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Chapter 5
Putupagainstaflyweightbecauseofhissize,Frankknockedhimoutwiththethirdpunchhethrew,andofferedtofightsomeoneelse.Bythetimehewasonhisthirdprofessionalthewordhadgotaround,andthetentwassojammedtheycouldnotfitanothereagerspectatorinside.
Hehadhardlybeentouchedbyaglove,thefewblowshehadtakenonlyprovokinghisever-smolderingrage.Hewaswild-eyed,almostspittinginpassion,eachofhisopponentswearingPaddy’sface,theyellsandcheersofthecrowdthrobbinginhisheadlikeavastsinglevoicechantingGo!Go!Go!Oh,howhehadachedforthechancetofight,deniedhimsincecomingtoDrogheda!Fortofightwastheonlywayheknewofriddinghimselfofangerandpain,andashelandedthefellingpunchhethoughtthegreatdullvoiceinhisearschangeditssong,toKill!Kill!Kill!
Thentheyputhimwithoneoftherealchampions,alightweightunderorderstokeepFrankatadistanceandfindoutifhecouldboxaswellashecouldpunch.JimmySharman’seyeswereshining.Hewasalwaysonthelookoutforchampions,andtheselittlecountryshowshadyieldedseveral.Thelightweightdidashewastold,hard-pressedinspiteofhissuperiorreach,whileFrank,sopossessedbyhishungertokillthatdancing,elusivefigurehesawnothingelse,wentafterhim.Helearnedwitheveryclinchandflurryofblows,oneofthosestrangepeoplewhoeveninthemidstoftitanicragestillcanthink.
