Conquer America, Start with a Boxing Champion

In August, Link went to Hanking to compete in the Olympic Games in Hanking on behalf of the US boxing team.

The Olympic boxing competition is divided into five rounds, knockout, preliminary round, quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals. There are only 30 contestants in total, but they are all the strongest boxers from four continents.

The knockout round was held at the Workers' Stadium in Beijing on August 12. Link faced Toyo boxer Nobuhiro Ishida. At 86 seconds of the first round, he knocked out his opponent with a back throw, causing his opponent to fall to the ground and be unable to get up for ten seconds.

In the preliminary round, Link faced Irish player Darren Sutherland. In four rounds, he knocked down his opponent five times in a row and caused the opponent to fall to the ground three times. Link successfully advanced to the quarter-finals, and his amateur record reached 24 in 24 games. Win 24 KOs.

In the quarter-finals, Link faced Kazakhstan boxer Altaev. Altaev was the super middleweight champion of the last Athens Olympics. His defensive ability is not inferior to that of Peters, and he is very powerful. .

However, in the past month of training, Link's punches have increased significantly and his skills have become more sophisticated. In the fourth round, he knocked down his opponent three times in a row, causing the opponent to fall to the ground for several seconds. In the end, the referee stopped the game and Link won another round. field.

In the semi-finals, Link was challenged by British boxer James DeGale.

James DeGale is a black man, 188 centimeters tall and 196 centimeters long. He has superb skills and very good physical condition. He is like a combination of Peters and Andrzej. Although Link knocked down his opponent four times in four rounds. times, but still failed to completely KO the opponent until the end of the fight.

In the end, they won the game with a score of 31:19.

This was also the only game in all amateur competitions in which Link failed to win by knockout.

In the final, Link met his old rival, Cuban boxer Lorenzo Aragon.

Since the match between the two once caused a sensation in the world boxing world, many people believed that Aragorn lost to Link because of his abnormal performance in that match. If it happened again, the outcome would be unpredictable.

Therefore, the match between the two attracted the attention of boxing fans around the world, and the China TV Sports Channel also broadcast the match live.

However, the course of the game was shocking. After the game started, Link immediately used heavy punches to bombard Aragorn's defense. He punched 124 times in the first round and knocked down Aragorn once in the last 10 seconds.

In the second round, the game was almost one-sided. Link continued to attack with heavy punches, knocking down Aragorn twice in a row and causing the opponent to count for several seconds. Before the start of the third round, the Cuban side announced that they would give up on the excuse that Aragorn had not recovered from his injury. Contest.

Link easily won the finals and received an Olympic gold medal.

On August 25, Link took a flight back to the United States. When he walked out of Los Angeles International Airport, more than a hundred media reporters met him outside the terminal. Under the auspices of his assistant Simon, Link held a press conference in the airport lobby. press conference.

"Mr. Link Baker, congratulations on winning the Olympic Games and winning a very valuable gold medal. This gold medal is also the only gold medal won by the US boxing team in this Olympic Games. How do you feel at this time? ?”

The Los Angeles Times reporter handed over the microphone and asked.

“It’s great, like the weather in Los Angeles.”

Link pointed at the blue sky above his head and smiled. At this time, he was wearing a red and white Nike sportswear, and a gold medal with gold and jade hanging around his neck. It had the logo of the boxing event and his name on it. The total weight was 219.3 grams. Heavy on the neck.

But he was in a very relaxed mood.

This time when he returned to China, he not only participated in the Olympics, but also took time to travel near his hometown. His parents were in good health and several brothers and sisters were still in school. However, the Lin family did not seem to have a child named Link.

Coach Lao Liu is still coaching the urban boxing team. Without his own involvement, he should be able to stay with the city team safely until retirement.

Seeing that everyone was doing well, he was naturally in a good mood.

"Mr. Linkback, how do you feel about your first trip to China?"

The Los Angeles Times reporter continued to ask.

"It's great. The cities in China are also very prosperous. The Chinese people are very hospitable. I have made many friends in China these days."

Link laughed.

"Mr. Link Baker, three days ago the Chinese media reported that you rescued a child who fell into the water in Hanking Park. Is this true?"

A CBS reporter asked as he handed over the microphone.

"Yes, I happened to be passing by that day and I rescued him."

"Mr. Link Baker, according to Chinese media reports, 200-meter medley champion Phelps and former Chinese team diving champion Tian Liang were also present. The three of you entered the water almost at the same time. As a result, you arrived before them. You are How did you do it?"

CBS TV reporter asked.

"I live by the sea and my swimming skills are pretty good. As for swimming faster than them, this may be a misunderstanding."

Link said as he spread his hands.

Three days ago, when he was about to participate in the finals, he was running near Houhai. Suddenly he heard someone shouting, "Someone has fallen into the water." He jumped into the water without thinking much. After rescuing the child, he did not stay long and returned directly. Change clothes in the dormitory.

In the evening, a CCTV evening news report reported the incident, and someone took a video. When he jumped into the water, Phelps and Tian Liang, a former member of the Chinese diving team, were also running nearby.

The three of them almost entered the water together. Link was further away from the child who fell into the water than the two of them, but he arrived before the two of them.

After the news was exposed, it became one of the biggest and most interesting news in this Olympics. Because he was also wearing athlete's clothes at the time, his appearance and body shape were very recognizable. In less than half a day, his true identity was revealed, Link Baker of the American boxing team.

Then the news became even more lively, saying that the diving champion, swimming champion and boxing champion jumped into the water together to save the drowning child. The boxing champion was farther away, but he rescued the drowning child first.

People all think he is a hidden swimming expert.

Some boxing fans also joked that he is a KO maniac and an anesthesiologist. He must have KOed two people in the water first and then brought the child ashore. Otherwise, how could he, a boxer, be faster than the swimming champion.

"Mr. Link Baker, Phelps once publicly said that he wanted to compete with you again to see who swims faster. Will you accept his challenge?"

A reporter from ABC TV asked.

Link smiled and said to the camera: "Of course, but please tell him that if he loses, just keep the gold medals. He has eight anyway, and I envy him."

"Okay! We will tell him."

The ABC reporter laughed.

"Mr. Link Baker, in the finals, many people thought it would be a evenly matched match. Why did you beat Aragon in just three rounds?"

The HBO reporter asked.

"First of all, this is not an evenly matched match. I have defeated him in the qualifying round, and I am better than him. Second, Aragon is injured, and his condition is worse than in July, and his strength is weaker. Third, before the Olympics, I did more than a month of intensive training. I am stronger than in the qualifying round, which is why I can beat him again."

Link said.

"Mr. Link Baker, after becoming a world champion, what is your next goal?"

The New York Times reporter asked.

"Next, I will switch to professional boxing, compete for the super middleweight champion gold belt of the four major organizations, and become a true world boxing champion."

Link waved his fist and said.

After answering more than a dozen questions, Link winked at Simon, who stepped forward to say that the interview was over and the champion needed to go back and rest.

——

"Link, take a look, this is your schedule for the next few days."

In the business car, Simon Curtis handed him a bottle of purified water and a schedule.

"Okay, let me see what kind of work you have found for me."

Link took it and looked through it. There were more than 30 work arrangements, including CBS's "Ellen Show", NBC's evening talk show "The Tonight Show", Los Angeles Times, New York Times, People Magazine, "Ring" magazine, HBO's "Watch Boxing with the Champion", six commercials, and three charity events.

"Link, after you won the championship, we received more than 50 advertising invitations. According to your request, we will not accept any advertisements below 500,000. There are still six left. You can do three charity activities or not, but my suggestion is to do them. It can expand your fan base and increase your exposure."

"I understand."

Link has no opinion on doing charity. He originally had a lot of negative information. Doing charity activities can let more audiences understand his personality and behavior through TV programs. If he performs well, he can wash away the negative information on himself to a certain extent and turn many black fans into fans.

"What is this program about watching the Olympics with the champion? The Olympics are over, why do we still need to watch the Olympics?"

Link pointed to the activity content of HBO TV station. There are three episodes in total, which need to be recorded for three days. It is the longest one among all activities.

"This is a program specially created for you by HBO TV. Because you are very popular and won a gold medal in the Olympics, they are going to make a program and invite you to interpret the five-round boxing match in the Olympics on the spot. HBO TV's offer is 500,000 US dollars."

"It sounds good. I took it."

Link nodded, put down the documents, and looked at Los Angeles outside the car window. The sun was shining, the blue sea and golden sand beaches, and the Pacific Coast Highway was lined with rows of tall palm trees, which looked very similar to Miami.

He took out his mobile phone and sent a message to Taylor, asking her if the tour was over. After a while, Taylor replied to the message and said that it would take another half a month to return home.

Link did not mention his coming to Los Angeles again. He sent a message to Gal Gadot. Gadot said she was at home and sent him the address of an apartment.

"Simon, go to the White Oak Apartments on Bird Street!"