This was it, it was now or never. He knew this day was coming, he'd have to fight 'Big Ryan', the guy everyone said couldn't be beat.
They all walked out of his apartment, all serious faced, not knowing if the fight would spill over and some of 'Big Ryan's' friends would also get involved.
JJ was pleased his friends came with him, his real friends, not the people he did business with. Yes he met some good lads along the way. However, these lads were his core group of friends.
Dick drove his Audi A5, it was relatively new, not flash, but was a very modern car. JJ was in the passenger seat, and behind them was Freddie, and another friend Colin, whom they had all known since childhood.
It surprised JJ that Colin never got into this 'Business', he had a ruthless streak and was smart. Although he was a little lazy and perhaps he didn't want to be hands on like JJ used to be. Once he got established into this game, his friend noticed how much money was coming in. One day he pulled JJ aside and asked him if you could join him to which he politely told him to 'Fuck off'.
Colin had a natural heavy set build, and was quite tall at 5"10. He had large rugged shoulder's, a slight belly, but this was hidden because of his huge frame. He was very fiery and often had clashes with people who worked for him and those who owed him money. If need be he would have been a good back up if the altercation spilled over.
His 'Unhinged' cousin, Brian, did offer to come along too but he politely refused knowing his cousin would create a bloodbath for the sheer joy of it. He wanted his £25k back, he didn't want to create a murder scene.
The distance from JJ's apartment to the pub was around 2 miles, at first there was a silence between them all. Everyone was playing out a scenario of the forthcoming fight in their own mind. Completely out of the blue Freddie burst out laughing, he said,
"You better knock him otherwise you'll get bummed in front of everyone".
That was it, everyone in the car just burst out laughing, it was hilarious but JJ knew he had to get wound up, had to get angry, but after that joke it was very hard.
Picking up on the cue Colin began winding him up, only in a way childhood friends know how. Right to the core.
"You better not let him push you around like what happened to you when you were younger...............he's bigger than you so it may happen. What happens if he knocks you out in front of everyone....."
JJ turned around and exploded,
"Shut your fat mouth you cunt or you'll be getting it after".
Quietly, Colin looked at Freddie, winked and smiled. It worked. He thought to himself 'Get this insane cunt angry and he'll have the entire pub'.
They got to 'The Fisherman' pub. Dick purposefully parked away from the main doors, as did Darren behind him.
It was a fresh spring afternoon, relatively warm too. The pub had a very long bar, and equally long lounge. It was built in an 'L' shape, with a house set in the right angle of the 'L', where the publican and his wife lived. The bar looked out onto the main road, people in there could see everything going on outside, including two car loads of lads walking seriously towards it. The lounge looked out onto a minor road. The bar had two single doorway entrances at either end. The one on the right acted as a dual entrance to the lounge too, the left a single door.
They all began walking to the left hand side entrance of the bar.
The place was packed, as it usually was on a Saturday afternoon. The pub had two football teams that were very popular with all the local lads, they were in there. The local drinkers, all the old boys, were there as well. A younger generation of lads, 17-22 who didn't play football were also in there too, as were some of JJ's workers. There were always a number of women going into the pub too.
He requested that none of his friends get involved with the fight with Ryan, he had to be shown to beat him by himself. He knew 'Big Ryan' had a reputation throughout Shortland too. This didn't matter, this was about business and money not trying to get a name for himself.
Dick and Colin walked in front of JJ. As he was getting closer he could feel the adrenaline pumping around his body. People in the pub began standing up, looking at all the lads walking single file into the pub. None of them were smiling. It was as if the entire pub were aware of what was about to happen.
As JJ stepped into the little corridor of the pub entrance, that led to the actual bar door entrance he could see 'Big Ryan' running towards him. It was like two gigantic stags meeting head on.
On the one hand there was JJ's slim, athletic frame, 6"2 and fit. Whereas 'Big Ryan's' 6ft colossal statue, running at his adversary like some angry bull out in the wild. Many in the pub didn't give JJ a chance given the sheer size difference between them.
Jason accurately assessed the range at which Ryan was fast approaching him. With Colin holding the bar door entrance open they actually clashed in the tiny corridor from the main entrance and the bar.
'Crack'
JJ caught Ryan with a very heavy left hand, the entire pub could hear it and many in there winced from the grimacing sound it made. As much as the punch rocked Ryan it did little to stop his forward momentum. His square solid jaw took the blow, but his massive thick neck absorbed the worst of it.
Just like when he opened the door as a young man Ryan put JJ in a tight bear hug. It felt like being in a vice, JJ could feel his air slowly leaving his lungs the harder Ryan squeezed. The latter was a little concussed from the heavy blow and was unable to head butt Jason.
Having trained in boxing for years, and now Jiu Jitsu, JJ was aware of what he had to do, in theory, but the practice was very different. This man was very strong and he began panicking a little that he was unable to move.
Fortunately Ryan had placed his arms around JJ's biceps/triceps. He was still able to move his forearms. He began rocking his body, slowly at first. As he had some much adrenaline pumping around his body he created enough movement to cause Ryan to loosen his grip. That was all he needed.
Immediately JJ bent his knees and placed his forehead on Ryan's chest, almost as if his mid section was a punch bag. Jason let loose with a heavy barrage of punches with both hands, into his ribs, kidneys', stomach. When he sensed Ryan dropping his hands to defend this attack he cracked him with a powerful right hook to his strong looking chin, causing his opponent to drop to the floor.
A few gasps were heard from the people in the pub who could see what was going on in the corridor. Without a moment's hesitation JJ began stamping all over Ryan's head, he stepped back a little and kicked him square in the face a few times. He could see blood, he wasn't sure where it came from but it sent him into a bit of a frenzy. Jason continued kicking and stamping all over his opponents very hard.
By this time 'Big Ryan' wasn't really doing anything to defend himself. However, JJ's anger had taken over and he continued to kick him non stop in the face.
A few of Ryan's friends were pleading for JJ to stop, trying to get in his way but he was having none of it. Once or two he raised his fist to these middle aged men who quickly backed away, not wanting to be given a ferocious barrage of punches.
A few other people were saying to let Ryan back up to be given another chance. Knowing he had already given him a beating JJ felt more confident and stepped back out onto the pavement area of the pub, to finish the confrontation.
By this time scores of people had come out of the rear bar entrance and were circulating around the action, a little like a prize fight. JJ could see his friends at the front and were pushing people back so as to not let anyone else get involved.
He looked over the big mess that was Ryan, he was slowly getting up. Deep down JJ already knew this lump wasn't a match for him. Previously he looked at his lifestyle, he worked at the scrap yard, that made him strong, but after that went to the pub every night, drinking. JJ knew he relied on his strength, and nothing else. He had no cardio, no technique, nothing.
Seeing him stand there, bloody, bruised he motioned for Ryan to come forward and attack. This time he did, a little more carefully this time. He put his hands up in a boxing stance but Ryan could see this wasn't what he was used to, he looked clumsy, and not relaxed. Clearly he wasn't a trained fighter.
Ryan stepped forward, precariously this time. JJ saw that he was still wobbly on his feet. The boxer in him knew to bide his time and wait for the right shot, the anger in him wanted to kill him immediately. Getting closer to one another now, all external sounds and noise became blocked out to JJ, such was his focus.
He could see Ryan naturally move into an orthodox stance, like most right handed people do. JJ could see Ryan was nervously moving his right hand, he was panting heavily and was relying on the one big shot. He had some blood streaming down the side of his face and was covered in foot marks from JJ's strong stamping motion.
Still wanting to go for the knockout blow Ryan pulled his right hand back. JJ sensed this and moved to his right, into a Southpaw stance. As Ryan's punch passed the left hand side of JJ's head he responded with another heavy left, this time launching it close from his shoulder, really ensuring he rotated his hip and foot. The years of boxing training are paying off.
Again, JJ's assessment of his opponents was correct. He didn't have an ounce of technical ability and clearly relied on his strength, which had been stamped out of him moments before. As he threw his right hand 'Big Ryan' kept his chin up in the air. As soon as JJ's fist hit his chin, it was all over for the big man.
Sensing he was out JJ didn't stop and stepped back and caught Ryan's head on the volley with his right foot, causing another 'smack' to be heard by all.
This time Ryan was well and truly knocked out, everyone stood around, shocked. The big man was down and this slim, tall, young local lad had just beaten him, easily. His reign of bullying people, ripping them off was over.
"You can tell this big cunt that if I don't get my money soon his legs will be getting broken"
Everyone took note of what JJ said, no-one could believe in how easily he just beat 'Big Ryan'.
Within days word soon spread around Shortland about the fight with Ryan. Within a week he had successfully collected all his debts. His plan worked. He was back in the driving seat.
Bio: Jason's reputation, and business, was on the line due to many outstanding debts totalling £150,000.. His largest one, £25,000 was owed by a local thug, 'Big Ryan'. Rather than chase all the debts Jason decided to go challenge the man who owed him the most. This short story, which is part of a much larger chapter, describes the 'Altercation' between the two of them.