When the letter of intent arrived, Rod was overjoyed and imdiately gathered everyone to discuss how they should respond.
David Morell’s terms were harsh—too harsh. The tight deadline was one thing, but he even demanded a rematch clause. That ant even if Jason Luo won, Morell could force a second fight within two months. His caution was evident.
Coach Brown spoke first. “This Morell guy is a real scher. On one hand, he’s testing us. On the other, he’s leaving himself an escape route. If we reject his offer, he can report to the WBA that we refused. But if we accept too quickly, he’ll get suspicious and might co up with even more unreasonable conditions.”
Raul said, “Then let’s drag out the negotiations. We’ll refuse the rematch outright!”
“No,” Coach Brown waved his hand. “You’ve got it wrong. We should ask to extend the preparation period instead. That’ll make him believe Jason’s condition hasn’t fully recovered yet and that we need more ti to adjust.”
“As for the rematch, we’ll agree to it first. That’s the only way to put his mind at ease. Once Jason wins and takes the Gold Belt, we can stall and find ways to delay him later.”
After reaching that conclusion, both sides began negotiating the finer details. Two days later, a match agreent was finally signed!
As soon as the ink dried, both promotional companies released the news at the sa ti. The announcent instantly drew massive dia attention.
Jason Luo—whose drug test controversy hadn’t yet cooled—was officially going to challenge for the world title. Boxing fans were thrilled yet anxious. Newspapers and magazines filled up with comntaries and analyses. Most so-called “experts” claid Jason Luo was too young, too inexperienced, and currently in poor form—his chances of victory, they said, were slim...
So even dug into his personal data, discovering he was still three months away from turning twenty. That ant if he won, he’d beco champion even younger than Tyson had. The gossip spread like wildfire, becoming the favorite topic in bars and boxing circles everywhere.
Then Han Libo showed up again—this ti bringing along a reporter from CCTV Sports News and a director from the CCTV Sports Channel. They planned to broadcast the entire match live!
Rod handled all the business matters, while Han Libo focused on introducing the dia crew and then sat down for a chat with Jason Luo.
“Finally, the day we’ve all been waiting for! Jason, once you take that super middleweight Gold Belt, it’ll be a huge milestone for us all. Those divisions have been dominated for too long—you’ve got to be the one to break through! So, what do you think? Shouldn’t be a problem, right? I know you’ve got this.”
Jason Luo didn’t dare tell him the truth. “Hard to say. My condition still isn’t great, and it’s my first twelve-round title match. My stamina and form are still...”
Han Libo cut him off, glancing around to make sure no one was listening before lowering his voice. “Co on, don’t try to fool . You might trick the fans, but you can’t fool the insiders. Old ng told that, sure, the blood test affects performance a little, but nowhere near as bad as you made it look. He said your acting only deserves a 70 out of 100.”
Jason Luo’s face went red with embarrassnt. Thankfully, Editor ng wasn’t advising Morell’s camp. Now that the contract was signed, it no longer mattered anyway.
Han Libo chuckled. “Relax. We’re all veterans here—we know when to keep quiet. Everyone’s just hoping you pull this off and make history!”
“I’ll do my best! M. Han, actually, I wanted to ask you sothing. For soone like , how feasible would it be to invest in opening a mixed martial arts gym back ho?”
“You want to open a gym?” Han Libo’s eyes went wide. “You’ve got to be kidding ! Once you’re champion, you’ll earn millions just for showing up to a fight. Where would you find ti to teach?”
“I wouldn’t teach personally,” Jason explained. “I’m planning to invest in a gym that combines boxing and martial arts. I’d bring in so top boxing coaches from here, and invite Master Liu out of retirent. Over ti, we could expand the project further. It’s just a rough idea—I’m not sure how viable it is yet.”
“Oh, so you’d just be the investor, not the one running it. Actually, that’s a solid plan. The paperwork won’t be a problem either. The governnt’s been encouraging overseas investors to put money into sports—there are tax breaks and plenty of incentives. Once you’re champion, your fa plus Master Liu’s reputation will make the venture a sure success. I think it’s a great idea!”
Jason Luo smiled. “I’m not really doing it for profit. As long as it helps Master Liu with his situation, that’s enough for . Plus, if we can bring modern professional boxing training systems into the country, it’ll be my small contribution to the sport.”
Han Libo nodded in approval. “Excellent. I’ll talk to Old ng and help you work out the details. Jason, you’re impressive—so young and already thinking at such a strategic level. Your ideas are insightful and far-sighted. Remarkable!”
Jason Luo could only laugh awkwardly. His limited education left him unable to keep up with Han Libo’s eloquence, and by the end, all he could manage were a few polite “mm-hm” and “yeah” responses.
After the Sports Express team finished Jason Luo’s exclusive interview, he finally had a mont of quiet. He refused all other dia requests—the fight was approaching fast, and full preparation was the top priority.
This ti, training focused on two main areas. First, since the championship bout was a 12-round match, he needed to build greater stamina and learn to pace himself strategically. That part wasn’t much of a problem for Jason Luo.
The second focus was specialized preparation for David Morell’s fighting style.
David Morell, age 31, stood 181 centiters tall with a 185-centiter reach. His professional record was 29 wins, 3 losses, and 2 draws. His style was sowhat reminiscent of Lennox Lewis—and similar in so ways to Tomio’s.
He relied heavily on his front-hand jab to control the rhythm, while his rear-hand straight carried explosive power. The real issue was his fighting temperant—he wasn’t aggressive. Whenever opponents tried to close the distance, he’d clinch imdiately to neutralize exchanges, rarely allowing any inside fighting.
Because of this, Morell’s reputation among fans wasn’t great. He wasn’t exciting to watch. But no one could deny that his defense was highly effective—frustrating for offensive fighters. Stay outside, and his jab and straight punches dominate. Force your way in, and he locks you up, leaning his weight and draining your stamina with close-range body shots.
Coach Brown’s plan was clear: don’t engage at long range, and don’t get too close either. Control the mid-range distance—close enough to strike effectively, but far enough to avoid his clinches. Mastering distance control would be the key to victory!
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