Across America, Starting with the Boxing Champion

Chapter 37 Between Husband and Wife

 “Attack his brow bone!”

 “Okay!! This punch is great! The angle is so tricky!”

"KO! The fifth KO! The fifth KO. This punch is too heavy. Andre will definitely not be able to get up."

 "Link Champion! Link Champion!!"

In a high-rise duplex apartment in Manhattan, New York, Mr. Franco Duva was watching a game on the HBO Sports Channel and saw Link punch Andre to the ground. He jumped up excitedly and punched the wall. On, he couldn't help but retract his fist and rub it.

Mrs. Nora Dewar came down from the spiral staircase on the second floor with her coat wrapped around her coat. When she saw her husband yelling childishly and beating the wall like a child, she couldn't help but shake her head.

 “Franco, keep your voice down, Vera is going to be woken up by you.”

Mrs. Nora Duval reminded her in a low voice.

 “Okay, I get it.”

Franco Duva turned down the volume of the stereo, sat on the sofa, took a sip of beer, stared at Link on the TV, and suddenly let out a long sigh.

“Well, why can’t father agree to this? Link is very strong. In the future, when he enters the boxing ring, he will definitely become a boxing champion and a very profitable boxing champion.

 The boxers under our main event promotion company are old, some have retired, and most of the remaining ones are not strong. Do you know how others evaluate our company? Hum, say our company is a nursing home for boxing champions.

 Now is the time to make changes, but why doesn’t my father agree with me to sign Link?

If Link were here, give me five years, and I would be sure that the major events would catch up with the top events and become the strongest promotion company in the boxing world again. "

Franco clenched his fist tightly and balled up the beer can.

But I thought about that day when I returned to New York and approached my father to discuss signing Link, but he was rejected and scolded by his father. His father said that he was too impulsive and was not a qualified boxing promoter, and asked him to go back and reflect.

Thinking of his father's words, he couldn't help but feel discouraged. He let go of his hand and the crumpled beer can fell to the floor with a clink.

"Don't think about Link anymore. If my father doesn't agree, he must have his own considerations."

 Nora picked up the beer can and threw it into the garbage bin.

  “What does he have in mind?

 Stubborn, rigid, stubborn, and self-righteous, thinking that it is still the 1970s and 1980s, and that they can open up situations with fists and favors.

His methods have long been unpopular in the boxing world, but he still refuses to correct himself and refuses to let us go.

If he continues to be stubborn like this, the major event company will be dragged down by him sooner or later. "

 Frank said helplessly.

Nora gently persuaded: "Father. Father, he rejected your proposal because he was a little unconsidered. It's just that Link's offer is too high, 100 million signing bonus. This is an offer that even Ali and Tyson dare not offer." How dare he, an amateur boxer, pay a sky-high price?

 There is still a long way to go from amateur boxer to professional boxer, and this road is not easy to walk. A slight accident will cause great losses.

　　䱱 also know that our company’s situation is not as good as it was back then, and we cannot afford such a big loss.

 Dear, you also need to understand your father’s concerns. "

 “I understand, I understand, but”

Link on Franko TV said, “Link is really a great boxer, and this is really a good opportunity.

 Norah, you have been in the boxing industry longer than me and know more about it than I do.

Let me ask you, if you could go back to 1960 or 1980 and were asked to use 30 million to sign Ali and Tyson who were not yet famous, would you be willing to use the money to sign them? "

 “I don’t want to!”

Nora Duva replied neatly.

 “Ah why?”

 Franco looked at his wife in surprise. His wife, Nora Dewar, was originally one of the elder Dewar's administrative assistants. She has served as a boxing promoter in the company for twelve years. Now she is the president of the international development department of the main event company and has been in the boxing industry longer than him.

He usually talks to his wife about any work matters. Most of the time, his wife will support his opinions. He also understands her, but her answer this time was beyond his expectation.

Nora Duva said calmly, “The 30 million back then was no less than the 100 million now. Even if I knew they would become super boxing champions in the future, I would not sign them.

 First, the company does not have that much liquidity. Spending too much money to sign a boxer will definitely affect the company's subsequent development.

 Second, the development of a company is the result of the concerted efforts of a group of people, and it must not rely on just one person. Companies and collectives that rely only on one person will not develop for a long time, and it is also an unhealthy development model.

Take Ali as an example. In 1967, he refused to perform military service and his boxing license was revoked by the National Athletic Commission. He was unable to participate in boxing matches for four years. He came back in 1971 to challenge boxing champion Joe Frazier and was knocked down and failed.

He came back for the second time in 1973 and challenged boxing champion Ken Norton, but failed again. It was not until he successfully challenged boxing champion George Foreman in 1974 that he returned to boxing. There was a seven-year window period in between. If at that time Top Promotions would have gone bankrupt long ago if they pinned all their hopes on him alone.

And Tyson, he had more problems, including fights, sexual assault, jail time, and upset boxing losses. Tang Jin Promotion Company spent more than 50 million to sign him. Although he made a lot of money afterwards, it was far less than than expected.

There is also Link Baker, whom you are optimistic about. Great people are never those who follow the rules. Judging from Link's performance during this period, he is indeed not a person who is willing to play by the rules.

 The probability of success or failure of such a person is 50% each. If the company places its hopes on him alone, and he has an accident in the future, how will the company get back the funds invested in him? "

Franco was a little heartbroken by his wife's words. He slumped on the sofa, his shoulders dropped, and his eyes saw Link fighting hard in the boxing ring.

He murmured again: "But this is a good opportunity, and the 50% probability of success is also a very high probability. It would be a pity to miss it."

Nora squeezed his shoulders gently and said softly: "Don't be too pity, there are many, many opportunities. In addition to Link, there are other boxers in this tournament that are good.

For example, heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, light heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr., light heavyweight champion Joe Smith, and middleweight champion George Groves are all very good candidates. "

Franco shook his head, "How can they compare with Link? Link is a figure who can change the current situation in the boxing world. He is Caesar, while at most they are Labienus and Mark Antony, and they are vassals who follow the current situation. "

 Nola paused her massaging hand and brushed the bangs on her forehead, with a helpless expression.

She didn’t know what Link said to her husband or what he did to her husband, but since her husband saw Link, he always talked about Link whenever he talked about boxing, and whenever he watched a boxing match, he always talked about Link when watching TV at home. I often watch Link’s game videos.

He praised Link greatly, saying that Link was stronger than Ali, Tyson, George Foreman, Mayweather and other super boxing champions.

Now he even uses the word Caesar to describe Link. This is not just about respecting him, but also highly admiring him, and even saying that he is obsessed with him.

 Had she not known that there was no problem with her husband’s orientation, she would have thought of going somewhere else.

“Link is very good, but his appetite is too big. He offered you a signing bonus of 100 million US dollars and offered Greg Cohen a 70% share. This is too exaggerated.

 It is impossible for a boxer to ask a promotion company to work for him. I think no one in the boxing promotion world can meet his requirements. "

 In order to make her husband "change his mind", she doesn't mind blowing some pillow wind in her husband's ear.

Franco spread his hands and said, "Link is a capable person. He will make a lot of money in the future, and he deserves more shares."

Nora was helpless, "But he is just an amateur boxer now. Who could have predicted that he would become a boxing champion or be in prison in the future?"

"No, he is a person with clear goals and clear thinking. He is a person with ideals and ambitions and the ability to realize them. He will not do dangerous things easily. He will not go to jail and is not prone to accidents. , and he is not an amateur boxer, he is the Golden Gloves super middleweight champion, a very potential and excellent amateur boxer.”

Franco clenched his fists and said excitedly.

Nora looked at her husband, reluctantly let go of her hand, got up and went upstairs to go to bed, when a shout came from downstairs.

“Nora, come down quickly, come down quickly, I have a plan, a great plan, please help me refer to it, this time even old Dua can’t stop me.”

Ms. Nora covered her forehead. She felt it was necessary to find a time to talk to Link and ask him to let her husband go.

  —

Looking for further reading!

 (End of this chapter)