Boxer!Aang is the fastest rising star of the pro scene in Republic City. He's classed as a middleweight and boasts an impressive 12 wins, 2 losses, and 4 draws. Even the underground circuit is obsessed with the man who goes by "The Monk". Within his first two years as a pro, Aang used his earnings and was able to rebuild his old gym and made it into a school as well, The Air Acolyte Academy. He's also very charitable.
None of his opponents truly hate him, they can't. He's a great sport, funny, kind, all around stand up guy, even when he gets relaxed in the ring and starts getting a bit cocky.
He started out in featherweight when he first burst onto the scene, and at the time, nobody took the scrawny-looking bald kid seriously until he knocked the reigning champion on his ass. his lean stature and airy footwork have commentators describing him as "nearly impossible to pin down," "too damn slippery," and "a beautiful fighter and not a brutal one." Toph 'Blind Bandit' Beifong is his trainer; she used to compete in the underground circuit and had been undefeated until she went toe-to-toe with Aang and lost. She quit the scene to train him but said she only would if he gave up underground and went pro.
He used to train at South Temple Gym until a fire destroyed it; his father figure and old coach had been inside. Overcome with anger and financially desperate to rebuild his past is why he began underground in the first place. With a chip on his shoulder and slick footwork, nobody else ever stood a chance. The underground was where he met Zuko, and their intense rivalry lasted a summer and two months and was always big news. Nobody knew when the rivals became best friends, to the point where Zuko became one of his trainers as well.
Zuko had been a ruthless and antagonistic boxer with zero sportsmanship, but he was extremely talented. He was the brutal fighter to Aang's beautiful one. They'd only fought four times, each one ending in a draw, and each match was always sold out. They have the same number of losses, beaten by the same opponents: Azula and Ozai. Nobody knew when Aang and Zuko became friends, as their rivalry at one point bordered on sheer animosity, and it was what made their fights so captivating.
When Zuko left the scene to pursue a different path, there had been whispers about Aang having seedy connections because, first, The Blind Bandit and then The Fire Prince both left because of him. Both of them shut that down right quick. Zuko is a famous multidiscipline martial arts instructor, top-class and highly sought after.
Along with his own fighting style, Zuko and Toph have spent countless hours with him, teaching him their own, weaving it in so much so that along with his impressive stamina, he's also incredibly unpredictable in the ring. Whenever Aang fights, one can only hope he enters "The Avatar State," just for the sake of saying they witnessed it; it's as if he's gained the strength and will of ten thousand.
Aang used to train in public gyms, but as much as he loves his fans and all the attention, it's completely counterproductive to his training. His manager, Sokka, suggested he start at a private gym, and Zuko was quick to recommend yours as he trains there too and even hosts some of his classes there whenever he's in town. Having the former "Flame Fist" and "The Monk" as members is excellent exposure for your gym, and the eye candy isn't bad either.
The bald man with bruised fists and bloody gums who fights like he's three seconds away from flying.
notes: wrote more than i expected. part two will be relationship headcanons. not proofread.
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