Three Minutes of Unknown

Things are looking up for the champ as I close the second round. Countless solid punches and I'm hardly feeling the sting of a blow. Now I'm starting to see results. Now is also when I need to keep composure. I've started a lot of losses here.
So just concentrate on this round of this match only. If it were only so simple. I'm accustomed to training.
Training is lonely.
The match is before thousands of emotionally charged onlookers. The crowd adds a whole new dynamic. Cheers, screams, jeers, ambient noise - it all adds up. Either completely block it out or only take the good. Seems better to block it all out. I care about them too much.
Fans come and go. Old ones return to route for the champ. New ones jump on board. Old haters still hate and some switch back and forth. Then you get new haters you wish were fans.
This is when you need crowd control and it is incredibly difficult to master with a fight at hand. I feel like I need the fans to win. I don't want to have my crowd turn on me. The most successful fighters have solid fans and it can be the edge. I want that edge. It is often my demise.
Truth is, more people cheer you when you win - even in light of the harshest critic. Fans are not your friends. They don't even know you. Start losing and they'll turn on you. That's tough to remember. Even now - entering the third round.
I'm ready for this round to end, but it's three minutes long and that's that. I'm up so far and now I'm scared things could change in remaining seconds. Going the distance right now seems far. Truth is, that distance is a very short one.
Every punch and move still counts very much in this fight. Let's win and we'll look at the next fight afterward. Winning here is part of training for the big one.