561-565

*Chapter 561: Before the Boxing Match*

After more than ten days of intensive training, on Saturday, April 26, the WBA heavyweight championship eliminator was held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Link was set to face the North American heavyweight champion, Deontay Wilder.

Deontay Wilder, born in 1985 and currently 29 years old, won the bronze medal in heavyweight boxing at the 2008 Olympics. He turned pro in November 2008 and has participated in 30 fights.

His current professional record is 30 wins in 30 fights, all by KO. To date, all his matches have ended within the first four rounds, earning him the nickname "Bronze Bomber."

Link's current record is 36 wins in 36 fights, all by KO, with all his matches ending within the first three rounds.

Since both fighters competed in the Beijing Olympics, hold undefeated professional records, and have both won by knockout, this matchup quickly caught the attention of boxing fans after it was announced late last year. Many were eager to see who would come out on top when two undefeated champions faced off.

The betting odds favored Link to win, with odds of 1.32, while Wilder had odds of 1.65. The odds difference wasn’t large, marking the closest odds for any of Link's professional fights so far.

One of the main reasons for the tight odds was that even the bookmakers were unsure if Link could beat Wilder.

First, Link was originally a light heavyweight fighter. After moving up to heavyweight, he had only defeated two older boxers, both over 45 years old.

Meanwhile, Wilder had beaten 30 heavyweight fighters since 2008, becoming the WBA North American champion after defeating Malik Scott in April last year.

Wilder had much more experience fighting heavyweight opponents.

The second point was the significant physical difference between the two fighters.

Link stood at 186 cm with a 195 cm reach and weighed 182 pounds, while Deontay Wilder was 201 cm tall with a 211 cm reach and weighed 224 pounds.

Wilder's size gave him a major advantage.

Some media outlets compared this fight to the 1973 bout between "The Devil" George Foreman and "Smokin’" Joe Frazier.

George Foreman was 191 cm tall with a 199 cm reach, while Joe Frazier was 182 cm tall with an 185 cm reach.

At that time, Frazier had just defeated Ali and taken the WBC and WBA heavyweight titles, being regarded as the strongest boxer in the world with the highest fight earnings and an undefeated 29-fight record.

Foreman, five years younger than Frazier, was also undefeated with a 38-0 record but had not yet beaten any well-known fighters.

During the match, despite Frazier's aggressive fighting style, he was too short and had too little reach. Every time he tried to get close to Foreman, he was pushed back, ultimately losing the fight.

In this upcoming match, the height difference between Link and Wilder was over 10 cm, with Wilder weighing over 40 pounds more than Link.

If Wilder adopted Foreman’s fighting style and prevented Link from getting close, he had a high chance of defeating the legendary Link.

American media outlets were hyping up the size difference between the two fighters, heavily promoting the idea that Link would lose, predicting he would likely suffer his first defeat in this fight.

Due to the media’s constant promotion, the match was trending even before it started, topping the trending charts multiple times on fight day.

As a result, many people were eager to see whether Link would lose.

On fight day, the Staples Center was packed with 28,000 spectators, filling every seat.

"Frank, this fight was arranged too quickly. Link should have had a few more heavyweight fights to fully adjust before taking on Wilder," said De La Hoya, watching Link and Wilder in the ring from his seat.

"This was Link’s request. He wanted to face tougher opponents for a more thrilling challenge. Plus, pitting him against Wilder generates more buzz. Just look at the crowd—we didn’t have this many people at his last fight," replied Frank Duva, looking at the packed audience behind them.

"But have you thought about what happens if Link loses?"

"So what if he loses? In boxing, you win some and lose some. With Link's current popularity, one loss won’t affect him too much."

"No, no, it’s not that simple. Link is considered the best in the world, a superman. If he loses, he’ll be labeled a loser, which will definitely have a huge impact on him," De La Hoya insisted.

"You have a point, but Link agreed to the fight, which means he’s confident he can beat Wilder. We should trust him," Frank said, clenching his fist.

De La Hoya shook his head, doubtful about Link’s chances in this fight.

If Link had fought more than ten heavyweight matches and defeated many fighters his age instead of veterans like James Toney and Evander Holyfield, he might have a better chance.

But having only fought in two heavyweight bouts, defeating two older, past-their-prime opponents, he now faced a much taller, younger, undefeated fighter like Wilder.

De La Hoya didn’t believe Link had much of a chance to win.

"George, based on your judgment, who’s going to win this fight?" asked Mike Tyson from his front-row seat, turning to George Foreman beside him.

"It’s hard to say. Both fighters are evenly matched. Either one could win. We’ll have to see once the fight starts," Foreman replied, crossing his arms as he sized up the two fighters in the ring.

"I heard Wilder trained with you for a while. Did you teach him any tricks for fighting smaller opponents?" Tyson grinned, showing his gold teeth.

"No special tricks, just a few small techniques. But if Wilder wants to truly beat Link, those tricks alone won’t be enough. He’ll need to show superior strength, speed, and technique," Foreman said.

Tyson nodded, thinking Wilder’s chances of winning were higher now that Foreman admitted to teaching him some techniques.

George Foreman was a heavyweight boxing legend of the 1970s and 80s. In 1973, he defeated a prime Joe Frazier, and before being beaten by Ali in 1974, he had a 40-0 undefeated record.

Foreman turned pro in 1969 and retired in 1997, finishing his career with 81 fights, 76 wins, and 68 KOs, demonstrating immense power.

Back in the 1970s and 80s, there weren’t many tall fighters in the professional boxing world, and Foreman was one of the standouts. He was an expert at using his reach advantage to disrupt smaller opponents’ rhythm.

This was one of the reasons why Tyson never fought Foreman during their overlapping careers from 1985 to 1997.

In 1990, they were close to fighting, but the match was canceled before it was confirmed.

The main reason was that Tyson lacked confidence in beating Foreman. Tyson was 178 cm tall with a 180 cm reach and preferred using uppercuts to hit his opponents’ chins—traits similar to Joe Frazier’s.

At the time, the media believed that if Tyson fought Foreman, Tyson would likely lose.

Later in 1996-97, Tyson faced Evander Holyfield, a fighter similar to Foreman, and lost both times, which further proved the point.

Looking at these past examples, when the height and reach difference between two fighters is over 10 cm, the taller fighter has a higher chance of winning.

Tyson stroked his chin, pulled out his phone, and texted Shaquille O’Neal, telling him to watch the match live—Link might lose.

O’Neal texted back, saying he was already watching.

(End of the chapter)

*Chapter 562: 80-Second Comeback Victory*

The match was about to begin.

On the boxing ring, Link and Deontay Wilder stood face to face. Back in 2008, when they both trained together during the Olympics in China, they had become acquainted.

Though they hadn’t seen each other in the past few years, they had followed each other’s careers in the media.

Since 2008, Deontay had participated in 30 heavyweight matches, all of which ended within four rounds. Every single one of his victories was by knockout, and in six matches, the referee had to stop the fight due to the opponent's severe injuries.

This record showed that Deontay had an extremely heavy punch and deadly power.

Most boxers couldn’t last a single round against him, and those who made it to the fourth round usually left the ring with bloody faces, severely bruised.

Being a tall heavyweight boxer, Deontay was often compared to George Foreman.

In fact, some believed he was even stronger than Foreman.

Foreman was a big man, tall with a long reach and a powerful punch. However, his massive frame made him slow, like a heavy tank. While this added to his durability, it also caused him to lose to Muhammad Ali in 1974, Jimmy Young in 1978, and Evander Holyfield in 1991.

In comparison, Deontay, at 6'7" and 224 pounds, was lighter and more agile than many basketball players of similar height.

His speed was faster than some light-heavyweight champions, with swift footwork that utilized his height and reach for quick, long-range punches. Once he landed a punch, he would quickly retreat, avoiding counterattacks. His fighting style was like a Panther tank, quick and deadly.

Even during George Foreman’s prime, there was a 60% chance he would lose to Deontay Wilder.

Despite the formidable challenge of facing Deontay Wilder, Link had hesitated briefly about whether it was the right time to take him on. What if he lost?

But after weighing his options, he chose to go on the offensive. Deontay was strong, but Link felt that he matched up well in overall boxing skills. If he stayed focused, he stood a good chance of defeating Wilder.

If he chose to avoid the fight out of fear, it would harm his mindset and confidence.

Since entering the boxing world in 2008, Link had always thrived under pressure, growing stronger in tough situations and winning repeatedly. He had developed a fearless mentality, which influenced not only his boxing but also his pursuits in music and film.

If he backed down now, that fearlessness would transform into hesitation, diminishing his strength.

So, Link chose to fight Deontay Wilder.

While studying his opponent's strengths, Link had also discovered his weaknesses.

Deontay possessed height, reach, agility, and unmatched power in the heavyweight division. However, his boxing technique was rough, and his combination punches were sloppy. He often threw a single punch and then ran, acting more like an assassin than a top-tier boxer.

Moreover, due to his focus on offense, his defense was lacking. When attacked, he mainly dodged, avoiding direct exchanges.

Because of his technical flaws and mediocre defense, Deontay struggled to control the pace of a fight or understand advanced tactics.

This was a common weakness among large heavyweight boxers. Relying on their physical advantages, they often neglected to hone their technical skills or study boxing strategy.

Such boxers could easily win against weaker opponents but would crumble when faced with someone stronger and more technically skilled. They lacked the ability to triumph against the odds.

And that’s where the true charm of boxing lies: the possibility of an underdog victory, the thrill of an upset.

Link remembered how Deontay had been undefeated until he faced Tyson Fury, a taller, stronger opponent who knocked him out in two consecutive fights. After that, he lost to New Zealand’s Joseph Parker and then got knocked out by Chinese boxer Zhang Zhilei, ending his once-dominant career.

Despite knowing Deontay's weaknesses, Link did not underestimate him. Instead, he aimed to use them to his advantage and win the fight cleanly and decisively.

"Hey, Link, choosing to fight me now is a really bad decision," Deontay Wilder sneered.

"I don't think so."

"Heh, you'll change your mind soon enough," Deontay said, waving his fists.

The bell rang, and the referee raised his arm and swung it down.

"Boxing!"

The match began, and before Link could test the waters, Deontay threw a lightning-fast straight punch directly at his face. The punch was powerful, coming down from above with incredible speed. Even though Link quickly dodged, the punch grazed his hair—barely missing his head.

"Whoa!"

The audience gasped in shock as Deontay's punch narrowly missed its target. Some were startled, while others felt disappointed.

Deontay immediately stepped back, reassessing the situation.

Link raised his fists and advanced, cautiously throwing a combination of punches. Due to the height difference, he had to get closer to land a hit on Deontay's head. But getting close to someone as fast and powerful as Deontay was incredibly dangerous—like crawling under a tank to plant explosives.

Link needed an opening to land a solid hit.

Deontay grinned as he saw Link's punches miss their mark, his face lighting up with excitement.

"Deontay, take down Link, and you’ll be the best boxer in the world!" Deontay’s assistant shouted from the sidelines.

Deontay bounced on his feet, swinging his fists again, aiming for Link's head with increasing speed and force.

But Link remained composed, continuously ducking, sidestepping, and squatting to evade Deontay's vicious attacks with lightning-quick reflexes.

The crowd was in awe, cheering loudly as they watched the intense exchange between the two fighters.

Deontay's attack style was repetitive—he favored straight punches and jabs, always coming straight on with little variation. He wasn’t skilled at using combination punches to break through defenses and create openings.

After missing over ten attacks, Deontay grew frustrated, punching even faster and harder in an attempt to corner Link against the ropes or in a corner, leaving him no room to dodge.

As Link backed up to avoid being cornered, his back hit the ropes. Deontay immediately seized the moment, rushing in to throw a punch at Link's head.

But as Deontay adjusted his stance mid-attack, Link closed the distance and delivered a devastating liver shot to Deontay’s left side.

Deontay, with his lean frame, lacked the resilience to withstand body shots like this despite his speed and height advantage over George Foreman.

Bang!

Link’s punch landed solidly on Deontay’s left ribs, causing him to grunt in pain and his attack to falter as he stumbled backward.

Link didn’t let up. He quickly followed up, dodging Deontay’s straight punch and landing another heavy blow to the body, then a swift right uppercut.

Bam!

Feeling his punch connect, Link prepared to throw another, but before he could, Deontay staggered and fell flat on his back on the canvas.

"Stop!" the referee called.

The audience was stunned. It took them two seconds to process what had happened before erupting in cheers, louder and more unified than before, filled with shock and disbelief.

Many people stood up from their seats to get a better look.

"No way!"

"Did Deontay really go down in just 80 seconds?"

"Weren’t they supposed to be evenly matched?"

In the audience, boxing legends like Mike Tyson, James Toney, Oscar De La Hoya, Bernard Hopkins, and Chris Byrd stared in disbelief at Deontay lying on the mat.

Given Deontay’s height, reach, powerful punches, and agility, just like Link, he had been undefeated and was in peak mental condition.

They had all thought Deontay had a good chance of beating Link—or at the very least, that the fight would last twelve rounds and be decided on points.

But what had just happened was beyond their expectations. Deontay had lasted only 80 seconds before being knocked down by Link.

It was clean, quick, and far from what anyone had predicted.

Link hadn’t even broken a sweat—it seemed like he had won effortlessly.

"Are they really that far apart?" Mike Tyson asked, turning to George Foreman in shock.

Foreman paused, then uncrossed his arms and leaned on the armrest of his seat.

"There’s a big difference. We only saw Link defeating older boxers and forgot that his speed is faster than Deontay’s, his punches are just as powerful, and his technique, combinations, and tactics are all superior.

The only thing Deontay has over him is height and reach, but Link is a master tactician who has repeatedly won against the odds. That height and reach advantage isn’t much of a problem for him."

"You think Link will win?" Mike Tyson asked, frowning as he watched Deontay get back on his feet.

"Link knocked him down in 80 seconds, which means he found a flaw in Deontay’s defense. He has a great chance of winning. However, if Deontay can stay composed, adjust quickly, and learn from his mistake, he still has a shot."

George Foreman replied.

"Can Deontay really adjust?" Tyson asked, unsure as he glanced back at the ring.

---

"That was incredible!"

Not far from him, Hoya sat with a shocked expression, staring at Link. Before the match, he thought Link was much worse than Deonta and assumed Link would suffer his first professional defeat here.

But as soon as the match started, Link set up a tight defensive stance, using the elasticity of the ropes to quickly close in on Deonta, landing a punch to his left rib.

Taking advantage of Deonta’s unsteady footing, Link continued his attack to expand his advantage.

The final unexpected uppercut sent Deonta flat on his back.

This close-range combat looked simple, but it was anything but.

Every move Link made reflected his tactical thinking for the match—his exceptional ability to execute strategies and his precise grasp of the right opportunities—allowing him to keep the match's rhythm firmly in his hands.

From what Hoya could see, no one but Link could come up with such a strategy, one that beats the strong with the weak or takes on a larger opponent with a smaller one. Even if a coach could devise such a tactic, no one could execute it as perfectly as Link.

Hoya shook his head helplessly. Ever since Link became the super middleweight champion, it was rare to see him use such in-ring tactics. Hoya had assumed Link’s ability in that area had diminished, but now it was clear that wasn’t the case at all.

It was simply that Link’s recent opponents had been so weak that he didn’t need tactics to beat them.

But this time, using strategy, he knocked out Deonta—who was by no means weaker than him—in just 80 seconds.

With Link’s current performance, he could definitely be called an elite among elites, a true “master of the ring.”

“Link, that was brilliant!”

Next to him, Frank stood up excitedly, raising his hands above his head, clapping with force.

“Pretty unbelievable, huh?” Morales grinned at Hoya. “I don’t get how you could’ve thought Link would lose before the match. Oh wait, I do get it. These past few years, Link’s been a bit soft in the ring, using positional fighting to chip away at opponents. But you forget, Link’s a sly one. Remember back at the 2008 Golden Gloves tournament? He tricked us all with those little tactics, and ever since, none of us dared underestimate him.”

Hoya frowned, recalling how, back then, to prepare for Link, he’d arranged interviews with Link’s past opponents. Everyone described Link as cunning and devious, with a sharp tongue that could drop his fighting ability by 30% if you took away his ability to talk.

In recent years, Link had rarely used tricks in the ring, nor did he mess with his opponents' minds with his words.

But that didn’t mean he wasn’t capable. Maybe he’d just used them so much that he’d mastered them and become even more subtle.

Hoya sighed inwardly. He had to admit he underestimated Link this time. He had forgotten about Link’s title as a “master of ring tactics” and that Link had always been best at beating stronger opponents.

The problem with facing this guy was that weaker fighters couldn’t beat him, and stronger ones couldn’t match his tactics.

So, who in the boxing world could actually defeat him?

Alexander Povetkin? Tyson Fury? The Klitschko brothers?

Living in the same era as a guy like him—what a tragedy!

“Go, Link!” Morales shouted, raising his fist.

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 563: An Unexpected Outcome*

In the ring, before the referee could begin counting, Deontay slowly stood up. His left jaw was swollen, blood trickled from his nose, and his expression turned grim and dark.

Since his debut in 2008, he had never been knocked down in an official match, but this time, Link, who was shorter by over ten centimeters, had floored him.

This was something Deontay found hard to accept.

He clenched his fists tightly, vowing to regain control in this round.

“Boxing!”

The referee announced the fight would continue.

Link threw a punch toward Deontay. Deontay immediately stepped back, covering his head with his fists.

Link raised an eyebrow. Deontay was 201 cm tall, 16 cm taller than him. To land a hit on Deontay’s head, Link would need to stand on tiptoe. Now, seeing Deontay instinctively protecting his head, it was clear he was disoriented and not defending properly.

Not giving Deontay a chance to recover, Link stepped forward and feinted, aiming at Deontay’s abdomen.

Deontay retreated, throwing a punch in return, but his footwork was off, and the punch lacked power.

Seizing the opportunity, Link advanced, risking a counterpunch, and launched a combination: striking up and then down, delivering two uppercuts to Deontay’s neck and chin.

Even though Deontay was taller, his chin was still within Link’s reach.

In matches where the shorter fighter goes against a taller one, protecting the chin is crucial, and Deontay had failed to do so.

After the chin strikes, Deontay staggered back, leaning against the ropes. Seeing Link approaching, he used a move he learned from George Foreman, pushing Link away with his fists to maintain distance.

Link tried to close the gap but couldn’t find an opening.

Ding, ding, ding!

The first round ended.

Link returned to his corner to wipe the sweat off. His forehead was slightly swollen from a glancing blow, and his assistant applied Vaseline to smooth it over.

Deontay’s situation was worse, with blood flowing from his mouth and nose.

After a minute of rest, the second round began.

Deontay seemed to recover somewhat and chose to go on the offensive again. He threw a barrage of fierce punches toward Link’s head.

Not wanting to get hit, Link used his lightning-fast reflexes to block and dodge while looking for an opening to get close.

Deontay launched over twenty punches, most of which missed, with only a few grazing Link’s shoulders.

Then Deontay made the same old mistake—retreating after an offensive without proper defense, taking a breather before attacking again.

In the ring, this was reckless. He was fighting without strategy, focusing only on his own condition and not considering his opponent.

After the first round, Deontay should have realized that Link was no weaker than him. The second round should have been more controlled, with better offense and defense. But he didn’t adjust.

Seeing Deontay’s vulnerability, Link wasn’t going to let the chance slip. He swiftly closed the distance.

When Deontay tried to push him away again, Link ducked and executed a straightforward yet highly effective combo: striking up and down, then delivering another powerful uppercut to Deontay’s chin.

Boom!

Deontay’s head snapped back, sweat flying under the lights, and blood spurting from his nose.

“Stop!”

Before Link could throw another combination, the referee called an end to the fight.

Link lowered his fists and saw Deontay sitting against the ropes, blood streaming from his chin and nose.

The referee pushed Link aside and knelt to check on Deontay, asking if he could continue.

Deontay, his arms draped over the ropes, wobbled to his feet, but his knees buckled, and he collapsed to the canvas.

“Deontay lost?!”

“Link won?!”

“He took down the undefeated Deontay in just the second round? Link is amazing!”

The audience roared with cheers for Link as they saw Deontay unable to stand.

Link, with his fists raised, watched his opponent’s condition closely.

Deontay, perhaps not used to being hit often, had a weaker resistance to blows than fighters like James Toney or Evander Holyfield. His morale also plummeted after being knocked down in the first round, which might explain why he never fully recovered after being KO’d by Tyson Fury.

“8, 7, 6…”

The referee counted down, but Deontay couldn’t get back up.

All the judges unanimously declared Link the winner by KO.

When the referee raised Link’s hand in victory, the 20,000-strong crowd erupted in cheers, and Link’s fans waved flags, chanting that he was unbeatable.

“Link won! Deontay lost.”

Tyson sighed.

“Before fighting Link, Deontay seemed like a flawless boxer. But after facing Link, he was full of weaknesses. Link is too complete of a fighter. He would have been a top fighter in any era.”

George Foreman shook his head.

“Deontay’s technique is too crude, and his defense is terrible. He probably never thought anyone could beat him like this, so he never worked on his defense.”

James Toney scoffed.

Ding dong!

Tyson’s phone rang—it was Shaquille O'Neal.

“Mike, didn’t you say Link would lose? Why was it Deontay who lost, and in the second round at that? Got my hopes up for nothing.”

Shaq grumbled.

“I didn’t expect this either. Deontay is very strong. I thought it would be a close fight, but we underestimated Link.”

Tyson replied.

“I knew this would happen. If Link could knock me out in Las Vegas with one punch, it’s not surprising he could take down a shorter fighter like Deontay today.”

“You’re right.”

Tyson chatted with Shaq a bit more before hanging up. He looked at his losing betting slip, having bet on Deontay to win, hoping to make some pocket change, but ended up losing money. Unlucky.

After the match, Link received a WBA World Silver Championship belt, also known as the interim world title belt, which gave him a mandatory challenge for the world title. It wasn’t a highly prestigious achievement.

“Mr. Beck, congratulations on the win. Can we have a few minutes for an interview?”

A group of reporters surrounded him, eagerly asking questions.

They asked for his thoughts on Deontay’s performance and how confident he was about defeating Alexander Povetkin to win the WBA Heavyweight World Title. They also asked if he would relinquish all his light heavyweight belts after winning the heavyweight title.

Link gave a few simple answers, signed autographs for fans, took some pictures, and then left to rest at home.

——

“How are you feeling? Does it hurt?”

Back at their hillside villa, Ivanka asked, looking at the bruise on his forehead.

Link touched it. It had been disinfected.

“It wasn’t hurting until you asked.”

“Do you need to go to the hospital for a check-up?”

“No need. The team doctor checked me after the fight. Just a surface injury.”

Still worried, Ivanka pulled out the home medical kit, making him lie down with his head on her soft lap as she cleaned the wound again.

“Daddy, you’re back!”

Little Margarita ran over, climbed onto the sofa, and then onto his chest. Seeing her mom tending to his wound, she blew on it, spraying him with saliva.

“You’re not helping,” Link chuckled, pulling the little one to sit on his stomach. He asked what she had been up to that day. She babbled about her busy day, even though she hadn’t done much, but, like her mother, she was always full of energy.

In the afternoon, Taylor brought Alexander and Cynthia over, and Margarita became even busier, running around nonstop.

During dinner, Cynthia and Alexander mentioned they had watched his fight at home and thought he was amazing.

Link asked if they wanted to learn boxing.

The three kids eagerly said yes, raising their little spoons.

Before Link could respond, he noticed Taylor giving him a cold look.

He shrugged and said he’d teach them swimming when they were older so they could become Olympic champions.

The kids didn’t quite grasp how amazing an Olympic champion was, but they still cheered excitedly.

“You’re financially set now. Have you considered retiring from boxing?” Taylor asked while eating her salad.

“Boxing is my only job right now. If I retire, I’d have nothing left but retirement.”

Link shrugged.

“Boxing is dangerous. You get hurt in every fight. I think acting would be a better fit. What do you think, Ivanka?” Taylor asked.

“There’s no point trying to convince him now. He won’t listen. Let’s wait a few years until he wins the heavyweight grand slam, then we can talk him into it,” Ivanka smiled.

“After you win the heavyweight grand slam, will you retire?” Taylor asked.

“If there aren’t any good opponents left, there’s no point in continuing. I’d consider it.”

Hearing this, both Taylor and Ivanka were pleased and began serving him food.

Link enjoyed the moment, feeling like he was living the dream.

——

After the fight, the prize money and other earnings started rolling in.

Thanks to great promotion, the match garnered massive attention worldwide.

On the day of the fight, 4.12 million Pay-Per-View (PPV) purchases were made in North America, setting a new PPV sales record in boxing.

Additionally, more than 6.8 million people paid to watch the fight via online streaming, also a record-breaking number.

In overseas regions, PPV sales reached 3.73 million, while over 12 million people watched the fight online.

Globally, the event generated $620 million in consumption from TV and live broadcasts, with Link earning a $164 million share.

Including ticket sales, advertising sponsorships, and peripheral income, the fight raked in a total of $188 million, setting a new revenue record for boxing.

Link also became the highest-earning boxer in history for a single fight.

Although Deontay Wilder lost, he still earned $12 million from the fight, putting him among the highest-paid athletes in boxing.

This fight was covered by media worldwide. The bout between two undefeated, all-KO champions, Link and Deontay, was expected to be a close and fierce contest.

However, Link knocked Deontay down once in the 80th second of the first round and fully knocked him out at 68 seconds into the second round, securing victory.

Media outlets praised Link’s incredible strength, and those who once doubted whether he could dominate the heavyweight division now had more confidence in him, calling him the true undefeated champion, a superman, and the strongest man in the world.

However, there were some critics who questioned the fight, pointing out that Deontay Wilder, with a professional record of 30 fights, 30 wins, and 30 KOs, was a highly skilled boxer. How could he last only 80 seconds against Link? It seemed suspicious.

These skeptics suggested that Link's immense wealth might have influenced the outcome. Everyone knew that Link’s net worth was nearly $20 billion, ranking him 37th among the world’s richest people.

With such wealth, if he used his money to influence fights, almost no one would be able to defeat him. Some speculated that Deontay’s defeat was due to Link's financial power rather than skill.

While some raised doubts, others defended him. Magazines such as Boxing, The Ring, KO, and World Boxing, all affiliated with Oscar De La Hoya, conducted a detailed post-fight analysis of Link and Deontay’s match, breaking it down from the first to the last second.

These professional publications praised Link’s boxing skills, calling him a master of the sport with a comprehensive set of techniques and an expert in strategy. To defeat Link, a boxer would need not only great strength but also considerable intelligence to counter his flexible and varied tactics in the ring.

The media also speculated about Link’s upcoming fights, with great anticipation for potential bouts against Alexander Povetkin, Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko, among others.

In response to the criticism, Link’s fans showed their strong support, encouraging him to keep improving and become an even greater fighter.

Not wanting to let down his supporters, Link continued to intensify his training after the fight.

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 564: The Meaning of Training*

"Hissss~"

The next day at noon, Hoya, wearing a yellow tank top with a white towel draped over his shoulders, walked into the training gym and suddenly noticed that Link was already hard at work training. He couldn’t help but gasp in surprise.

It had only been a day since the match, and the news buzz hadn’t even died down. Yet here was Link, back at the gym training, not giving himself a moment to rest.

This guy was relentless.

People like him deserved to become a super champion.

Hoya glanced around the training area and noticed that some of his own boxers were training, while others were chatting or lounging around playing on their phones. Instantly, he felt a surge of anger.

If these guys could train as hard and be as disciplined as Link, Golden Boy Promotions could have a few more world champions, and the company would be making millions more.

Hoya let out a cold snort, ready to pick someone out to make an example of.

"Mario, it’s training time. What are you doing?"

Hoya, his face dark with anger, looked at Morales, who had his phone out, and figured he’d make him the scapegoat.

Morales glanced up at him, uninterested, and continued typing on his phone.

Furious, Hoya thought about how he was not only the owner of Golden Boy Promotions, but also Morales’ manager, coach, and advisor. Yet, here was Morales daring to ignore him, showing zero respect.

"Mario, look at Link. He’s the number one pound-for-pound boxer, an absolute powerhouse. A guy like him, right after a match, comes straight to the gym to train without a day off. And then look at you—on your phone during training, not even trying to improve. Keep this up, and you’re going to get knocked out in your next title defense."

Hoya’s tone was stern.

The other boxers heard him and quietly got up to start training.

Morales rolled his eyes. "You’re starting to sound more and more like a heartless capitalist. You only see us resting, but you don’t see our sweat? You’re harsher than plantation owners from two hundred years ago."

"Just finished training? Haha, well, that’s fine. Keep resting then. I was just reminding you—train harder like Link if you want to keep getting better."

Hoya chuckled, trying to ease the situation.

"Who needs your advice?"

Morales scoffed. "I’ve read about you. Didn’t you, after every match, go out partying with women, gambling, drinking, doing everything? And now you’re trying to lecture me?"

Hoya’s face darkened, glaring at Morales. "Don’t talk nonsense. The media made all that up to slander me. Back in the day, I was just like Link—right after a match, I’d be back in the gym training hard after only a day or two. None of that other stuff ever happened."

Before he could finish, Morales pulled up a photo on his phone and flashed it at Hoya, grinning. "The internet remembers."

The sight of the photo struck Hoya like lightning. His bronze face turned a deep shade of red, the muscles around his eyes twitching. He was overwhelmed with embarrassment.

The picture was from 2003. In it, Hoya was wearing black high heels, triangle shorts, and full-body black fishnet stockings. He was also wearing red boxing gloves and striking a flamboyant pose.

At the time, he had taken a lot of drugs, and his face was flushed with a dazed expression.

Originally, the photo had only existed on his phone, but hackers had leaked it online, ruining his public image. His reputation as a gentleman of the ring and boxing’s golden boy had been shredded.

During his fight with Mayweather in 2007, Mayweather used the photo to stir up controversy, making Hoya’s name even worse.

That photo was the darkest part of his past, something that made him want to crawl into a hole every time he saw it.

And Morales had just shown it to him to his face?

"Uh, Hoya, I was just joking. Really, it was just a joke. No harm meant, don’t get mad."

Morales saw Hoya’s face turn crimson with fury, his eyes brimming with a dangerous glint. He quickly put his phone away and ran to the punching bag, frantically throwing punches without daring to look up.

Hoya clenched his fists and took several deep breaths.

---

Bam! Bam! Bam! 

Link swung his fists, pounding away at the heavy bag, determined not to stop as long as he still had strength.

For most people, boxing was about beating opponents and winning more belts.

But for him, the real goal of training was to improve his physical condition, to continually push his limits and see how strong he could become. In another ten years, would his punches weigh in at over 3,000 pounds? Could he become even faster, even stronger in endurance?

It felt like martial arts—the more you trained, the stronger you got. One more hour today made you stronger tomorrow; one more year of training made you stronger than the last.

This was why he could outlast everyone else.

"Link, you’re already so strong. Why push yourself so hard?"

Hoya walked over, leaning against another punching bag.

"I haven’t won the heavyweight belts from all four major organizations yet, so I have to stay focused."

Link wiped the sweat from his brow and took a sip from the sports drink on the bench.

"Even Deontay isn’t a match for you. I doubt Alexander Povetkin will be a problem."

"Save that talk for after I’ve got the WBA belt."

Link tightened his hand wraps and resumed hammering the heavy bag.

His muscles grew even stronger through the training, with his broad, V-shaped back, pronounced shoulder blades, and bulging lats glistening with a metallic sheen, making him look incredibly formidable.

Hoya was envious of Link’s current status—training every day, winning fights, and earning hundreds of millions per match. No, billions. Link had invested his fight earnings and built a fortune of $20 billion in just five or six years.

It was insane.

Link had become what every boxer dreamed of.

Sometimes, Hoya regretted retiring early. He was only forty-one, and plenty of boxers were still fighting at that age, like James Toney, Bernard Hopkins, and Evander Holyfield. If he hadn’t retired, he could be just like Link, training hard, preparing for his next victory.

But there was no going back.

Hoya shook his head, slipped on his gloves, and got ready to spar with Morales.

Later in the afternoon, after Link had finished training, a bruised and battered Hoya asked him to join him for drinks at the bar. Link declined, not finding any joy in getting drunk. He’d rather spend time at home with Ivanka and the kids.

Recently, Taylor had been busy preparing her fifth studio album, spending her days writing and drawing inspiration, leaving her little time to take care of the kids. Now, Alexander and Cynthia lived at the villa on the hill, attending school and playing with little Margarita.

Whenever Link had free time, he stayed home with the kids or took them to the amusement park.

Additionally, "American Sniper" was set to start filming soon, and he had been preparing for it, mainly by practicing shooting to make himself look more like a sniper for the role. Whenever he had time, he would meet with director Clint Eastwood to discuss the script and his character.

This movie was his main focus for the year, and he had to take it seriously.

---

In its fourth week of release, Captain America: The Winter Soldier has grossed a cumulative total of $287 million in North America, with $464 million overseas, bringing the global box office total to $751 million. This currently ranks it fourth among all Marvel movies.

In the same week, The Grand Budapest Hotel, which has been out for three weeks, earned $60.52 million at the North American box office, becoming the fifth Lionsgate film this year to surpass $50 million domestically.

The film has performed even better overseas, with a total of $131 million in international box office revenue.

Its global total is approaching $200 million, while the film's production budget was only $25 million.

Also this week, as the summer movie season approaches, Lionsgate released its seventh film of the year, Divergent.

The movie, based on the novel of the same name by Veronica Roth, tells the story of a group of young men and women fighting for freedom. Aimed primarily at a teenage audience, it’s similar to Twilight and The Hunger Games and is one of Lionsgate's major commercial films this year.

Divergent opened in 3,936 theaters in North America on May 2nd and grossed $54.6 million over its first weekend, making it the top box office film of the week.

In second place was The Amazing Spider-Man 2, which earned $45.48 million in its second weekend, bringing its cumulative total to $155 million. It’s also one of Sony Pictures’ major commercial films this year.

In its second weekend, Divergent just crossed the $100 million mark in North America, reaching $101 million, making it the third Lionsgate film this year to surpass $100 million at the domestic box office.

While these numbers aren’t quite as high as the first entries of The Hunger Games or Twilight series, it’s not a loss like Ender's Game, which is good news for Lionsgate.

The film has grossed $113 million in around ten days of release in 36 countries and regions overseas.

Considering its $78 million production budget, these results are pretty good.

If the total box office reaches $300 million, Lionsgate stands to profit around $80 million.

However, with the summer season approaching, major films are rolling out in the North American market, including Paramount’s Transformers: Age of Extinction, Fox’s X-Men: Days of Future Past and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Warner Bros.’ Godzilla and 300: Rise of an Empire, and Sony’s 22 Jump Street, among others.

Compared to last year, even though there aren’t movies like Iron Man 3, Man of Steel, or Fast & Furious 6, the competition for box office success is still fierce. Reaching a $300 million total for Divergent won’t be an easy task.

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 565: Heavyweight Champion (Thanks to Reader Liu Ji’s Reward)*

This summer, Lionsgate is releasing a variety of commercial films, including Divergent, Neighbors, Step Up 5, Madea’s Big Happy Family 4, and John Wick. In terms of the number of films being released, Lionsgate isn’t far behind the Big Six studios, but how much box office revenue they can secure will depend on the audience.

In May, Link received an invitation from the organizers of the 67th Cannes Film Festival to join the jury as an actor. He had the time and agreed. In early May, he flew to Cannes with his three little ones, their nanny, and a security team, staying in a pre-booked seaside villa for a vacation.

Shortly after he arrived, Marion Cotillard brought her son, Cassel, to join them, letting the four kids play together. Of the group, Alexander and Cynthia were the oldest, followed by Cassel, with little Margarita being the youngest. Initially, the three were a bit unfamiliar with Cassel, but after half a day of playing together, they became inseparable.

Marion had work commitments and returned to her film set after two days in Cannes.

While in Cannes, Link spent half the day watching the competition films and the other half traveling and vacationing with the kids.

Monica Bellucci also visited briefly. After her divorce from Vincent Cassel last year, she became a single mom. Seeking comfort, she turned to Link, who, as a friend, helped her out a few times.

Monica, though older, was understanding and open with him in their intimate moments, setting no boundaries.

This year's Cannes Film Festival had 1,208 films, fewer than last year. The main entries from China were John Woo’s The Crossing, Zhang Yimou’s Coming Home, Jiang Wen’s Gone with the Bullets, and Wolf Totem, a Chinese-French co-production.

After a week of screenings and judging, 17 films made it into the main competition, 20 entered the Un Certain Regard category, and six were in the special screening section.

Zhang Yimou’s and Jiang Wen’s films were selected for the non-competition screenings.

In the end, the Turkish film Winter Sleep won the Palme d'Or for Best Picture. The Italian film The Wonders won the Grand Jury Prize, while the French film Goodbye to Language took home the Jury Prize. Lionsgate’s Whiplash won Best Director.

The Russian film Leviathan took home the Screenplay Award, Canadian actress Julianne Moore won Best Actress for Maps to the Stars, and British actor Timothy Spall won Best Actor for Mr. Turner.

Compared to last year, the Cannes Film Festival was relatively uneventful. Aside from the star power of Link as a jury member, there were no major headlines.

After Cannes, Link took Cassel back to Paris and returned to the U.S. with his three children. As he watched Cassel’s reluctant face when they said goodbye, he couldn’t help but feel a little sentimental himself.

Back in Los Angeles, Link resumed his boxing training. At the end of May, he flew to Berlin to compete in a title fight against WBA heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin.

Born in 1979, Povetkin was 35 years old, standing 6’2” with a reach of 75 inches and weighing 225 pounds. He won the super heavyweight gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics and is skilled in multiple martial arts, including karate, close-combat fighting, and taekwondo. Povetkin has an impressive list of titles, including world champion in free fighting and multiple boxing championships.

Povetkin entered professional boxing in 2005 and had a record of 27-0. Among his notable victories are wins against Chris Byrd, Mark Huck, and Hasim Rahman.

In 2011, Povetkin won the WBA world heavyweight title by defeating Ruslan Chagaev of Uzbekistan, successfully defending his title four times in the following three years.

Povetkin is known for his powerful punches and exceptional defense. With his excellent footwork and Russian boxing technique, he’s a formidable opponent, which made the match between him and Link highly anticipated worldwide.

Despite Povetkin’s strong record, the media favored Link to win, and betting odds were also in Link’s favor, with odds of 28:1 for him to lose. A Link loss would be a massive windfall for those betting on him to lose.

However, Link wasn’t planning on giving them that chance. Once the match began, he immediately went on the offensive, using his reach and speed to find weaknesses in Povetkin’s defense.

In the first round, Link threw 134 punches, landing 18 body shots and 4 headshots. Povetkin threw 155 punches, landing 12 body shots and only 1 headshot on Link. Link didn’t knock Povetkin down in the first round.

In the second round, Link continued his quick jabs, landing 5 headshots and knocking Povetkin down once. Povetkin’s left eyebrow swelled, and his nose bled. Povetkin managed to land a punch on Link’s jaw, but thanks to Link’s quick reflexes, he avoided serious injury.

At the 109th second, he delivered another powerful punch to his opponent’s forehead, knocking them to the ground.

Alexander Povetkin was incredibly tough, with a strong ability to withstand hits. After being down for seven seconds, he stood up and continued the match.

The two exchanged blows several times, but due to Povetkin’s constant evasions, Link was unable to knock him down before the round ended.

The third round came to a close.

Link and Povetkin returned to their corners to have their wounds tended to.

In the fourth round, Link pressed the attack, taking the risk of being hit by his opponent in order to trade punches. He landed a precise, vicious jab to Povetkin’s forehead once again.

Povetkin’s brow had already taken multiple heavy blows, causing the wound to grow larger. Blood mixed with sweat streamed down one side of his face, from his forehead to his chest, distorting his appearance and significantly impairing his vision.

Link unleashed a barrage of punches, driving his opponent into the corner, then used rope tactics to land five punches to Povetkin’s abdomen and three more to his forehead and the side of his face. Blood splattered, and Povetkin’s eyes grew dazed as his body began to sway.

Before Link could continue, the referee rushed in, shielding Povetkin’s head with both hands and calling for a pause in the fight.

Link stepped back with his fists raised.

After checking Povetkin’s injuries, the referee determined that he was not fit to continue. Moreover, Povetkin had already been knocked down three times in this bout, and his injuries were severe. His performance clearly lagged behind Link’s, and there was no point in continuing the fight.

After consulting with Povetkin’s coach, the referee stopped the match, declaring Link the winner.

"How do you feel?"

From the front row, Vitali Klitschko withdrew his gaze from the ring and looked at his younger brother, Vladimir Klitschko.

Vladimir watched Link in the ring. “He’s a formidable guy, technically sound. His speed is faster than top middleweight fighters, his reflexes are off the charts, and if he hadn’t actively traded punches with Alexander, Alexander would hardly have touched his head. And his punching power is top-tier, even among heavyweight champions.”

Vladimir paused, shook his head, and sighed, “He’s an incredibly tough opponent.”

Vitali nodded. He had first heard of Link back in 2008 when Link was the Golden Gloves champion and had publicly challenged him and his brother.

But seeing that Link was a super middleweight, Vitali hadn’t paid much attention.

Later, when Link entered the professional boxing scene, his matches caused a sensation as he quickly became a dominant force. Vitali could no longer ignore his skills.

Over the years, Link had risen like a superstar, from being the super middleweight champion to dominating that class, then moving to light heavyweight, all while also being a music superstar, a world-class playboy, a billionaire, an Olympic champion, and a Hollywood celebrity.

News about Link never seemed to stop, and even living in Ukraine, Vitali often saw news about him.

Initially, Vitali had considered Link a peer, not an opponent, and didn’t think a super middleweight would ever challenge him.

But since Link moved up to heavyweight last year, Vitali realized the chances of meeting him were increasing.

At this point, Vitali, Vladimir, and their coaching team started to seriously study Link and strategize how to defeat him.

After thorough research, Vitali had to admit that despite Link’s flamboyant and extravagant personality, he was an excellent boxer, mastering technique, power, speed, defense, and tactics.

For the Klitschko brothers, Link had no major weaknesses other than a shorter height and reach.

Watching Link’s match with Povetkin live further confirmed their assessment.

Link wasn’t just skilled; he was ruthless, targeting his opponent’s wounds and making blood splatter. Contrary to rumors that Link was a gentleman who hadn’t experienced tough fights and was afraid of blood, he was brutal in the ring.

Facing such a strong and composed opponent, Vitali knew that even if he and his brother could beat Link, it would likely be a brutal victory.

---

In the ring, Link watched Povetkin being helped off the stage by his assistant and exhaled. In the past, he could finish a match by making his opponents stay down for 10 seconds, ending the fight in a seemingly violent but low-damage way.

But since moving to heavyweight, where opponents had greater resilience and the height gap was larger, he couldn’t rely on his punching power alone to knock them out.

During matches, he needed to strike his opponents’ heads more frequently, causing injuries and weakening them to find an opportunity to end the fight.

Just like in his last match with Deontay, where he repeatedly struck his opponent’s jaw to render him unconscious, this time against Povetkin, his opponent’s resilience was even stronger, with a fearless tenacity.

Against such opponents, Link had to go blow for blow, showing greater courage, skill, and ring tactics to gradually expand his advantage and defeat them.

If he had been afraid, hesitant to get hit, or lacked the courage to take risks, he wouldn’t have won so decisively.

Because he wasn’t afraid to take hits, his head and face had already been struck several times, leaving him with serious injuries.

His aggressive style had nearly caused him to severely injure his opponent as the fight reached its climax, and he could barely control his punches at the end.

It had been many years since he had felt so out of control.

“I announce that the winner of this WBA heavyweight title match is Link Baker!”

The referee raised Link’s hand.

The crowd erupted as Link’s theme song, "Legends Never Die," played triumphantly, echoing throughout the arena. Fireworks lit up the sky above the Berlin Olympic Stadium, making the night sky radiant.

“Link, the champion!”

Many fans in the audience shouted.

Link raised his fist and waved to the crowd. The Mayor of Berlin, Klaus Wowereit, and the WBA President, Gilberto Mendoza, stepped into the ring to congratulate him and presented him with the WBA heavyweight gold belt.

Link shook hands with them and raised the belt again, becoming the first boxer in history to hold the WBA super middleweight, light heavyweight, and heavyweight titles.

His professional record was 38 fights, 38 wins, and 38 knockouts.

This time, the referee stopped the fight, which was classified as a technical knockout (TKO), also counted as a KO.

After the fight, Link held a press conference at the venue, answering questions from international reporters and announcing that he would relinquish all his light heavyweight belts to focus on winning the remaining three heavyweight titles.

After defeating Deontay and Povetkin, many strong opponents remained in the heavyweight division, but two were unavoidable.

They were the current WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko, also known as “Big Klitschko.”

Vitali had been WBC champion since 2004, successfully defending his title eight times. He was a formidable fighter, fluent in five languages, held a doctorate in sports science, and had an IQ of 160, earning him the nickname “Dr. Ironfist.”

And his younger brother, “Dr. Steelhammer” Vladimir Klitschko, was the current WBO and IBF world champion.

Since 2002, Vladimir had held the WBO heavyweight title, later adding the WBA and IBF titles to his collection.

Because Vladimir was five years younger than Vitali, Ring Magazine considered him slightly stronger.

The brothers had defeated many heavyweight champions, including Chris Byrd, Samuel Peter, Tony Thompson, Hasim Rahman, David Haye, Ruslan Chagaev, and Shannon Briggs.

They had also faced defeats.

Vitali had lost to Chris Byrd and Lennox Lewis.

Vladimir hadn’t been beaten by top-tier boxers, but he had been knocked out three times by lower-ranked fighters, including Sanders, Brewster, and Puritty.

But so far, no one had ever defeated both brothers.

It was said that the brothers often trained together, studying opponents. When Vladimir was defeated, he and Vitali would analyze the opponent, then Vitali would step in to seek revenge. If Vitali lost, they would do the same for Vladimir.

They were a difficult pair to deal with—far more challenging than Povetkin.

If Link wanted to defeat them, he still had work to do.

(End of Chapter)