Mercedes Carter and Anne Carter: cousins reunited!

We are the City of Angels Boxing club in Los Angeles. It’s fight night with an amateur gala underway. The main event of the evening features Mercedes Carter against Hope McCoy.

Mercedes is a top prospect in the United States and has already qualified for the USA Boxing championships at the end of the year. The Detroit Golden Gloves double winner already has 51 wins and 4 losses on record and this fight keeps her active against quality opposition.

Hope McCoy also has a pretty solid record with 22 wins, 6 losses and 4 draws.

As she usually does, Mercedes gets to work early with a solid jab on target. Her coach Carl Williams is at ringside.

Carl: “That’s it! Work between and over her gloves! Throw combos!”

Mercedes has beaten Hope once. It was a narrow win, but she knows she can win again if she puts her mind to it.

What Mercedes doesn’t know yet is that someone at ringside knows her. Who could that be?

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The mysterious attendance member at Mercedes’ fight is Anne Carter. What’s going on here?

Anne was brought here by her friend Summer Simpson, a boxer, to watch some good fights.

Anne: “Who is this black chick in the middle of the ring? Mercedes Carter?”

Summer: “Yeah, I told you that she would feature in the final of this gala. Why are you surprised?”

Anne: “Mercedes Carter. My name is Anne Carter. Remember?”

Summer: “So what? There are tens of thousands of people named Carter in this country.”

Anne: “You don’t get it. This chick is my cousin! I told you about a Mercedes Carter who disappeared without a trace some years ago.”

Summer: “WTF? You’re white and she’s black. You can’t be cousins.”

Anne: “I’m telling you. She’s my cousin. She looks familiar. I’ve met her when we were kids.”

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Anne, left, with her friend Summer.

Summer: “How can she biologically be your cousin?”

Anne: “Uncle’s daughter. The uncle is black. It happens in mixed-race families. She lived in Baltimore and I was in Seattle until I moved to LA.”

Summer: “How can you be so sure it’s her?”

Anne: “The eyes. You don’t forget that. She looks too familiar for her not to be the Mercedes Carter I saw at family gatherings. Sweet girl. Determined, but sweet. I just wonder how she went to Detroit and I need to find out. I’ll get to her once the fight is over. Hopefully she wins.”

Summer: “You’re an idiot. Of course she’ll win. She has over 50 wins and she beat this chick before. If anything, she’ll drill a hole in the ground and bury her right here.”

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Hope McCoy may be a good, game fighter, but she is no match for Mercedes, who grew since their close battle the first time they met.

In the third round, Hope is desperate to land a punch that will turn the fight around. She goes for a right hook and Mercedes moves in with a devil of a left hook. That punch will floor her. Hope will get up, but be so confused that the referee will stop the fight.

Anne enjoys watching her cousin smack the opposition into oblivion.

Anne thinks: “I’ve been thinking about doing more boxing. Maybe she can give me tips. And if she can’t spend the time to help, at least I can reconnect with her.”

Summer: “Not a bad idea. That chick is champ material, at least at the amateur level. A hell of a lot better than I ever will be.”

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Mercedes just notched her 52nd win. She gets congratulations from everyone in the room who knows her before getting back to her coach Carl Williams.

Carl: “Great job. Ya finished her this time instead of strugglin’ to a decision. I’m proud of ya, kid. Yer growin’ so much. There ain’t nobody who can beat you at Welterweight.”

Mercedes: “Thanks pops! I feel like we’ll make a killin’ in those nationals.”

Carl: “We will. Now let me take those gloves off ya.”

While he starts taking those away… Anne is glowing. She thinks: “I can imagine her face when I tell her I’m her cousin Anne. Haha.”

Mercedes: “Who’s that girl on the left? Been lookin’ at me.”

Carl: “Just let me finish this and she’ll introduce herself. Says she knows ya. Never saw her before but she seems nice. I’ll leave ya two alone so ya can sort yerselves out.”

Mercedes thinks: “Knows me? I don’t think I’ve seen anyone like her in… years. If I did.”

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Carl Williams gets out of the way and Anne comes closer.

Anne: “Hi Mercedes.”

Mercedes: “Hi. Do… do I know ya?”

Anne: “Oh yes, you do.”

Mercedes, puzzled: “I’m sorry but… who are ya?”

Anne: “I’m Anne Carter.”

Mercedes: “Wait… no. Yer shittin’ me! Prove it now!”

Anne: “The last time we met, it was at a family barbecue in Seattle. We stole a beer from the cooler and had it together. Tasted like shit, but we enjoyed the mischief.”

Mercedes’ jaw drops. She remembers that moment. It’s one of her favourites with Anne.

Mercedes: “Holy shit. My cousin! So glad to see ya! Would give ya a hug but I’m all sweaty.”

Anne: “So… your nickname is Red Terror? You wear it well. You spanked that girl today although she’s a good boxer. And over 50 wins… you’re a hell of a fighter.”

Mercedes: “Whoa… how did ya find me? It’s not like these fight cards are advertised all over da damn country.”

Anne: “I live in LA and I’m into fighting. I like boxing and a friend brought me here. And there, I see your little face for the first time in years. Totally unexpected. And damn, girl, you grew into a stunner.”

Mercedes: “Thanks! And ya grew into a supermodel. I bet everyone hates ya for bein’ so perfect.”

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Mercedes and Anne keep talking as the crowd leaves the gym.

Mercedes: “Tell me… how did ya come to move to Los Angeles?”

Anne: “Parent’s moved here for some reason. Pulled me midway out of high school.”

She becomes sheepish.

Anne: “LA’s been great! But I do miss home.”

She comes closer to Mercedes.

Anne: “You, however, have been a mystery. Where have you been all this time?”

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Mercedes: “Ya probably wonder why ya never heard of me after that barbecue. Here’s the story. My parents were knee-deep into the drugs and gangs. We remained strong as a family despite our troubles, until that one night when momma punched me in the nose for standing up to her.”

Anne: “Shit.”

Mercedes: “I was 16. Snapped. Awake in bed until my parents went to sleep. Got da hell out, hitch-hiked from Baltimore to Detroit and never went back.”

Anne: “Tough move to make. That explains why I never saw you again. What happened then?”

Mercedes: “I dropped out of school and lived in the streets until a new friend told me about those foreclosed homes after the finance crisis. Lots o’ them in Detroit. Found a nice unoccupied one and stayed there. Furniture still in. No power, but it woz comfy. Still, had no purpose in life. Left the family with no plan. Yanno?”

Anne: “But now… you’re an accomplished fighter. How did that happen?”

Mercedes: “Lived on charity until boxing came to me. Walked in this gym and this coach talked to me. At first, I had my panties in a bunch. White guy sees pretty black chick and talks to her. That’s suspicious. But he turned out to be the nicest man ever. Took me under his wing. Coached me. He and his wife offered to become guardians. Fed me, gave me a home, sent me back to school. Put me back on track. Treated me like family. I became family.”

Anne: “Whoa.”

Mercedes: “I fuckin’ kicked ass! Mauled my opponents. He invested all his free time to coach me. Drove me to other states for fights. Everything he could do, he did. With his parenting and boxing, I found myself. Couldn’t be happier, yo.”

Anne: “That’s amazing. What’s next?”

Mercedes: “National championship at the end of the year. Wanna win and go to the Olympics in 2020 or turn pro.”

Anne: “You know your boxing. I want to get into it as well. Wouldn’t mind spending time with you again and learn from you if that’s possible.”

Mercedes: “Hell ya! Let’s do this whenevah, cuz! We ain’t stealin’ beer again, though. No booze for me. I live a clean life.”

Chelsea Carter
Chelsea Carter
Former Super Lightweight world champion. A daredevil from San Francisco who follows the footsteps of her idol Alesia Schumann.