591-595

*Chapter 591: Overwhelming Praise*

By October, Lionsgate’s third fall movie, American Sniper, was released, starring Link as the lead. He had to temporarily pause his training to join the film crew for promotions.

American Sniper initially opened in just four theaters in New York and Los Angeles, grossing $2.51 million in two weeks, with an impressive per-theater average of $44,800. It became the highest-grossing limited-release film this year.

The movie received positive reviews, with many critics praising Link's performance. They noted that he not only captured the personality and habits of a top sniper but also portrayed the emotions of a killer with compelling intensity, making it one of the most iconic screen performances of the year.

Variety praised his acting, saying it surpassed his role in Gone Girl and that he had a strong chance of being nominated for next year’s Academy Awards.

The New York Post commented that Link delivered a subtle yet powerful performance in Clint Eastwood’s detached take on the Iraq War, bringing the character to life with both physical and psychological depth. His nuanced portrayal made the character believable.

The Hollywood Reporter called the film a gripping, tense drama about a tragic war hero, comparing it to The Hurt Locker.

The film earned a 91% media rating, with 22 outlets giving it over 95%, an 88% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with 63 positive reviews, and an "A" audience score on Yahoo.

It's one of the highest-quality films of the year.

Due to the strong word of mouth, the movie expanded its release in its third week to a wide North American debut, grossing $89.26 million over its opening weekend in 3,555 theaters. It became the highest-grossing debut for a non-sequel and non-animated film this year.

In its second week of wide release, the movie expanded to 3,885 theaters and, after just 12 days, crossed the $200 million mark in North America, making it Lionsgate’s ninth film to surpass $100 million domestically.

Internationally, due to the subject matter, the film had a limited release, gradually opening in 68 countries starting in October. It grossed over $100 million in its first week and crossed $200 million internationally after 26 days.

In North America, after 20 days of wide release, American Sniper grossed over $300 million, becoming only the fifth film to reach that milestone this year. It also became the highest-grossing non-sequel, non-animated live-action film.

Even in the slower fall season, American Sniper surpassed the popularity and acclaim of Link’s previous films like The Avengers, Captain America, and The Expendables.

Many media outlets hailed it as Link’s best film to date, describing American Sniper as a true "tough-guy" film, created by three tough men: Link, Clint Eastwood, and the film's real-life inspiration, Chris Kyle.

Sadly, Chris Kyle is no longer with us.

Shortly after Link bought the film rights to Kyle’s autobiography American Sniper in 2013, Kyle was shot and killed while trying to help a Marine veteran suffering from PTSD.

Hearing Kyle’s story during the film’s promotion moved many people to tears.

During the promotion, Link donated $100 million to various charities that help treat psychological disorders like PTSD. He also announced that his global LINK Charity Foundation would start a program to assist veterans worldwide.

Link's father-in-law fully supported his decision, donating $500,000 to the charity. Celebrities like Taylor, Paul Walker, Shaquille O'Neal, Selena Gomez, Chris Paul, Oscar De La Hoya, and Elon Musk followed suit, raising $120 million for the foundation in under a year.

Though the LINK Charity Foundation isn’t among the top 50 largest charities, its reputation has grown rapidly over the past five years, with more and more people donating.

Since its inception in 2010, the foundation has received $380 million in donations, growing stronger with time, especially with the successful returns from its investments.

American Sniper has performed well both at the box office and with critics. Many believe Link is a strong contender for the next Academy Award for Best Actor, which is great news for him, though not for everyone.

---

“Link, congratulations on making such a great film,” Leonardo DiCaprio said with a complex expression as they played cards in a coffee shop, his tone dripping with jealousy.

“Thanks! Honestly, all my films are great—none have ever flopped. American Sniper just happens to be a little better,” Link replied, sipping his iced coffee as he watched them play cards.

“Was Into the Blue a great film too?” Leonardo quipped.

“Leo, it was Into the Blue 2, not Into the Blue. Get your facts straight,” Paul Walker interjected, reminding him that he starred in the first Into the Blue.

“I was only the supporting actor in Into the Blue 2, and it was more of a casual film anyway—not terrible by any means,” Link laughed, reminiscing about the 2008 film, which he did early in his career before honing his craft. Now, he was a Berlin and Cannes Film Festival Best Actor and a three-time Golden Globe nominee.

His acting had improved rapidly, but time had flown by—it had already been seven years.

“There’s a lot of buzz that you could be nominated for next year’s Best Actor Oscar. If you get the chance, will you go for it?” Leonardo asked, watching him closely.

“Do you even have to ask? Link’s said before that his goal as an actor is to win the Oscar for Best Actor. Now that he’s close, he won’t let the opportunity slip by, right, Link?” Casey Affleck chimed in with a grin.

Link smiled and glanced at Leonardo. “Yeah, but you all know my situation. I’ve had a few good roles over the years, been nominated for the Golden Globe three times, but never once for the Oscar. It’s pretty clear the Academy has it out for me. So, whether I get nominated this time is still up in the air—winning is even less certain.”

“You’re right to think that way,” Leonardo said, relaxing a little as he tossed his cards down. “You’re only 26—there’s no rush to win. You could do what I did: focus on commercial films first, then when you’re in your forties or fifties, go for the Oscar. It’ll be easier by then.”

Link gave a quiet smile, not arguing.

Since last year, Leonardo had been doing everything in his power to win the Oscar for Best Actor—he’d even aged himself, arranged for behind-the-scenes stories about his hardships to leak, and started dating a Black woman. He had also donated to several environmental organizations last month. The positive press he’d garnered in the past year alone surpassed what he had received in the previous few years combined—all in hopes of winning the Academy’s favor.

Seeing Link’s movie blow up and receive rave reviews had put a lot of pressure on him. If Link got nominated and Lionsgate pulled out all the stops, there was a chance he could win Best Actor at next year’s Oscars.

It reminded Leonardo of the 2012 Oscars when everyone expected Meryl Streep to win, but Harvey Weinstein's aggressive campaigning led to Jennifer Lawrence, then just 21, winning Best Actress in a shocking upset.

Now, it was Link's turn to chase the Oscar, and Lionsgate’s PR team would likely pull out all the stops, sparing no expense.

Plus, Link was a global icon, a superstar athlete, and a major philanthropist. Rumors were swirling that he was planning to retire soon. All of these factors increased his chances of winning.

Thinking about it made Leonardo anxious again. He shot a glance at Link. “Why are you so quiet? Do you have something else planned for the Oscars?”

“No, the Oscar is just a small goal for me. I focus on acting and doing my best with every role. The rest is up to the audience. Whether I win or not, I don’t care much. If you make winning an Oscar your ultimate goal, you’ll see yourself as a failure if you don’t win. That’s too narrow a mindset—it makes the goal meaningless.”

Link’s voice was calm.

“That’s true. Link, I’m a voting member, so when the time comes, I’ll definitely vote for you for Best Actor,” Tobey Maguire said with a smile.

“Me too!” Woody Harrelson and a few others chimed in.

Link thanked them, promising to treat them to drinks if he got nominated.

Leonardo pursed his lips. “Don’t forget to support my new film, too.”

Oscar voting follows a system similar to political leadership elections. During the nomination process, each ballot allows voters to nominate up to five actors. So, there wasn’t much direct competition between Link and Leonardo at this stage.

“Your movie hasn’t even come out yet. We’ll see how good it is before we talk about voting,” Paul Walker said.

“Exactly. Right now, we’re talking about Link. His performance in this film was amazing, so we’re supporting him,” Tobey added with a laugh.

“My film is even better. Once you’ve seen it, you’ll understand what the year’s best movie looks like,” Leonardo said seriously.

“Is it really that good? Link, I think this movie is being distributed by Lionsgate, right? If it’s as good as Leo says and his performance is great, I suggest you use your influence to delay the release until next year so Leo can’t compete with you for Best Actor,” Joaquin Phoenix joked.

"I object, Link, you absolutely can’t do that," Leonardo said nervously.

Link shook his head. "Don’t mess with him. Right now, he’d do anything to win an Oscar. If we keep talking about it, he probably won’t be able to sleep."

“Hahaha, Leo looks so tense, it’s hilarious.”

“I didn’t expect him to care this much about the Oscars. He’s almost neurotic,” the others teased, laughing.

Leonardo’s face darkened as he realized he’d shown too much eagerness and got played by everyone. Frustrated, he slammed the table.

"Let’s get back to the game. Stop talking about all that nonsense. Link, if you’re not playing, stop distracting us," Leonardo said.

"Okay!" Link smiled and watched for a bit before excusing himself and leaving. After leaving the café, he drove to Lionsgate to pick up Ivanka after work.

American Sniper had been out for less than a month, grossing over $320 million in North America. With both box office numbers and reviews doing great, major theaters decided to extend its run.

In the North American movie market, movies that get both praise and big ticket sales often stay in theaters for over 80 days, while the less successful ones are pulled after about 45 days.

With this film’s excellent reputation and its appeal to mainstream values, its run was expected to last at least six months.

While American Sniper was a huge hit, the fall’s first release, Inherent Vice, brought in $9.23 million at the North American box office and $6.75 million overseas. Compared to its $20 million budget, it was losing over $12 million. However, the film had decent reviews, so it might get some recognition at the Golden Globes or the Oscars.

The second fall release, Lucy, had grossed $128 million in North America and $469 million worldwide, bringing in over ten times its budget—a true sleeper hit.

Meanwhile, The Martian, which had released at the tail end of the summer, had grossed $226 million in North America and $402 million overseas, with a global total surpassing $600 million. Given its $108 million budget, it was also considered a major success.

From The Martian to Lucy to American Sniper, Lionsgate’s films were consistently selling big. Its total box office surpassed Disney, Universal, and Paramount, making it the top studio in the industry.

With The Hunger Games 4 still to come, competitors were once again feeling the pressure.

The Hollywood Reporter noted that Lionsgate’s films had dominated both the summer and fall seasons. The total North American box office revenue for Lionsgate releases had reached $1.94 billion, close to last year’s total. With several more films yet to be released, this year’s revenue was poised to exceed last year’s.

If no unexpected blockbusters emerged from the other studios, Lionsgate might very well take the top spot again this year.

The Hollywood Reporter joked that Lionsgate had become the nightmare of the major studios’ executives, as Link continued to conquer Hollywood with high-quality, high-grossing films, leaving competitors without a way to fight back.

However, Link wasn’t so optimistic. He knew that Disney still had Star Wars: Episode VII and three other films with production budgets exceeding $100 million. Universal and Warner Bros. also had several unreleased films in the pipeline.

For Lionsgate to maintain its lead wouldn’t be easy. Besides, some of the box office earnings from Lionsgate’s releases actually belonged to Disney and Paramount, so the $1.94 billion figure wasn’t entirely accurate.

Now wasn’t the time to celebrate. The remaining films needed more effort and promotion to keep the advantage going, all in preparation for Lionsgate’s upcoming IPO.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 592: Boxing Championship Finals

In mid-October, Lionsgate's fourth fall release, The Big Short, hit theaters.

This movie is set against the backdrop of the 2008 U.S. subprime mortgage crisis and tells the story of a few financial geniuses on Wall Street who made huge profits by shorting subprime mortgage-backed securities (CDS), becoming some of the few to profit during the financial disaster.

The film stars Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, and Lin Ke in a cameo role.

The Big Short opened on the third weekend of October and earned $10.92 million in its first three days. After 21 days, it surpassed $60 million at the box office, a decent number for a documentary-style movie.

Internationally, it was released in over 80 countries and regions, grossing $50.3 million in three weeks.

The total box office surpassed $100 million.

With a production cost of $28 million, it was considered a box-office success.

The movie also received positive reviews from mainstream media and has a good chance of being nominated for next year's Academy Awards.

By the end of October, right before Halloween, Lionsgate released its fifth fall movie, Split.

Split is a horror film directed by the famous M. Night Shyamalan. After the big flop of his 2013 project After Earth, Shyamalan took a two-year break and collaborated with Lionsgate last year to make this low-budget film.

Split had a production cost of only $9 million and tells the story of a man diagnosed with 23 different personalities by his psychiatrist.

The film stars James McAvoy and Anya Taylor-Joy.

In its opening weekend, Split grossed $40.01 million from 3,038 theaters in North America, making it the weekend box office champion.

On Halloween Sunday, the film earned an impressive $34.63 million from 3,299 theaters. Although it didn’t break any records, it ranked in the top 10 for movies released on Halloween.

It was also regarded as one of the best horror films in the North American market that year.

After 14 days, Split had grossed $101 million in North America.

It became Lionsgate’s tenth film to surpass $100 million at the North American box office.

Starting in early November, the film was released in more than 50 countries and regions internationally, with a cumulative box office of $120 million in three weeks.

Its total box office is expected to reach around $300 million.

Considering its $9 million production cost, the return on investment exceeded 30 times, making it one of the most profitable surprise hits of the year.

Shyamalan, who had previously fallen out of favor in Hollywood, regained the attention of major film studios with this film.

With The Big Short and Split both becoming big hits, Lionsgate's total box office for the year has reached $2.12 billion, surpassing Disney by over $300 million.

This number has also broken Warner Bros.' 2009 record of $2.105 billion in total box office revenue in North America, making Lionsgate the film distribution company with the highest annual box office in North American history. Lionsgate also became the second studio in history to surpass $2 billion in annual revenue.

Considering Lionsgate still has four more movies to release, including The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 and The Revenant, the media predicts that Lionsgate’s total box office this year will exceed $2.5 billion, setting an unprecedented new record.

—

By November, Lin Ke continued his boxing training and on November 5th, he led his team to the MGM Grand in Las Vegas to participate in the heavyweight championship unification fight against Wladimir Klitschko.

Before the match, more than 100 companies from around the world competed to host the fight, with major corporations from Berlin, London, Tokyo, and Warsaw entering bids.

After three rounds of bidding, a consortium of U.S. sports companies and hotel alliances secured the hosting rights.

Lin Ke's appearance fee for this fight reached an unprecedented $250 million. Even if he lost, he would still take home that amount, while his opponent's appearance fee was $15 million.

This was just the base prize. With PPV revenue shares, ticket sales, and sponsorship deals, if Lin Ke won, his total prize money could reach $400 million.

Due to the enormous impact of this fight, it garnered significant attention. Three days before the match, Lin Ke and Wladimir Klitschko arrived in Las Vegas early to promote the fight, generate buzz, and boost its popularity.

Before the official match, the hype surrounding the event was comparable to the NBA Finals. Many five-star hotels tripled their prices, yet they were all fully booked.

On Sunday, November 8th, the heavyweight championship unification fight took place.

Over 20,000 spectators attended the event, including hundreds of celebrities: actors, singers, politicians, socialites, and sports stars. Even Lin Ke’s father-in-law came to cheer him on.

In the HBO camera’s view, the front row was filled with familiar faces. HBO reporter Steve Mandanda pointed out that the audience resembled the Oscars, with the camera panning across a sea of stars.

“So many celebrities have come. If Lin Ke loses, it’ll be embarrassing,” said Oscar De La Hoya, turning to look at the celebrity-filled seating area. Over 100 media outlets, armed with cameras, were also present, even more than for the “Fight of the Century” in May.

“Will Lin Ke lose?” Shaquille O’Neal asked, his eyes wide.

“Everyone can lose. If Lin Ke doesn’t perform well, he could lose too.”

“I get that—it’s like basketball. But do you think Lin Ke will choke?”

“You can pray to God,” De La Hoya joked.

Shaq rolled his eyes and looked over at Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Chris Byrd, George Foreman, and Hasim Rahman.

He wasn’t sitting with fellow NBA players like LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, or Chris Paul, choosing instead to sit near Tyson and the others so he could hear their expert commentary.

“Mike, do you think Lin Ke will lose? Some people online say Wladimir has an advantage because his brother helped him train.”

Tyson and the others just shook their heads, unwilling to say much. The last time Lin Ke fought Vitali Klitschko, he had seemed to be losing, retreating constantly, but it turned out to be a strategy. Lin Ke had fooled everyone.

So this time, they decided to stay quiet until the match was over to avoid getting embarrassed again.

Seeing their silence, Shaq pouted in frustration.

Not far from Shaq, in the audience, Frank Duval watched Lin Ke in the ring and remarked, “It wasn’t easy, but Lin Ke has finally made it this far.”

“Yes, I still remember going to Miami Beach seven years ago to talk with Lin Ke. If I’d known he would get this far, I’d have signed him no matter the cost,” said his wife, Nora Duval, looking at Lin Ke.

Compared to seven years ago, Lin Ke was taller, stronger, and more handsome, exuding a powerful aura. He had changed a lot, almost like a different person.

“Ha, Lin Ke’s asking price back then scared everyone off. I was the only one brave enough to sign him,” Frank laughed proudly.

“True, you did a great job with that decision. Very insightful.”

“Thank you!” Frank shrugged, smiling.

Eddie Hearn from Matchroom Boxing, Greg Cohen from Top Rank, Frank Warren from Queensberry Promotions, and Al Haymon from Premier Boxing Champions overheard Frank and Nora’s conversation and couldn’t help but envy Frank’s good fortune.

It wasn’t about insight—it was pure luck. Over the past seven or eight years, Frank had signed more than ten boxers, but only Lin Ke had become a champion. The rest were average fighters, so Frank’s success with Lin Ke was all down to luck.

But it was enviable luck. Frank had been an unremarkable second-generation boxing promoter before, but after signing Lin Ke, everything changed. He founded Dynasty Promotions, earning over $100 million annually from Lin Ke alone. Two years ago, his company went public, and now its market value had soared to $1.6 billion, surpassing even Top Rank and Matchroom, making it the most powerful promotional company in boxing.

And it was all thanks to Lin Ke.

Greg Cohen and the others watched Lin Ke in the ring, wishing they could go back in time to that summer seven years ago. They would’ve signed him on the spot, no matter his demands.

But there was no going back.

Ding, ding, ding!

The fight was about to begin.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 593: Gritting His Teeth and Holding On*

This match was organized by the WBA, one of the largest and most influential boxing organizations.

Before the fight, there was a half-hour pre-show featuring performances by Lady Gaga, One Direction, Drake, and some top Las Vegas dance troupes.

Once the performances ended, Link and Wladimir Klitschko took the stage, and the fight officially began.

"Boxing!" shouted the referee as he swung his arm down.

Link and Klitschko touched gloves and then backed off a step. As Link prepared to throw his first punch, Klitschko struck first.

At 39, Klitschko was no longer in his prime, but he was still in great shape. His punches were fast and powerful, and with a reach of 6 feet 9 inches, he could knock out an unprepared opponent with a single blow.

Fortunately, Link had studied his opponent’s style closely before the match.

Klitschko was a top-tier technical fighter. Like his brother, he was trained during the Soviet era, inheriting the brutal and tactical style of the Soviet boxing team. He was strong, aggressive, and incredibly skilled.

His physical condition was exceptional, with speed, power, and quick reflexes. The only area where he fell short compared to top black boxers was in his ability to take punches—otherwise, he had no weaknesses.

To face such a nearly perfect opponent, Link didn’t plan on using tricks or underhanded tactics. He wanted to defeat him with a clean, legitimate boxing strategy and prove to the world that he deserved to rule the heavyweight division.

Dodging Klitschko’s punch, Link countered with a hit aimed at his opponent’s left side. But Klitschko, with his height and reach advantage, easily stepped back to avoid it.

Hitting him would be difficult.

After dodging, Klitschko quickly advanced, launching a flurry of punches aimed at Link’s head. Link defended and retreated, waiting for the right moment to break Klitschko's rhythm with a counterattack.

The first round was evenly matched. Klitschko threw 154 punches, landing 12 hits to Link’s shoulders and chest, but none to his head. Link threw 102 punches, landing 17 to Klitschko’s body, but none to his head either.

After the first round, the outcome was still unclear.

After a minute’s break, the fight resumed. Klitschko continued his aggressive approach, using his reach and speed to keep pressure on Link, trying to break through his defense.

Link, after a few exchanges, made some tactical adjustments. He maintained his defensive stance but became more aggressive with his attacks, willingly stepping into Klitschko’s range, risking hits to land punches to his opponent’s head.

The fight, already intense, became even more heated. Both fighters were drenched in sweat, with the crowd below cheering wildly.

"Link, hit him hard! You’re just one step away from becoming the champion of all four major organizations!" Mario shouted from the stands.

“Hey, didn’t you hate Link? Why are you cheering for him?” Goldie Reggie teased.

“Nonsense! I never hated Link!” Mario grumbled, his face scrunched.

Goldie Reggie chuckled and glanced at Coach West, who seemed a bit anxious.

“Don’t worry. Link’s got this,” Reggie said.

“I know, it’s just hard to believe. I still remember meeting Link at that boxing bar in Miami back in 2009. He wasn’t even a pro boxer then. In just seven years, he’s gone from super middleweight to light heavyweight, and now he’s a heavyweight champion contender. His rise has been incredible,” West remarked, watching Link in the ring with admiration.

"What is this? Over the past seven years, Link hasn’t just become a three-time champion; he’s a superstar, a billionaire, and no one in the world is stronger than him," Mario said.

"Right, you've learned to suck up. That shows you're getting smarter," Blondie Reggie laughed.

"Shut up!" Mario glared at him and continued watching the match in the ring.

At the 87-second mark, Klitschko Jr. used his reach advantage. First, he threw a hook to push Link’s arm aside, followed by a jab to his forehead. If Link hadn’t dodged quickly, he would have taken a direct hit.

But as Link was getting hit, his left uppercut came from below and landed on Klitschko Jr.'s chin.

Klitschko Jr. stumbled backward, taking two quick steps back.

Link stepped forward, closing in on Klitschko Jr., unleashing a barrage of jabs, landing body shots and head shots. Eight punches hit Klitschko Jr.'s chest and stomach, and one hit the side of his face.

Klitschko Jr., now on the defensive, created distance to avoid getting hit again.

Link pressed the advantage, closing in to continue his rapid assault. But this time, Klitschko Jr. was prepared and went all-out on defense. Out of more than seventy punches Link threw, only about ten landed on Klitschko Jr.'s body, with none hitting his head.

By the end of the second round, Link and Klitschko Jr. returned to their corners. As Link hydrated, he noticed Klitschko Sr. standing ringside, discussing tactics with his younger brother.

"Link, this is the final showdown in the heavyweight division. Stay steady. You’ve got better stamina than him, and the later it gets, the more you’ll have the advantage," Coach Brooks said.

Link nodded and replied, "Got it." Even though he was used to creating his own strategies during fights, he valued the input from his coaching team. They had a clearer perspective from the outside, something important in boxing.

Ding, ding, ding! The third round began.

Link initially planned to follow Coach Brooks’ advice and fight steadily, but Klitschko Jr. switched to a defensive strategy. With his hands up and feet moving quickly, he kept more than a meter’s distance from Link, apparently ready to adopt a cautious, steady approach himself.

After testing him a few times, Link decided not to engage in a stamina contest and went all out, throwing punch after punch at Klitschko Jr.'s defensive arms.

Klitschko Jr.'s punches were just as heavy as Link's, but in terms of endurance, Link was confident that no one could match him.

Using his superior stamina, Link continuously threw heavy punches.

Bam, bam, bam! At the 89-second mark of the round, Link landed a straight punch that broke through Klitschko Jr.'s guard, hitting his left ribs hard. Klitschko Jr. groaned and instinctively lowered his arms to shield his ribs from further blows.

That’s when Link followed up with a left hook, his punch whooshing through the air, hitting Klitschko Jr. squarely on the side of his face.

Klitschko Jr. stumbled, taking a step back and bumping into the ropes.

Seeing that his opponent hadn’t gone down, Link rushed forward, hoping to press his advantage and possibly knock him out.

But Klitschko Jr.'s experience kicked in. Unable to defend properly, he resorted to clinching, wrapping up Link’s arms.

"Break!" the referee intervened.

Klitschko Jr. released his grip and took a step back, while Link shook off the sweat from his arms, keeping a close eye on his opponent.

"Vladimir, hold steady!" Klitschko Sr. shouted in Russian from ringside.

Klitschko Jr. glared at Link, a fierce look in his eyes.

It was clear that, in terms of emotional control, Klitschko Jr. was not as composed as his older brother.

Link paid no mind to his opponent’s expression. As soon as the referee signaled the match to continue, Link closed in and launched another aggressive attack, throwing punch after punch at Klitschko Jr.'s defensive arms, with no concern for conserving energy.

At that moment, all he cared about was winning.

Bam! After throwing 53 punches, Link saw an opening and used a right hook to strike Klitschko Jr. again on the side of his face.

Klitschko Jr.'s head snapped to the side, sweat flying from his short hair, and his balance wavered.

Just as Klitschko Jr. tried to steady himself using the ropes, Link, with his speed advantage, closed in and delivered a punch to Klitschko Jr.'s body.

Bam! This time, Klitschko Jr. couldn’t hold on, crashing heavily to the mat.

"Oh my God, that was amazing."

"Link, great job!"

"Link, the god of boxing!"

The tens of thousands of fans in the arena roared for Link.

Though Klitschko Jr. had fallen, it wasn’t too serious, and he quickly got back on his feet.

Ding, ding, ding! The third round ended. In this round, Link had thrown 231 punches, landing three on Klitschko Jr.’s chin and causing one knockdown. Klitschko Jr. had thrown 132 punches, hitting Link’s head twice and causing a minor injury.

Link, meanwhile, had used up a lot of energy due to his high attack frequency and was drenched in sweat.

In the fourth round, Klitschko Jr. adopted a defensive stance again, clearly intending to hold on until the end.

Link gritted his teeth, determined to push through, continuing to use his speed and stamina advantage, refusing to conserve energy.

At the 134-second mark, Link once again broke through Klitschko Jr.'s defense and landed an uppercut to his chin.

Crack! Even with a mouthguard, the sound of Klitschko Jr.'s teeth colliding was audible.

Klitschko Jr. staggered, trying to regain his balance, but the punch had rattled him too much. Dizzy and disoriented, he fell to the mat again.

"Link, great shot!"

"Link, keep it up!"

As Klitschko Jr. hit the ground, the crowd erupted, everyone on their feet, cheering loudly for Link, feeling like victory was within reach. They stood to witness the moment and shouted in unison, fueling the intensity of the moment.

In the ring, Klitschko Jr. quickly got up, but his chin was now swollen, and blood trickled from his nose.

After the referee allowed the match to continue, Klitschko Jr. abandoned his defensive stance, unleashing a flurry of punches at Link.

Link raised his arms in defense, moving nimbly to dodge more than forty punches while looking for the right moment to counter.

At the 165-second mark, he found an opening and landed another uppercut on Klitschko Jr.'s chin, though it wasn’t as powerful. It only caused him to stumble.

The fourth round ended with Link throwing 176 punches, landing two headshots and causing one knockdown. Klitschko Jr. threw over 140 punches, landing one hit on Link’s face.

As the fifth round began, Link noticed Klitschko Jr. had returned to defense. Without hesitation, Link continued to hammer away at Klitschko Jr.'s guard.

Compared to the first four rounds, Klitschko Jr.'s stamina had noticeably declined. His agility, defense, and reaction time were all worse than before.

Meanwhile, Link’s punches remained fierce, and his pace was still relentless. At the 34-second mark, he once again broke through Klitschko Jr.'s defense, landing a punch on his face.

Klitschko Jr. fell, blood pouring from his chin.

The referee came over to start the count. Klitschko Jr. got up after five seconds.

Link, ignoring the burning sensation in his arm muscles, continued his fierce assault. With Klitschko Jr. focusing on protecting his chin, his midsection was left vulnerable.

Link kept up his strategy of alternating body and head shots, knocking Klitschko Jr. down again at the 87-second mark.

"8, 7, 6, 5..."

As the referee counted, the audience watched Klitschko Jr. lying on the mat and joined in the countdown, their voices booming like a New Year’s Eve celebration.

At the count of three, Klitschko Jr. wobbled to his feet, and the crowd groaned in disappointment.

The match continued.

Klitschko Jr. circled the ring, trying to buy time.

Link wasn’t about to give him a break, charging forward to continue his rapid attack. At the 122-second mark, Link knocked Klitschko Jr. down again.

"8, 7, 6, 5..."

The referee crouched down to count, and the audience shouted along.

"4, 3, 2, 1! Link wins!"

Klitschko Jr. couldn’t get up in time, and Link’s fans erupted in excitement, filling the arena with cheers.

Link wiped the sweat from his face, raised his fists high, and looked out into the crowd. He saw many familiar faces—Coach West, Blondie Reggie, Frank Duvall, Nora Duvall, De La Hoya, Morales, Coach Brooks, assistant Simon, and many others.

All of them were people he had met on his boxing journey, individuals who had helped him in his career.

He took a deep breath and lifted his fists high.

Click, click!

Dozens of photographers surrounded Link, snapping their shutters continuously.

This time, the newspapers wouldn’t only feature a single shot of his back; there would be countless photos of him.

No matter how the papers report it, they won’t be able to avoid one fact: Link has already become the unrivaled king of the boxing world, the most powerful person in the sport.

(End of chapter)"

Chapter 594: Good Luck and Good Fortune

"Hey, Link, congratulations on your win. So far, you've never lost a match since your debut. How are you feeling right now?"

After the match, Steve Mandanda, the host, rushed up to Link with a microphone, while HBO's camera crew followed, focusing on Link.

At that moment, Link was wearing a golden robe to keep warm, with four golden championship belts draped over his shoulders. He was surrounded by reporters.

"How am I feeling? Pretty good. Steve, I didn't expect you to interview me today, that's nice."

Link shook hands with his old acquaintance.

"Haha, yes, it's pretty good."

Steve Mandanda smiled, but there was a hint of bitterness in his expression.

When he first met Link, Link was a rookie boxer, completely unknown, while Steve was a famous host on HBO.

Seven years later, Link had become the top boxer in the world, a billionaire, and a superstar, while Steve was still an HBO host, stuck in the same place.

He wasn’t sure if he should marvel at Link’s talent and luck, or lament his own lack of progress, having wasted so much time.

But as a professional host, Steve quickly pushed aside his messy thoughts and asked Link several questions that the audience was most curious about.

Questions like how Link would rate the match, what he thought of his opponent, if he would have a rematch with Wladimir Klitschko, what his next goal was after conquering the heavyweight division, and whether he would fight in a lower weight class.

Being patient with his old friend, Link answered most of the questions, as long as they didn’t involve personal matters. He said that after becoming the heavyweight champion of the four major organizations, he would defend his title for a few more years. If there were good opponents in the super middleweight, light heavyweight, or cruiserweight divisions, he wouldn’t mind cutting weight to fight.

Right now, he was the number one boxer, earning over a hundred million dollars per fight, more than the annual revenue of many publicly traded companies. Retiring early wouldn’t make financial sense.

For the next few years, he would continue fighting until there were no more challengers.

"Link, I saw the fishing photos you posted, and Alexander was with you. He's a strong little guy like you. Will you teach him boxing? Do you plan to train him to become a boxer?"

Steve Mandanda asked.

Link laughed, "I sometimes take Alexander with me when I go for a run, but he's still too young to train with me. Whether or not he'll become a boxer in the future depends on his interest in the sport."

"Yes, interest is very important," Steve Mandanda nodded.

After answering Steve's questions, Link was surrounded by other reporters from different TV stations, and it took more than half an hour for him to leave.

After the match, Link hosted a celebration party at the MGM Grand Hotel, inviting friends who came to support him. Even though he was now the undisputed heavyweight champion and a billionaire, maintaining connections was still important.

The next day, after finishing a few promotional events in Las Vegas, Link returned to Los Angeles for a break.

This match earned him $420 million, including $250 million in appearance fees, $135 million in PPV revenue sharing, $25 million from ticket sales, and $12 million in sponsorship deals.

This set a new record for the highest income in a single boxing match.

Of the top ten highest-grossing boxing matches, only Mayweather’s fight ranked seventh—every other match belonged to Link.

According to Business Weekly, this match created a commercial value of around $1.5 billion, comparable to a major sports event.

Link was considered by the media to be someone who could stimulate regional economies. Unfortunately, boxing revenues were too unstable, and the industry wasn’t as large as music, so no one had proposed the idea of “Linkonomics.”

"You’ve got all the championship belts now. When you have time, write a few more songs. Don’t waste your talent in music," Taylor said as she strummed her guitar, her fingers lightly grazing the strings, producing a melodious sound.

"Got it. I’ll write when I have time," Link replied while reading the newspaper.

"Hmph, I really wish there’d be another financial crisis so you’d go broke. Then, when you run out of money, you’ll finally think about writing some good songs," Taylor said, wrinkling her nose at his casual response.

"There's no way I’ll run out of money. Even if I go bankrupt, I still have my fists. A guy like me could survive well, even in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Unlike a certain female singer, who, if she ever stops singing, might starve to death because she has no other survival skills," Link joked.

Taylor glared at him angrily, feeling unsatisfied. She kicked him lightly, but before she could react, Link grabbed her slender leg and pulled her into his arms, pinning her on the couch to assert his dominance as the head of the household.

—

American Sniper had been in theaters for seven weeks, earning $380 million at the North American box office and $625 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing film for Lionsgate this year.

The Big Short had been out for five weeks, grossing $78.2 million in North America and $142 million worldwide.

The October surprise hit, Split, had grossed $138 million in North America and $278 million globally, making it Lionsgate’s most profitable film this year.

In November, Lionsgate released its 17th film of the year, The Hunger Games 4. The film grossed $106 million in its opening weekend, slightly lower than the previous two installments but still respectable.

After 11 days, the North American box office surpassed $200 million.

Internationally, after 10 days, the film grossed $247 million.

Compared to the final installments of Harry Potter and Twilight, The Hunger Games 4 had slightly weaker performance, with a global box office projection of around $700 million.

Although the box office for The Hunger Games 4 wasn’t ideal, it still pushed Lionsgate’s total box office for the year over $2.3 billion, far ahead of its competitors.

In the third weekend of November, Lionsgate released its 18th film of the year, Wild, an art film. It was initially released in six theaters in the U.S. and earned $768,000 in its first weekend, with an average of $18,000 per theater, a good performance for an art film.

The movie received positive reviews, with Reese Witherspoon, known as "America’s Sweetheart," being praised for her performance. Witherspoon, who rose to fame with Legally Blonde in 2001 and won an Oscar for Walk the Line in 2006, was considered one of the more successful actresses of her generation.

With her role in Wild, Witherspoon’s acting was once again recognized, and she had a strong chance of being nominated for another Oscar.

In its second weekend, Wild expanded to 1,016 theaters and grossed $9.46 million, with a cumulative total of $10.22 million.

In its second week of release overseas, it grossed $6.04 million.

The total box office was expected to reach around $60 million.

The film had a production budget of $25 million, so it was expected to break even, but it wouldn’t make a huge profit.

After Wild, Lionsgate had two more films, The Butler and The Revenant, entering the promotional phase.

As the release date for The Revenant approached, Leonardo DiCaprio became more nervous, often calling Link to discuss promotional plans.

In addition to this, DiCaprio had written more than 10 articles, totaling over 30,000 words, sharing behind-the-scenes stories of the film’s production, providing plenty of material for promotion.

For example, the film's production lasted nine months, with the crew traveling from the U.S. to Canada and then to southern Argentina to shoot, all to capture authentic locations and natural lighting. The crew also faced many dangers, including a blizzard that almost buried half of the crew.

Before the film's release, the MPAA rated it R for its graphic violence, bloodshed, and an explicit love scene.

In the second trailer, there was a scene where DiCaprio was tackled by a large grizzly bear.

Some media outlets speculated that DiCaprio had been sexually assaulted by the bear during the filming of The Revenant.

This bizarre news quickly went viral, attracting a lot of attention.

"Link, did you make up that story?"

"What story?"

In his hillside villa, Link answered a call from DiCaprio.

"The one about me being sexually assaulted by a grizzly bear—did you have someone make that up to create buzz for the movie?"

"Of course not. I’m not that bored. But that news isn’t bad; it could make people curious and want to go to the theater to see the story between you and the bear," Link laughed.

"Shit! Don’t bring it up again. By the way, are you coming to the premiere next week?"

"I can't, I’m heading back to New York for Christmas. But I can attend the New York premiere."

After chatting with DiCaprio for a while, Link shook his head and hung up the phone.

"This guy is getting a little anxious about the Oscars," he said.

"American Sniper is doing well too. You might have a chance to be nominated for Best Actor at the Oscars. Do you want to go for it?" Ivanka asked, putting down her magazine.

"That's not necessary. Acting is just a hobby, no need to waste too much time on it."

Link wrapped his arm around her waist, feeling the softness of her body and the scent she carried.

Ivanka nodded and leaned on his shoulder.

Christmas was approaching, and this time neither Link nor Ivanka was busy, so they returned to New York a month before Christmas.

On one hand, to prepare for the holiday, and on the other, to support his father-in-law. Now, his father-in-law is the top candidate for the Republican Party, with a great chance of winning the presidency.

(End of the chapter)

*Chapter 595: The Revenant*

In the fourth week of release, The Hunger Games 4 grossed $286 million in North America, with an additional $335 million overseas, bringing its global box office to $620 million. This milestone pushed the total gross of the series beyond $3 billion.

For Lionsgate Films, this series has been a major contributor to the company's growth, serving as a pillar for its success.

During the release of The Hunger Games 4, the marketing team announced that the series would conclude, but there would still be spin-offs in the future, including a prequel and stories focusing on some of the supporting characters.

Additionally, Lionsgate’s production team was considering crossovers with Twilight and Divergent characters to create their own cinematic universe. However, this ambitious plan had significant risks and had not yet been initiated.

Meanwhile, Wild grossed $4.72 million this week, bringing its North American total to $32.09 million, with a global box office of $45.74 million, making the film profitable.

In early December, The Revenant had a limited release in four theaters in Los Angeles and New York, with an impressive opening weekend gross of $872,000 and a per-theater average of $28,000, which is considered excellent for an arthouse film. The movie also garnered strong reviews, with a Metascore of 88.

The San Francisco Chronicle awarded it a perfect 100, calling The Revenant an action film with the soul of an art piece. The film's intense and meaningful action sequences, combined with masterful direction and cinematography, created an unforgettable visual and auditory experience, elevating it to a masterpiece level.

Total Film gave the movie a 99, describing it as a high-caliber work. Leonardo DiCaprio's performance was said to be awe-inspiring, Emmanuel Lubezki's cinematography was called masterful, and director Alejandro González Iñárritu was praised for taking film language to its peak.

The Los Angeles Times called it an ambitious project, stating that every actor and crew member involved deserved an Oscar nomination.

Because of its high quality, many media outlets began comparing The Revenant to American Sniper, with both films being strong contenders for the best of the year and potentially making it into the “Top 100 Films of the Century.”

Media also compared the two films to other big releases from the major studios this year, such as Jurassic World, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation. While these movies outperformed The Revenant and American Sniper at the box office, critics agreed that in terms of artistry and impact on the film industry, the latter two were in a league of their own.

Some fans even argued that these comparisons were inappropriate, as the former group of films were more disposable entertainment, while the latter were destined to be classics.

Both The Revenant and American Sniper were released by Lionsgate.

This year, Lionsgate also released several other highly acclaimed films, including the year's best sci-fi movie, The Martian; best horror film, Split; best fairy tale adaptation, Maleficent; hit comedy Trainwreck; highly rated biographical drama The Big Short; and the well-reviewed female-centered drama Wild. The consistent quality of their films this year has been exceptional.

Some media outlets have named their top 20 films of the year, with nearly half being from Lionsgate. It was said that Lionsgate alone could outperform the six major studios and dozens of independent film companies combined.

Other outlets reflected on the past five years of great films from Lionsgate, from Bridesmaids and The Help, to Silver Linings Playbook, Dallas Buyers Club, Argo, and Zero Dark Thirty, and more recently, Birdman, Gone Girl, The Grand Budapest Hotel, and this year’s films.

Almost every year, Lionsgate has released seven or eight critically acclaimed films, all loved by audiences.

The New York Post hailed Lionsgate as the best film studio in Hollywood over the past five years and the most influential in the global film market in recent years. It also called Lionsgate the most indispensable studio in Hollywood today.

Vanity Fair credited Lionsgate’s success to Link and Ivanka, describing Link as a "godfather" of the film industry and Ivanka as his staunchest supporter.

Following the success of The Revenant, media outlets began reviewing the past five years of Lionsgate's releases, most of which were met with praise, further solidifying Lionsgate's standing in the industry.

However, Leonardo DiCaprio was a bit frustrated. The massive success of The Revenant should have made him, the leading actor, the center of attention. Instead, the media praised Lionsgate and Link.

“Shouldn't I be the one receiving all the praise?”

At the Kings Theater on Broadway, Link laughed and said, “In terms of contribution to this film, I outdid you. If you win the Oscar, don’t forget to thank me.”

“Hmph!”

Leonardo grumbled, though he begrudgingly admitted that Link had played a major role in the film’s success. Link had discovered the novel that inspired the movie and funded its production and distribution. Without him, the film wouldn’t exist.

But for Leo, acknowledging Link’s contribution was difficult.

“Do you think I have a shot at the Oscar?” This was his biggest concern.

“Of course! With Lionsgate behind you, you’ve got at least a 90% chance of winning. The remaining 10% is up to God.”

Link replied confidently.

Leo gave him a hopeful look, praying that his words would come true.

After two weeks of limited release, The Revenant expanded to 3,375 theaters, grossing $57.17 million in its first wide-release weekend, bringing its total to $58.72 million.

In its second week, the film expanded further to 3,711 theaters, and after 12 days in theaters, it crossed the $100 million mark in North America, with a total of $101 million. With minimal box office decline, there was a good chance the film would pass the $200 million mark.

Internationally, the film did even better, thanks to DiCaprio’s star power. Overseas, it grossed over $100 million in just five days, and after 14 days, it reached $200 million.

Currently, The Revenant has grossed $428 million globally.

With a production cost of $135 million, Lionsgate has made over $100 million in profit from the film.

This was also Lionsgate’s 12th film of the year to surpass $100 million at the North American box office.

As of early December, there had been 28 films that crossed the $100 million mark in North America, and nearly half of them were from Lionsgate.

As The Hunger Games 4 surpassed $300 million in North America, and The Revenant steadily approached $200 million, Lionsgate’s total box office for the year reached $2.68 billion in North America.

In second place was Disney. In December, Disney's Star Wars: The Force Awakens had a record-breaking debut, grossing $119 million on its first day in North America, setting a new opening-day record. Its first weekend grossed $247 million, also a record.

In its first week, The Force Awakens grossed $390 million, and it was projected to reach over $800 million in North America.

This film helped Disney surpass Universal Studios, bringing Disney’s total box office for the year to $2.4 billion.

Together, Lionsgate and Disney accounted for over $5 billion at the North American box office, which was nearly half of the total box office revenue for the entire market last year.

These numbers were staggering.

No one had expected Lionsgate to retain its position as the box office leader this year. Despite Disney releasing major blockbusters like Avengers: Age of Ultron, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and Inside Out, with a total gross of $2.3 billion, it still couldn’t surpass Lionsgate.

Lionsgate’s ability to generate massive revenue made others envious.

“Don’t even think about it, Harvey. Lionsgate is just too strong; there’s no way we can compete with them.”

In the Weinstein Company’s office, Bob Weinstein looked at Harvey and said.

“How did this happen? Why did this happen?”

Harvey threw down the newspaper and slumped into his chair.

Since last year, the Weinsteins had partnered with Warner Bros. in an effort to catch up to Lionsgate. Together, they had produced five films this year, including Southpaw and Focus. Though they performed well at the box office, they couldn’t even come close to Lionsgate.

This left Harvey feeling defeated. Once Hollywood's king and top producer, he had believed that with some effort, he could catch up to Link. But after a year of trying, he couldn’t even see Link’s shadow.

It was a crushing blow.

“Link is a genius. Not only does he make money from boxing and singing, but his films are also huge moneymakers. He’s incredible. We’ll never be able to match him.”

Bob said with admiration.

He loved money—always had. In the past, running a film company brought in decent profits, but in recent years, competition in the film industry had intensified, making it difficult for smaller studios to turn a profit. This made him even more envious of people like Link.

Competing in boxing matches brings in hundreds of millions per fight, releasing an album makes two to three hundred million a year, owning a movie company earns billions annually, and investing in stocks turns you into a billionaire.

To people obsessed with money, someone like Link is practically a god of wealth.

"Yeah, Link is a genius, a damn genius."

Harvey stared helplessly at the ceiling. Five years ago, when he first met Link, he could still control him. But now, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t affect Link at all.

The gap between them kept growing, to the point where it was crushing.

"But I won’t lose. Even if I can’t beat him at the box office, I’ll outshine him at the Oscars."

Suddenly, Harvey clenched his fist and slammed it hard onto the table.

Bang!

(End of chapter)