Post by James Edwards on Apr 12, 2019 22:45:22 GMT -5
A cool ocean breeze and spray from the breaking waves are lovely but don't offer sustained relief from the blazing sun towering over the Persian Gulf. A covered cabin-side deck is one's best bet to escape the heat, and that's where the audience finds the World's Junior Heavyweight Champion, James Edwards.
Forsaking his recent attire of all black suits, James is clad in forest green shorts, a plain khaki t-shirt, and gas station-bought sunglasses.
"I don't relax much, but a company paid for cruise ain't a bad way to do it."
He shrugs but doesn't give any other indication of his mood.
"All I've done is train, fight, and sleep during every MAX-J tour this year. I've walked some of the greatest cities in the world lookin' for a way to stay angry. I did it because I couldn't have any distractions. I could only handle one purpose. It was the only way I'd reach the funeral I'd been plannin', the one for all my failures in this company."
The whipping wind drowns his voice out, so James motions for the cameraman to come closer.
"There ain't any point in me going over them. Y'all saw em,' and I lived em.' The point is, I finally caught some glory. I got my 'fuck you' moment for all my doubters. The shovel was in my hands. The hole dug and the casket filled. All had to do was give the damn eulogy and throw dirt on the body box. And I couldn't do it, man."
He says it stone-faced. Admitting failure is unusual for James, but showing casual indifference to it is even stranger.
"My entire journey to the title went by in a self-loathing blur. I didn't learn anything from it. It didn't make me a better fighter. All it did was make me bitter and keep me from enjoying what should have been one of the most satisfyin' moments of my career."
"That's why I'm keepin' the shovel stuck in the dirt, as a reminder to remember a fighter's journey ain't a funeral, it's a celebration, and trust me, I know that sounds weird as hell coming from me, the world's best-known killjoy, but take it as you will."
He leans down on the rail and gazes out at the shimmering cerulean sea.
"It ain't easy to win a belt. Any champion worth a damn won't give his pize up without a fight. He'll kill you to keep it. A man has to be at his best to win a showdown like that; he has to be the sum of all his success and failure. You win a challenge like that, you damn well better be happy about it. Just because I wasn't that night doesn't mean I won't be during this reign."
"I'm ready to take on the world. I'm prepared to face fighters I've never seen before. I'm walkin' into the unknown with open arms, and I'm doing it because I overcame myself to put myself in the best position to become the best fighter I can. This reign is going to push me to my limits. I want it to make me question my methods and my moves. It'll drive me to learn more about the art of combat; to get smarter and stronger. I'll make my opponents better for facing me, and they'll do the same. "
"That ain't a pie in the sky statement either, man, it's a damn promise. A promise to be a better me and to help make MAX-J a better fightin' ground."
He smiles, slightly, for the first time in forever.
"I think that'll be something worth celebrating."
Forsaking his recent attire of all black suits, James is clad in forest green shorts, a plain khaki t-shirt, and gas station-bought sunglasses.
"I don't relax much, but a company paid for cruise ain't a bad way to do it."
He shrugs but doesn't give any other indication of his mood.
"All I've done is train, fight, and sleep during every MAX-J tour this year. I've walked some of the greatest cities in the world lookin' for a way to stay angry. I did it because I couldn't have any distractions. I could only handle one purpose. It was the only way I'd reach the funeral I'd been plannin', the one for all my failures in this company."
The whipping wind drowns his voice out, so James motions for the cameraman to come closer.
"There ain't any point in me going over them. Y'all saw em,' and I lived em.' The point is, I finally caught some glory. I got my 'fuck you' moment for all my doubters. The shovel was in my hands. The hole dug and the casket filled. All had to do was give the damn eulogy and throw dirt on the body box. And I couldn't do it, man."
He says it stone-faced. Admitting failure is unusual for James, but showing casual indifference to it is even stranger.
"My entire journey to the title went by in a self-loathing blur. I didn't learn anything from it. It didn't make me a better fighter. All it did was make me bitter and keep me from enjoying what should have been one of the most satisfyin' moments of my career."
"That's why I'm keepin' the shovel stuck in the dirt, as a reminder to remember a fighter's journey ain't a funeral, it's a celebration, and trust me, I know that sounds weird as hell coming from me, the world's best-known killjoy, but take it as you will."
He leans down on the rail and gazes out at the shimmering cerulean sea.
"It ain't easy to win a belt. Any champion worth a damn won't give his pize up without a fight. He'll kill you to keep it. A man has to be at his best to win a showdown like that; he has to be the sum of all his success and failure. You win a challenge like that, you damn well better be happy about it. Just because I wasn't that night doesn't mean I won't be during this reign."
"I'm ready to take on the world. I'm prepared to face fighters I've never seen before. I'm walkin' into the unknown with open arms, and I'm doing it because I overcame myself to put myself in the best position to become the best fighter I can. This reign is going to push me to my limits. I want it to make me question my methods and my moves. It'll drive me to learn more about the art of combat; to get smarter and stronger. I'll make my opponents better for facing me, and they'll do the same. "
"That ain't a pie in the sky statement either, man, it's a damn promise. A promise to be a better me and to help make MAX-J a better fightin' ground."
He smiles, slightly, for the first time in forever.
"I think that'll be something worth celebrating."