Day 76 of 125

Day 76: Nerves Before the First Fight

In the changing room of a sports hall in Kursk, Dima, a young boxer, waits for his first tournament fight with his coach, Viktor Semyonovich.

How to study this lesson 3 steps
  1. Read the situation under the title.
  2. Read the dialogue and its translation. The audio for this lesson is coming soon.
  3. Spend at least 30 minutes listening to native Russian audio, for example from the Resources page. It doesn't matter if you don't understand it yet.

Dialogue

Audio for this lesson is coming soon. For now, read the dialogue and its translation.

Keys: E hide English · ← → previous / next day

  1. A

    Виктор Семёнович, руки ходуном ходят, бинты уже два раза перематывал. Может, я вообще не создан для ринга?

    Viktor Semyonovich, my hands are shaking like mad, I've rewrapped them twice already. Maybe I'm just not cut out for the ring?

  2. B

    Мандраж перед первым боем у всех бывает, Дима. Не трясётся только тот, кому всё равно, а таким в боксе делать нечего.

    Everybody gets the jitters before their first fight, Dima. The only one who doesn't shake is the one who doesn't care, and guys like that have no business in boxing.

  3. A

    Вам легко говорить, у вас сотня боёв за плечами. А у меня всё из головы вылетело, даже джеб.

    Easy for you to say, you've got a hundred fights behind you. Everything's gone out of my head, even the jab.

  4. B

    Сотня, да только первый я проиграл вчистую. Во втором раунде пропустил боковой и рухнул как подкошенный.

    A hundred, sure, but I lost the first one flat out. In the second round I walked into a hook and went down like a felled tree.

  5. A

    И что, встали? Я бы, наверное, так и лежал от стыда.

    And you got up? I think I'd have just stayed down out of shame.

  6. B

    Встал, конечно, и достоял до гонга. Вот тогда я и понял: упасть не страшно, страшно не подняться.

    Of course I got up, and I lasted till the bell. That's when I understood: falling isn't scary, not getting up is.

  7. A

    Ещё говорят, мой соперник, Соколов из Белгорода, левша. А против левши я толком работать не умею.

    And they say my opponent, Sokolov from Belgorod, is a southpaw. I don't really know how to fight a lefty.

  8. B

    Работай первым номером, но без суеты. Уходи влево, от его левой, и почаще бей прямой правой. В клинч не лезь, он выше.

    Take the lead, but don't rush. Move to your left, away from his left hand, and throw your straight right more often. Don't go into a clinch, he's taller.

  9. A

    А если я в первом же раунде поплыву? Ребята из секции придут, отец в зале сидит.

    And what if I go wobbly in the very first round? The guys from the club are coming, and my dad's in the hall.

  10. B

    Пропустишь, не тушуйся: держи удар и виду не подавай. Дыши носом, не зажимайся, а то к третьему раунду выдохнешься.

    If you get caught, don't lose your nerve: take the punch and don't let it show. Breathe through your nose, don't tense up, or you'll be gassed by the third round.

  11. A

    Попробуй тут не зажмись, когда колени трясутся. Ладно, Виктор Семёнович, капа на месте, перчатки зашнурованы, я готов.

    Just try not tensing up when your knees are shaking. All right, Viktor Semyonovich, mouthguard in, gloves laced, I'm ready.

  12. B

    А теперь по секрету: только что видел Соколова в коридоре. Бледный как мел, третий раз в туалет бегает. Пошли, герой, нас объявляют.

    And now a secret: I just saw Sokolov in the corridor. White as a sheet, off to the toilet for the third time. Let's go, champ, they're calling us.

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