep up like this, then Jamie won't pick either of us," said Riley.
"Ok, whether or not the winner gets Jamie, may the best canine win," said Trevor.
"And whether or not the loser gets her, let's have a good match," said Riley.
==========
Trevor and Riley's match was watched by many and not just because of the rivalry between the two. They had managed to make it to the semi-finals. While the pairing of matches might have randomized, it certainly allowed for the two of them to show that they can compete with the best. The winner of this match could potentially win the tournament.
In terms of rules, the boxing tournament wasn't really any different from human tournaments. With blows restricted to their fists, there wasn't any chance to uses fangs or claws. Whether they had more endurance than humans was a matter of debate, but they were on equal enough footing to keep either of them from having the edge.
As soon as the bell rang, the two of them started trading punches. The blows, jabs, and crosses went on at a very rapid pace. It was often a bit hard to keep track of who was on top. The balance of power between shifted more times than could be counted. When the bell rang for the first round, it still looked unclear as to who would win.
It wasn't until the third round that things became decisive. Eventually, Riley started acting more defensively, using his arms to block Trevor's punches. Trevor naturally thought that Riley was wearing down and kept pressing his advantage. But Riley's arms acted as surprisingly good shields and kept Trevor from landing any hard blows on Riley's body. As Trevor became more focused on getting through Riley's defenses, he didn't notice how Riley didn't seem as tired as his defensive stance appeared. But then Riley opened up with a series of fast jabs that knocked back Trevor hard. He finished with one uppercut that lifted Trevor off the ground before he hit the floor.
The crowd roared and cheered at that. That was certainly a well-earned conclusion for the duo's heated rivalry. While Riley did take in the cheering of the fans, he also helped Trevor get out of the ring and towards the seats. The match had left Trevor more than a little dazed.
When Jamie went down to them, Trevor was looking better, though he was holding an icepack to his head. "That was a pretty impressive fight," said Jamie.
"Nearly as good as your fight with Eliza," said Riley.
"Yeah, didn't think Riley could hit that hard though," said Trevor.
Jamie took in a deep breath and said, "Well, I think now is as good a time as any. I know you've been vying for my attention for quite a lot time, competing with each other over who'll be my mate. And thankfully, you've been able to turn your rivalry into something more constructive than just fighting each other."
"The last thing either of us would want would be to drive you away," said Riley.
"Everything would have become pointless if that happened," said Trevor.
"I'm glad you both understand that and I expect you to respect the decision that I've made. This isn't a spur of the moment thing. I've been thinking long and hard on this one," said Jamie. She paused a few seconds before she said, "I've decided that I would feel best with Trevor as my mate."
"Um, I did hear that, right? Jamie picked me?" asked Trevor.
Riley looked rather crestfallen. "But why him?" he asked.
"I told you, I've had a long time to think about this, comparing the two of you. The more I thought it over, the more I was able to see how things were between us," said Jamie, "Riley, I do value your friendship and there is love between us. But I think I love you more as a brother than as a mate. And I think that you felt more interest in defending me from Trevor than anything overly romantic."
Riley opened his mouth to protest before he thought it over. There was no doubt that Jamie was a beautiful wolf. And while Riley did feel some attraction towards her, he didn't think he lusted for her. Looking back, it seemed like most of his arguments with Trevor was because he defending Jamie more than defending his claim. Was this whole rivalry because he was being overprotective of her? "Are you really sure you feel that way?" asked Riley.
"I'm pretty sure," said Jamie, "I do like you, but I think we wouldn't have that much of a spark between us as mates. But I understand if you're not sure. I think I suggest you try hanging out with another bitch to see if you feel differently with her than with me."
"And who could that be?" asked Riley.
"I think Tiffany would like you to see her volleyball game," said Jamie.
"Ok, now I know I'm hearing things," said Trevor, "You want Riley to date Tiffany?"
"I know she's interested in him," said Jamie, "And I can see a little potential between them. I'm not saying they're destined for each other, but I think she might help Riley figure out what he really wants in a mate."
Trevor turned to Riley and said, "Frankly, I barely understand what she's saying and not just because my head is still ringing. But I think we can trust her on this. And while I don't disapprove of Jamie's decision, I won't hold it against you if you think you really want her after all."
"I'm not quite sure what she said either, but I'm willing to give it a try," said Riley, "And if I do decide to go with another bitch, you better take care of Jamie."
"As long as you win the finals," said Trevor, "I'd hate to have to come so far and not have one of us win."
"Well, I'm not gonna hand the fight over to the next guy," said Riley boastfully. Already with the quarrel over Jamie seemingly over, it seemed that the two of them were forming a comradely bond. Whether the decisions would be final or not, it seemed like the worst of their rivalry was over.