Across America, Starting with the Boxing Champion

Chapter 47 The Terrible Link

 The format of the qualifying round is somewhat similar to the Golden Glove final.

 In the first round, the top-ranked boxer from all participating countries will fight against the second-ranked boxer from another country.

 The first place is defeated, the second place is also defeated, the third place wins and has another chance to participate in the challenge. If the third place also fails, the country’s team will be wiped out.

 The first place is defeated, the second place succeeds, the second place replaces the first place and continues to participate in the competition, and the first place also has a chance to participate in the challenge.

If both the first and second are successful, it will be like Link and Jones Fullers in the Golden Gloves final, and the two compete separately.

If Jones Fullers had won against Andre Berto, he would have replaced Andre and faced Link again, but he didn't.

 The same is generally true for the qualifying rounds.

It’s just that there are more participating teams, so Link needs to fight more. His opponents have also changed from Andre and others to the number one amateur boxers in the super middleweight level from Cuba, Mexico, Canada, Brazil and other countries. .

　In the sport of boxing, although the United States leads the world, other American countries are also quite powerful.

Mexico, Canada, and Cuba, like the United States, are traditional boxing powers and have produced many world-class boxing champions.

For example, Mexico has 'God of War' Julio Cesar Chavez, nine-time defending WBC featherweight champion legendary boxer Salvador Sanchez, Hall of Fame boxing champion Olivares, Hall of Fame boxing champion Arizmen Dee, Hall of Fame boxing champion Vicente Saldivar, etc., more than a dozen world-class boxing champions.

 In the small weight class, the United States is no match for Mexico.

Cuba is also a strong boxing country. It has won 31 gold medals, 12 silver medals and 18 bronze medals in Olympic boxing events, which is only slightly inferior to the United States’ 42 gold medals, 21 silver medals and 35 bronze medals. In recent Olympic boxing events, Cuba has continuously crushed the American boxing team. .

There are also boxing champions in Argentina, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Haiti, Jamaica, Guatemala and other American countries.

These countries unite and often grab 5/6 of the places in the boxing qualifying competitions of previous American Olympic Games.

 There are only two spots left in the super middleweight division, and Link and the others will have one or more tough battles next.

  —

“Hey guys, does anyone want to practice with Link?”

 After chatting for a while, Morales with dreadlocks couldn’t help itching his hands, picked up a pair of boxing gloves, and asked Andrzej, Jones Fullers, and Andre Berto.

Andrzej waved his hand, "I won't fight Link. He is fast and powerful. If I fight him, I won't be able to last one round."

Andre Berto glanced at Link and waved his hand.

The last time he was defeated in the finals, despite Link's deception, after competing with him once, Andre had to admit that he was better than him in terms of technology, strength, speed, physical strength, and tactics. Link is inferior.

　　He was not sure of defeating Link in another match.

In addition, half a month had passed, and he also wanted to see if Link had made any progress during this period. If not, it would not be too late to call back.

Jones Fullers folded his arms and leaned on the ring. He grinned with big white teeth and said, "Link's back throw punch is too powerful. I can't take it for the time being. Mario, you are strong in fighting, so stay with Lin first." Let’s have a fight and let’s see.”

 “Okay, Link, do you want to have a fight?”

Morales put on his boxing gloves, punched hard and shouted.

Link smiled. The four of them were guests from afar and asked to practice. Of course he would not refuse. He asked a few apprentices to help Mario down to rest after he had just woken up, and then fetched two sets of competition protective gear for the two of them. Put it on.

 “Boxing!”

Link and Morales bumped their fists, and the sparring began.

Morales has a strong body, strong resistance to beatings, good physical strength, and heavy fists. He is a heavy gunner.

His shortcomings are his slow speed, height of 180 cm, and arm length of 182 cm, which is 10 cm shorter than Link. This is a desperate gap.

Just like Chris Bird, who has an arm length of 188 centimeters, versus Wladimir Klitschko, who has an arm length of 206 centimeters. Because his arms were too short, he failed to win in two fights in 2000 and 2006.

 In the game, I will only be beaten.

　　Bang bang!

Morales waved his thick arm and hit Link on the head with a straight punch.

Link raised his right arm to block and punched out his left fist at the same time. This was a set of stress-type punch combinations, that is, a combination of punches subconsciously thrown when encountering an opponent's attack.

This kind of combination punch requires years of training to form muscle memory and inertia, so that it can be executed in the shortest time during the competition. The more stress-type combination punches, the smoother it will be.

Link's left fist hit Morales in the head.

  "Mario, be careful!"   Jones shouted from the audience.

Morales turned his head and saw Link's right fist coming towards his head. He wanted to dodge, but it was too late, and his body could not keep up with the speed of his thinking.

　　Bang!

Link's fist lightly hit Morales' temple, and then he quickly withdrew his hand.

 “Be careful Morales.”

Link said with a smile.

“Farke, Link, why are you so fast again? I can’t guard you at all.”

Morales shouted angrily.

 “Your fists are also heavier.”

Link said with a smile.

 The two continued to sparring.

Considering that there will be a match the day after tomorrow, Link no longer attacks Morales' head, but only attacks Morales' arms and shoulders, as well as parts protected by protective gear.

Morales has a strong body and wears armor. He can fight easily and is more suitable as a sparring partner than the other Mario.

While the two were sparring, Andrzej, Andre Berto, and Jones Fullers stood aside to watch the fight.

“Damn it! He was already very skilled, so how come he has improved a lot? If he is so good, how can we succeed in the future?”

Andrzej frowned and sighed.

 He ​​has practiced boxing since he was a child and has been practicing for fifteen or sixteen years. Technique is his specialty and the foundation for him to establish himself in the amateur boxing circle. In the past, he could fight well even if he met Andre Berto in competitions.

 But it was bad when meeting Link. Link not only suppressed him technically, but also far surpassed him in other aspects. There was no chance of winning against him.

Andrzej only felt a sense of weakness.

“Not only is he technically great, he is also becoming more and more proficient in his combination punches. This guy’s talent in boxing is enviable.”

 Jones Fullers admired.

“Yes, he is a real genius. Some people called me that at the beginning, but there is no way to compare with a **** like Link.”

Anderszej shrugged his shoulders.

Jones Fullers glanced at Andre Beto next to him, "Andre, why don't you speak?"

Andre Berto shook his head and sighed: "Do you know how he defeated me in the fifth round in the last match?"

“Isn’t it a direct defeat?”

 Jones Fullers and Anderszej looked at him curiously.

“Shit! If I defended in the fifth round, there was no way he could knock me out.”

Andre Berto looked at Link in the ring angrily.

"Haha, Andre, there is something that everyone is curious about. In the fifth round of the game that day, everyone knew that you should defend, but you chose to take the initiative to attack Lin? Why is this? Some people say that you are accompanying him in his crackdown. Fist, is that so?"

"fart!"

Andre Berto said with a dark face and full of sorrow and anger, "The match went into the fifth round, and that **** Link told me that he would completely KO me in the eighth round."

“The eighth round? But he promised to fight until the fifth round in advance, so where did the eighth round come from?” Anderszej asked curiously.

 Andre Berto scolded Farke, “Link told me that the five-round KO I promised before the game was a lie and was a tactic. He would continue to fight with me until the end of ten rounds.

I was very exhausted and didn't have much energy left. When I heard him say that, I was so angry that I didn't care about the coach's dissuasion and just wanted to fight him desperately. As a result, I really fell into the trap. "

 Anderszej and Jones Fullers looked at each other and laughed.

The sparring on the stage was also over. The two fought for ten rounds. Morales was the main attacker and Link defended. Morales's fist was very heavy, no worse than the heavyweight Mario's. Link took it. He was punched hundreds of times and his arms were numb from the shock.

 When both of them came off the stage, they were both sweating.

 (End of this chapter)