Steven Hudd, a 37-year-old British boxer, held an amateur record of 27 wins, 14 losses, and 6 draws. He had twice competed in the Golden Gloves. A veteran of the ring, he was highly experienced, with relatively well-rounded skills.
Height: 1.76 ters
Weight: 75.9 kilograms
Reach: 182 centiters
Utarbel, a 22-year-old Turkish student-boxer, fought with a rough but aggressive Boxing Technique. His advantages lay in his tall fra and youthful stamina. He relied heavily on his right hook. His amateur record stood at 3 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss.
Height: 1.94 ters
Weight: 74.9 kilograms
Reach: 192 centiters
Raúl added, “Steven may once have been a second-tier amateur, but in the past two years his form has declined sharply, and his stamina isn’t what it used to be. Still, with his experience, he can’t be taken lightly.”
“As for Utarbel, you’ve seen the stats—his height and reach are clear advantages, and his right hook packs a serious punch. You’ll need to be especially careful of that.”
Pedro frowned as he looked over the profiles. “One’s experienced, the other’s an outlier. Not an easy decision. Better let the kid choose for himself.”
Jason Luo felt troubled too. At nearly two ters tall, the guy towered over him by a full head. To be honest, in daily life he rarely had to look up at anyone. Staring at his opponent’s head the entire fight would be exhausting for his neck!
“I’ll go with Steven. I can learn sothing from his experience.” Jason Luo figured it would be easier to face soone closer to normal size.
Raúl and Pedro exchanged glances, then both nodded. “Alright then. I’ll contact them to arrange the fight. I’ll call you with updates. Jason, listen to your coach and train hard—we believe you’ll succeed.”
After Raúl left, Coach Pedro turned to Jason Luo. “Now that you’ve picked your target, let’s work on strategy. First, I want to hear how you plan to handle this veteran.”
Jason Luo studied the file for a mont. “He’s experienced, so I’ll keep things steady and thodical. I’ll use my superior stamina and Toughness to drag him into a war of attrition, forcing him to burn energy. Once he’s gassed, my chance will co.”
Pedro nodded. “That’s basically right. Also, compared to him you’ve got small advantages in height and reach. Throw plenty of counterpunches and hooks, and guard carefully against uppercuts. If you want to wear him down, you need to dominate the center of the ring, forcing him to move around the outside. That’s how you’ll sap his energy.”
“Got it.”
“But rember—these are just our plans. Once you’re in the ring, it won’t go so smoothly. I need to warn you: veterans like him often fight dirty. Clinching, driving the head into you, knees, elbows, slaps to the back of the head, even biting ears—those are their usual tricks. If that happens, stay composed. Don’t lose your head.”
“Huh?” Jason Luo frowned. “What? The referee doesn’t stop them?”
“They try, but those fouls are often very subtle, hard to catch in real ti. And even if spotted, since they don’t cause major damage or stop the match, the usual punishnt is just a warning. That’s why you must control your emotions. If you get angry and do sothing reckless, you’ll fall right into his trap.”
“Then... what, I’m just supposed to let him break the rules?” Jason Luo was indignant. What kind of boxer fought like that?
“Of course not. One option is to maneuver closer to the referee during clinches, so your opponent hesitates. Another way is to use your fists to show him that coming close to you is a very bad idea.”
“Show him with my fists?” Jason Luo glanced at his fists, still puzzled.
“You blockhead! Hit him—hit him hard. When he tries to clinch, don’t give him the chance. Beat him down—unless he’s suicidal...”
“If he does grab hold of you, dig hooks into him. The pain will make him loosen up. That’s your perfect mont to fire an uppercut—sotis one punch is all it takes to end the fight.”
Jason Luo’s eyes lit up. “So if he tries to clinch , that’s actually a good thing!”
Pedro shook his head. “Not always. An experienced fighter will press down on your neck to sap your power, or tie up your arms. Then it cos down to your Strength and stamina. Every situation is different in the ring—you’ll need to adapt.”
Pedro sighed. “Alright, let’s wrap up early. Go ho, watch so fight footage, pick up so tips, and get a good night’s rest. Stay sharp for Raúl’s call.”
...
That afternoon, Raúl called to confirm Jason Luo’s match for the next day at 2 PM, at the usual venue. He had already told Kamman to cancel their sparring session so Jason could rest. Kamman would also attend the fight and personally drive Jason to and from the venue.
Kamman was a true friend. Hanging up the phone, Jason Luo felt genuinely happy. After a life of solitude, he never imagined boxing would bring him so many trustworthy friends. It only strengthened his determination to keep moving forward.
He picked up his phone again and first ssaged Dr. Miao with the match details. To his surprise, the reply ca back almost instantly: “I’ll definitely be there. Go for it, Jason!”
Mr. Miao was so busy, yet he was really coming. Jason quickly replied, “Thanks, Mr. Miao. I’ll give it my best.”
Dr. Miao: “I believe in you! See you tomorrow.”
The encouragent was overwhelming. Jason Luo’s spirits soared, and he imdiately called Tony Huo.
Before Jason could say a word, Tony burst out, “I was just about to call you, Jason! Bro, I finally got my driver’s license, ha! How about tomorrow? Let’s hit the used car market. If I see sothing good, I’ll buy it on the spot—and then I’ll take you for a drive all around Chicago!”
“Uh... tomorrow might not work. I’ve got a match.”
“What? You’ve got a match tomorrow? Why didn’t you tell earlier? What ti? I’m definitely coming!”
“Heh, I thought you weren’t planning on it. Two in the afternoon, sa bar as last ti. Perfect. After the fight I’ll go car shopping with you.”
“Okay, I’ll co by tomorrow morning then. And hey, I’m crashing your breakfast.”
“No problem. I’ll be waiting at ho!”
Jason Luo was truly happy for Tony. Thinking about his friend buying a car tomorrow, Jason pulled $3,000 from his stash and slipped it into his pocket. This ti, maybe he could help Tony out too.
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / GhostParser
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