296-300

Chapter 296: Making a fortune

"Richard, good news, the domestic PPV sales for this match reached 96.5 million US dollars, surpassing the 1995 Mike Tyson vs. Peter McNeeley match, ranking third in the history of PPV revenue."

Andy said excitedly, holding the资料.

"Got it."

"Just like that? Counting PPV dividends and basic bonuses, you can get about 36 million US dollars in bonuses for this game. You earned 36 million in less than half an hour. Aren't you excited?"

"Not very excited. I used to be more excited when I got millions for every game. Now the bonus is just a number to me."

Richard waved his hand.

"Okay, you should be numb from making money."

Andy smiled and shared the joy with Bob Luyt with the information.

After the game, Richard and Gisele returned to New York.

According to the previous plan, he held a big party in the manor, invited many relatives and friends to participate, and publicly proposed at the party, which can be regarded as making up for the rashness and regrets of the last time.

"Richard, I didn't expect you to really marry Bundchen."

At the party, Norman said with a smile. He ran to harass Bundchen and was thrown out by Richard by the collar.

If you don't fight, you don't make a deal. Later, you become friends. Seeing Richard grow from a small boxer to a small actor, step by step to the present, he has become a superstar in the world of super boxing, and he is also a young billionaire.

I thought that after Richard succeeded, he would break up with Bundchen and replace him with a celebrity or something, but the result was unexpected, Richard still chose Bundchen.

"The right one is the best, Bundchen and I are a good match."

Richard, dressed in a suit, smiled holding a wine glass.

"Congratulations on finding the right person."

"Thank you, how are you and your Julia?"

Julia is Norman's new girlfriend and also an employee of his family's advertising company.

At first Norman pretended to be a workplace rookie and went to work in an advertising company, where he met Julia who had just graduated from university.

The girl is not very beautiful, but her temperament and personality are very good.

Norman took the initiative to pursue Julia, and then a series of very bloody things happened, and finally the two got together.

"We're not bad, maybe we'll get married before you."

Norman laughed.

"Remember the last time you said that Julia's family didn't agree to the marriage, but now they agree?"

"Hey, I can't help but agree, Julia is pregnant."

Norman laughed out loud.

"Really? Congratulations!"

Richard laughed.

"Hey, Richard Norman!"

Anthony also walked over with his stomach upright, wearing a hair cover on his head, looking unchanged.

"Anthony, let's make it clear in advance, no work talk here."

Richard said.

"Don't talk about work, seeing you propose, I'm also going to propose to Marshall, do you have any good ideas?"

Anthony asked.

"Haha, when it comes to creativity, you can ask me. I am the creative director of the advertising department in the company. I can help you plan a super wonderful marriage proposal ceremony, which is definitely not as simple, crude and uncreative as Richard's proposal."

"Hehe~"

Richard ignored him.

"Okay Norman, help me think about it, how to make the proposal more surprising and romantic?"

Anthony asked with interest.

"It's simple, you can rent a helicopter, jump down from the air with flowers in your arms, and land right in front of Michelle. Then you kneel down to propose, the helicopter scatters flowers in the air, and pulls out a long banner, haha, is it not Is it very surprising and romantic?"

"You asked me to jump off a helicopter with flowers in my arms? Do you think I'm Richard?"

Anthony frowned.

"em~, okay, remove the skydiving part, rent two helicopters to scatter flowers and pull banners in the air, how about you walk up to Michelle with flowers and a ring?"

"Not so good, have you forgotten that New York prohibits private planes from flying at low altitudes? You still fly a plane to scatter flowers."

"Uh, okay, let me think again."

Norman stroked his chin and frowned.

Richard shook his head, "Anthony, Marshall is willing to be with you because he values you as a person, not anything else. As long as you are sincere, you can impress Marshall, and the rest is just a formality."

Anthony nodded slightly, "You're right."

"Anthony, do you still want creativity?" Norman asked.

"No, keep it for yourself."

Anthony waved his hand and went to accompany Marshall.

"In a blink of an eye, several of us are about to get married."

Norman looked at Paul holding the child in the distance and smiled.

"Isn't this good?"

Richard laughed.

"Hey, Richard, I don't want to congratulate you."

Paul walked over with the child in his arms.

"What do you mean?"

Richard looked at him displeased, what is he doing on such a happy day.

"Hey, Richard, there is a strange curse in the boxing world. Any boxer who is engaged or married will experience a significant decline in strength, such as me, Tyson, Holyfield, and Ali who has been married four times. , maybe you will lose the next game."

Paul grinned.

Richard glanced at him, "Do you really want me to lose?"

"Hey, no, I'm just reminding you, a kind reminder."

"Thank you, I don't need it."

While talking, Uncle Frank came, and Richard walked over.

"Hey, Frank!"

"Congratulations, Richard, I didn't expect you to get married in a blink of an eye. Time flies so fast."

Frank sighed.

"Yes, are you busy with work recently?"

"It's okay, there haven't been any major cases recently, and the bureau is sorting out past old cases."

"Don't just focus on saving the world, pay more attention to your health."

After the crash last year, Frank's position was promoted because of his proper response and his major role in handling the whole incident. He is currently the director of the New York State FBI branch, and at the same time serves as a senior adviser in the Pentagon. With more positions, his work has become busier.

"Richard, regarding what happened last year, the government will gradually release a lot of relevant information and secrets in the next few years, including publicly acknowledging that you are an ace agent, because many people are very concerned about this, and there is no need to hide it any longer. "

"Okay, that matter has been exposed almost, it doesn't matter if it is made public."

Richard nodded.

"Richard, are you interested in politics? Your conditions in all aspects are very good. If you can enter politics, you may go far in the future."

Frank said.

Richard thought for a while, then shook his head, "I'm not very interested in politics, and I have no plans to enter politics for the time being."

"Maybe you can learn about politics, if you are interested, remember to tell me."

"Haha, okay."

Richard smiled, "Frank, are you interested in running for election, I can support you."

"I have been doing security work for too long, my thinking is rigid, and I am not suitable for that kind of work."

Frank shook his head slightly.

"Hi Frank, welcome."

Gisele came over.

"Bundchen, congratulations to you."

Frank looked at the two and smiled.

——

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 297: Joyful News

After the party, Richard and Gisele went to West Palm Beach, Florida for their honeymoon and had a pleasant New Year.

In early January, the nominations for the 60th American Film and Television Golden Globe Awards were announced.

"Crash" received three nominations: Best Motion Picture - Drama, Best Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor.

"The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" received two nominations: Best Motion Picture and Best Director.

Neither of the film's nominations were related to Richard, and he continued his vacation in the south.

The Golden Globe Awards ceremony was held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles on January 19th. Neither film won any awards, but Richard didn't mind. New Century Pictures was mainly targeting the Oscars in March, and their efforts at the Golden Globes were not strong. It was understandable that "Crash" didn't win any awards.

At the end of January, the nominations for the 75th Academy Awards were announced.

"Crash" received 6 nominations: Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Supporting Actor, Best Director, and Best Original Song.

"The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" also received 6 nominations. Anthony wanted to campaign for Best Supporting Actor for him, but was unsuccessful.

"Richard, the organizers invited you to be an award presenter, do you want to come?"

Anthony asked on the phone.

"Not interested, why should I go if I'm not nominated?"

Richard laughed, lying on the deck, looking at the blue sky and seagulls.

"Establish a good relationship with the Oscar organizers first, and we'll continue to campaign next year, with a better chance."

Anthony advised.

"I need to please them for a trophy? Forget it, any medal from my closet is more valuable than the Oscar statuette. They can choose me if they want, I won't force it."

Richard said calmly.

"Okay, okay, with your status, you indeed don't need to please anyone. Leave the trophy campaigning to us, you just enjoy your vacation."

Anthony hurriedly hung up the phone.

Richard shook his head, this guy failed in his campaign and still had the nerve to call and bother him.

"Honey, do you want some sea urchin sashimi? It tastes great."

Gisele, wearing a bikini, came out of the cabin, holding a few opened sea urchins, sprinkled with spicy mustard, lemon juice, and other seasonings.

"Smells great."

"Of course, I caught and prepared these sea urchins myself." Gisele fed him a piece and asked expectantly, "How is it?"

"Great, as delicious as you."

Richard nodded in approval.

"Haha, then have another piece."

"But I want to eat you more."

Richard wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close.

"Haha, not today."

Bundchen pushed his face away and said seriously.

"Why? Your period isn't these days, right?"

"I... I think I might be pregnant."

Bundchen touched her belly and couldn't help but smile.

"Really?"

Richard immediately sat up, touched her belly, and then put his ear against it to listen.

"When did you find out? How long has it been? Could what we did last night have any impact?"

"Haha, don't worry, I just took the test, not sure if it's accurate."

"Then let's go to the hospital immediately and check."

Richard started the yacht and returned to Florida. After examination, it was confirmed that Gisele was pregnant, less than a month along.

---

Due to Gisele's pregnancy, the two ended their vacation early and returned to New York.

"Congratulations, getting pregnant right after getting engaged, you're very efficient."

Angela smiled, looking at her belly.

"Thank you, how are you and your new boyfriend?"

Gisele asked.

Angela's lips twitched, "Bundchen, take back what you just said, and we can still be friends."

"Uh, broke up again?"

"What do you mean 'again'? If it's not suitable, why not break up? Waste time?"

Angela said angrily.

"Okay, okay, what about you, An An?"

Gisele looked at another friend.

Ambrosio smiled softly, "I'm fine, I'm not in a hurry."

"Well, I hope you two can also find suitable men soon, get married and have children early. In the future, we can have gatherings with our children, that scene will definitely be very interesting."

Gisele smiled, touching her belly.

Angela shook her head slightly and sighed, "Bundchen, being friends with you is simply cruel."

"Why do you say that?"

Gisele asked in confusion.

"It's obvious, you're too happy, both in your career and family, everything is perfect. I feel it's unfair, we're both believers in God, why is He so much better to you?"

Angela complained.

Bundchen laughed, "Don't compare yourself to me, I'm just lucky to have met Richard early on. You'll definitely meet someone who loves you in the future too, don't worry, just be patient."

"Forget it, I'll never fall in love with a man who makes me wait for a long time."

Angela snorted softly.

"Angela, control yourself, every time you come here, you complain a lot, as if you're the one who's pregnant."

Ambrosio teased.

"An An, don't say you're not jealous."

"I am, but I'll hold it in."

Ambrosio laughed.

Angela shook her head and looked upstairs, "Where's Richard, out fooling around again?"

"No, he's discussing the nursery's decoration with the designer, he'll be down in a bit."

Gisele smiled.

"Okay, I'm jealous again."

Angela shrugged.

After a while, Richard walked into the living room with a few rolls of design drawings.

"Angela, An An, welcome."

Richard smiled.

"Richard, how does it feel to be a father?"

Angela blinked and smiled.

"Great, even better than winning my first championship belt."

Richard laughed.

"How many children are you planning to have in the future?"

"Ten wouldn't be too many, seven or eight wouldn't be too few."

"That many?"

Angela looked at Bundchen and smiled, "You're going to have ten children?"

Gisele rolled her eyes at someone, "Don't listen to his nonsense, once we have a child, he'll know how troublesome it is to have many children, and he won't think that way anymore."

Richard smiled softly, "I'll definitely be very patient with children."

"Hehe, let's talk about that after the child is born."

Gisele chuckled.

Richard shrugged, "Angela, An An, Bundchen will be staying at home to rest for the next few months, please come over often and chat with her."

"Bundchen, you're planning to stay at home and rest now?"

Ambrosio laughed.

"Don't listen to him, I can still work for the first few months. I'll rest at home after six months. If I stay at home now, I'll be bored to death."

Gisele frowned and said.

"Okay, okay, you can go out to work, but no catwalks, no standing for too long, no more than three hours of work per day, and you must have a nanny with you. Only if you promise me will I let you go."

Richard said seriously.

Gisele rolled her eyes, "Angela, look at this nagging and domineering man, are you still envious of me?"

"Yes, I'm dying of envy."

Angela blinked and smiled.

---

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 298: A Ton of Gold

In early February, "xXx" was released. It was a commercial blockbuster with intense action scenes. It opened in 3,960 theaters and earned $52.63 million in its first three days, making it the box office champion for the opening weekend.

Richard once again proved his box office appeal. From "Pitch Black" in 2000 to "The Fast and the Furious," "Charlie's Angels," "The Lord of the Rings 1 & 2," "Black Hawk Down," "The Bourne Identity," and so on, the box office performance of the films he starred in was impressive.

Time Magazine summarized his achievements in its report.

In his boxing career, Richard had fought 34 matches since his debut and remained undefeated. At the age of 24, he won nine championship belts and defeated WBA champion Ruiz in his first heavyweight boxing match, winning the most prestigious championship belt in the heavyweight division and setting many daunting records.

The magazine believed that in the future, in the field of boxing, he might surpass Ali and Tyson, reaching unprecedented heights.

Secondly, in his film career, Richard had starred in more than ten films in six years since his debut, with a global box office exceeding $2.5 billion, demonstrating strong box office appeal and return on investment, becoming one of the most influential and commercially valuable actors in today's film industry.

In addition, he also performed well in film production and business investment.

According to Wall Street insiders, Richard's stock earnings exceeded $300 million last year. Combined with his film salaries and boxing bonuses, his net worth might have surpassed $1 billion.

Earning a billion-dollar fortune at the age of 25, he was a wealth legend and an icon of the times.

Following the January 2002 issue, Time Magazine featured him as the cover story for the second time.

"One billion? Richard, do you really have a billion?"

Kevin Campbell asked, putting down the magazine in the manor.

"I guess so!"

Richard said, gesturing with a wooden sword.

"Tsk tsk, one billion, you're only twenty-five, how did you earn a billion dollars? Robbery?"

Kevin Campbell propped his face up, looking at him with confusion in his eyes.

"Robbery is too slow, can you rob 30 million in half an hour?

No.

My last fight took less than half an hour, and I earned over 30 million. One fight, 30 million, ten fights, 300 million. I don't even need thirty fights to earn a billion.

Plus my film salaries, one movie, 20 million, ten movies, 200 million. A billion is no challenge for me at all."

Richard swung the sword with a fierce sideways slash.

Kevin wanted to refute, but after thinking about it, it seemed to be true.

"Richard, is money that easy to earn?"

"How hard is it? Don't look at me playing with the sword, even as we speak, at least 100,000 is flowing into my account."

Richard laughed.

"Fuck, fuck, making money while lying down is my dream, and you've already achieved it. It's so enviable. Richard, where do you keep your money?"

"Stocks, bonds, funds!"

"The stock market is not safe. When the financial crisis hits, ten billion will turn into waste paper. It's such a pity. If I had money, I'd buy gold, jewelry, antiques, and land."

Kevin fantasized.

"I have gold. I bought a ton last year and stored it in a Swiss vault. I'll take you to see it sometime."

"A ton? Are you serious?"

Kevin's eyes widened.

"Really, a ton of gold is only 31,250 ounces, at $820 per ounce, the total price is less than 30 million dollars. A ton of gold for me is just one fight's bonus, is that a lot?"

"."

Kevin Campbell opened his mouth, not knowing what to say.

Richard smiled. He earned too much last year. Besides continuing to invest in Google and Amazon, he invested a small portion in real businesses and luxury goods, including a ton of gold, two French wineries, some Hilton Hotel stocks, and Trump International Realty stocks, etc.

"Richard, are you thirsty? Do you want some water?"

Kevin suddenly asked with a smile.

"Not thirsty!"

"Then are you tired? You've been practicing swordplay for over an hour, why don't you take a break? I'll give you a massage?"

Kevin chuckled.

Richard glanced at him, "Just say what you want, don't beat around the bush."

"Haha, Richard, that, cough cough, you know my recording studio isn't doing well, can you invest a little bit?"

Kevin said with a flattering smile.

Richard smiled, "How much investment?"

"Em~, this much!"

Kevin held out a palm.

"50 million?"

"Uh, not that much, I meant 500,000. How about you invest 500,000 and I give you 60% of the shares?"

Kevin smiled.

"500,000 for the majority of the shares? Your studio has been operating for over four years and has released several albums, and its market value isn't even a million?"

Richard frowned.

"I lost money. Last year, you took my band to perform, and the band was popular for a few months. The album sold over 12,000 copies, but the second album only sold a few dozen. I originally signed two bands, now there's only one left."

Kevin shrugged helplessly.

"Are you sure you want to continue with music? Or do something else? You studied law, I can recommend you to join my legal team, the annual salary is at least three to four hundred thousand."

Kevin shook his head, "I'm not interested in law, I've long forgotten the legal knowledge I learned in school."

"Okay, I can invest, but how about we make an agreement? If within five years you can't create a band or singer whose album sales exceed 100,000 copies, I'll withdraw my investment and you'll quit the industry, go home, get married and have children, how about that?"

Richard laughed.

"100,000?"

100,000 album sales is considered third-rate in the music industry. Kevin thought for a moment, then slapped his thigh,

"Deal! If I can't even create a third-rate band within five years, it means I really don't have the talent for music. I might as well go home early and live off my parents."

"It's settled then."

Richard smiled. He had chatted with Frank last time, and they also talked about Kevin. Kevin was twenty-five, unmarried, had no stable job, and was still messing around in the music industry. Frank and Aunt Mitchell were very worried about him.

Kevin stayed at the manor for half a day. This time he came to sign a new band, but it didn't work out, so he left New York early.

After seeing Kevin off, Richard continued practicing swordplay. "Troy" was about to start filming, and there were a few scenes involving sword fighting, so he needed to train in advance.

"Honey, I'm back."

A stretch limousine stopped at the bend, and Gisele got out of the car with her female bodyguard, work assistant, and nanny. She had loose golden-brown curly hair, wore a loose cashmere sweater and pencil pants, carried a small bag, and strode over.

"How was work today?"

Richard stopped practicing and asked.

"Not bad, everyone came to congratulate me when they heard I was pregnant, and they also gave the baby many small gifts."

Gisele smiled, holding his arm.

"Do you want to have another party to celebrate?"

Richard poured her a cup of warm tea.

Gisele held the tea and smiled, "Do you like having parties?"

"It doesn't matter if I like it or not, what matters is that you're happy."

"Haha, I'm very happy now. Having a party is too much trouble. Every time we have a party at home, you just stand there and watch, leaving me to walk around alone. I don't want to bother."

Bundchen complained.

"It's up to you, remember to return the gifts for the baby."

"I know, I know."

Gisele lay on the lounge chair, crossing her long legs and smiling, "Honey, I'm a little tired."

"I'll give you a massage."

Richard smiled.

"Not me, the baby."

Gisele pointed to her belly and smiled.

"Okay, both you and the baby are babies."

Richard laughed.

---

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 299: A Controversial Match

On Friday, Richard took Gisele to the hospital for a prenatal checkup, and the fetus was in good condition.

Considering that he might have many children in the future, he planned to invest in a children's hospital to make it more convenient for pregnancy and childbirth later on.

He told Ellie about this plan. Since last year, Ellie had become his exclusive financial officer, and his financial team had grown to twenty people, all trying to find ways to help him spend money.

On Saturday, there was Paul's match.

Richard and Bundchen, along with Norman and his girlfriend Julia, went to Madison Square Garden in New York to watch the match.

Paul was challenging the IBF heavyweight champion, "Rapid Fire" Chris Byrd. They had fought once in 2001, and Paul lost to his opponent.

After more than a year, Paul was ready for revenge. Before the match, he trained hard for six months, and Richard even took time to train with him for a week. The effectiveness of the training would be seen in the match results.

After the match started, Paul took the offensive, unleashing heavy punches on Chris Byrd, one after another, knocking Chris Byrd down twice in three rounds.

"Haha, Paul is doing well this time, maybe he can win the championship belt."

Norman clapped and said.

"The possibility is high."

Richard said.

Paul was ten centimeters taller and over twenty pounds heavier than his opponent, and his punch weight also exceeded Chris Byrd's.

But his disadvantage was also obvious. His speed was not fast enough, and his attacks were often dodged by his opponent, resulting in low offensive efficiency. Low efficiency and continuous attacks led to high energy consumption.

If Paul could last a few more rounds and overwhelm his opponent in the first half, he had a good chance of defeating Chris Byrd and winning the IBF championship belt.

If Paul couldn't create a distance from his opponent in the first half, he would be in danger.

Chris Byrd was a boxer with great endurance. Since entering professional boxing in 1993, he had fought 38 matches, and in over 60% of those matches, Chris Byrd went the full distance and won.

"Richard, if Paul wins the championship belt, will you fight him?"

Gisele smiled.

"No, defeating him is easy, but he'll nag about it for the rest of his life."

Richard laughed.

"Richard, you're right, Paul can be quite petty sometimes."

Norman laughed loudly.

"If you don't defeat Paul, how will you achieve the heavyweight Grand Slam?"

Bundchen asked.

"Don't worry about that, Paul gets cocky easily. After winning the championship belt, he'll definitely get cocky, and once he's cocky, he'll lose. I'll wait for someone else to defeat him, and then I'll defeat that person to avenge him."

"Haha, that's a good idea."

Gisele smiled, holding his arm.

"Richard, I suddenly feel sorry for Paul. He hasn't even won the championship belt yet, but you've already predicted his ending. Paul is right, as a boxer, being born in the same era as you is truly tragic."

Norman said.

"Anyone can say that, but he can't. In the future, I will definitely be the most significant figure in the history of boxing. As my teammate, Paul will also be mentioned. For example, if they remake my biographical film, how can they miss his black character?"

"Makes sense, black and white is the way to go."

Norman laughed.

As they spoke, the match entered the 12th round. Both sides were exhausted, staggering, hugging each other and wrestling. The referee ran over to separate them, and in a blink of an eye, they hugged each other again.

Ding ding ding~

The half-hour match ended, and neither side was able to KO the other. Next, it depended on the scores. Three judges scored, one round 10 points, and at least two judges had to decide one side won for it to count as a win.

From the scene, Paul had a higher probability of winning.

In the first three rounds, he knocked down Chris twice, and in the seventh round, he knocked down his opponent again.

Chris only knocked down Paul once, but Chris was faster and had higher offensive efficiency. He performed well in the later rounds. The specific winner depended on the judges' scores.

In the ring, Paul was a little excited. He raised his fists and kept waving them. Chris Byrd leaned against the post, lost in thought.

A minute later, the scores came out.

The score given by the judges on the left side of the ring was 115-113, Paul leading by two points.

The middle judge gave 114-114, a tie.

The judge on the right showed 113-115, Chris leading by two points.

Therefore, the match was a draw, Paul's challenge failed, and Chris Byrd successfully defended his title.

"Fuck~"

Paul was furious in the ring. He knocked down Chris Byrd three times, the victory was obvious, and the referee actually ruled it a draw. This was too unfair, clearly biased.

Before Paul could curse more, the coaching team held him down and pulled him off the ring.

"Let's go, let's go and talk to him."

Richard shook his head and led Bundchen out of the audience.

---

"Fuck! Fuck!"

In the lounge, Paul was furious, throwing chairs and cups everywhere.

The coaching staff and agents were all trying to calm him down.

"Calm down my ass, the gold belt is gone, and you still want me to calm down, you should go to the boxing association for arbitration, let them return the gold belt to me."

Paul yelled.

"Paul, calm down."

Richard pressed his shoulder and said.

"Shut..."

Paul was about to throw a punch, but when he saw it was him, he snorted and sat down on the chair.

"Richard, I won just now, you all saw it, the referee actually thought it was a draw, it's too much."

Paul said angrily.

"It's a bit unfair, but it's reasonable."

"Reasonable? Where is it reasonable?"

Paul said dissatisfied.

"First of all, this is a championship challenge, to get the gold belt, you must show that you are better than the champion.

You knocked down Chris Byrd three times, in these three rounds your score is higher than Chris, the other nine rounds are not necessarily, Chris Byrd is fast, flexible, and has a high offensive efficiency in the second half, and also scores more.

If it was your home game, the result would be you winning, but this time it was Chris Byrd's home game, the score gap between you was very small, the referee in principle will favor the champion."

"Is this kind of favoritism reasonable?"

Paul frowned.

"A kind of unspoken rule, for example, in the championship challenge, the referee will slightly favor based on personal preferences, the nationality, skin color, appearance, reputation, etc. of both sides of the game.

There are also competitions abroad, such as in Germany, England, and Tokyo, where this kind of favoritism is even more prominent.

The referee will in principle protect the boxers of his own country and continent, and strive to keep the gold belt in the country.

Sometimes even if you beat your opponent to vomit blood, as long as the opponent does not fall, the referee will also judge the local boxer to win, this is a recognized unspoken rule.

Look at my previous games abroad, no matter how many games I played, I had to completely KO my opponent in the last round, otherwise the loser would definitely be me.

This kind of favoritism is also the reason why many boxers are unwilling to compete abroad until they die."

Richard said slowly.

"Should I continue to appeal then?"

Paul asked depressedly.

"Of course, although the chance is small, it is also an opportunity, boxing fans know that you appeal, will complain for you, and praise your unyielding spirit.

The media will also report on your game, hype up your game situation, and make people look forward to your third game even more."

Richard laughed.

"The third game? I played against Chris, lost one game, and this game was a draw, is there any chance for the next game?"

"The chances are particularly great, when you have time, you can watch the three games between John Ruiz and Holyfield, Ruiz lost the first game, the second game was a draw, and Ruiz won the third game and won the WBA gold belt.

Ruiz lost and fought again, and finally won the gold belt, do you admit that you are worse than him?"

Richard asked.

"Of course not, next time, I will definitely defeat him."

Paul clenched his fist and said fiercely.

"Come on!"

Richard smiled.

The game ended, Richard and Gisele returned to the manor, continued to raise the baby, and also participated in two "xXx" promotions.

Due to the strong box office performance in the first week, the distributor increased the publicity力度, and in the second week, it won another 36.82 million box office, with a total box office of nearly 100 million, and the estimated North American box office is about 160 million.

This film invested 70 million, the North American box office is 160 million, and the global box office is expected to be around 250 million, which is quite good.

Putting aside the publicity work, in mid-February, Richard came to Los Angeles to prepare for the pre-shooting work of "Troy".

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 300: A Few Minor Issues

"Mr. Brad, is there a problem with doing it this way?" In the photography studio, the action director of "Troy" gestured a few times and asked.

"No problem!" Richard held a long sword and practiced the movements designed by the director twice. Due to his training in "The Lord of the Rings" and wielding swords for half a year during filming, he had a solid foundation in swordsmanship. The director's movements were not difficult, and he fully learned them after practicing twice. On the third try, he could even perform with momentum, looking even better than the director's demonstration.

"Mr. Brad is very talented, a natural athlete, he learns any movement quickly," the art director praised.

After learning one set, the art director demonstrated the second set of movements. Richard, who played the second male lead Hector, had three fight scenes in the film. The first was on the beach against Achilles' cousin Patroclus, where he killed him.

The second scene was against Achilles' top general, the strongman Boagrius, where he managed to kill his opponent with great effort.

The third fight scene was a duel with Achilles, who wanted to avenge his cousin, and Hector was eventually killed.

The three scenes consisted of three sets of movements with a total of more than fifty moves. Richard mastered them all in less than two hours.

---

"Mr. Brad, have you finished reading the revised script? If you have any comments, feel free to raise them." While resting on the sidelines, screenwriter David Benioff approached.

Benioff was not old, only thirty-three years old, and his ability to become the screenwriter of this epic film was entirely due to his talent.

Richard glanced at him and smiled, "David, would you mind if I made some comments? I heard that many screenwriters don't like others pointing fingers at their work."

"Uh..." David Benioff raised his eyebrows. He came over just wanting to chat with this legendary tycoon and build a relationship. The script was just a casual mention, but he didn't expect Richard to actually have comments, which made things difficult.

If he listened and revised the script, the producers wouldn't agree. If he didn't revise it, he would upset Richard.

Caught in a dilemma, he cursed himself for talking too much.

"Haha, Mr. Brad, feel free to raise any questions you have. I'm a new screenwriter, I don't have that many issues. If your suggestions are reasonable, we will revise them based on your opinions."

He planned to use delaying tactics to stabilize Richard first.

"Okay, I have a few minor comments. In mythology, Hector's character is the first warrior of Troy, right?" Richard asked.

"Yes!"

"But I don't see his bravery at all. Achilles led people into the Temple of Apollo, the sun god, and cut off the head of the statue of Apollo with his sword. Hector led people over and encountered Achilles, but retreated without even drawing his sword. Seeing a powerful opponent, he retreated, without even a bit of courage to fight for his faith. I don't think he is a warrior, but rather a coward. What do you think?" Richard chuckled.

The corner of David Benioff's mouth twitched. What minor issues? This fundamentally denied the screenwriter team's setting for Hector. This was a serious problem.

"Mr. Brad, Achilles was recognized as the first warrior of Greece at that time, the son of the sea goddess, and the great-grandson of Zeus. Hector retreated when he saw him, which is to highlight Achilles' strength." Benioff explained.

Richard nodded, "But I think a powerful Hector can better highlight Achilles' invincibility. For example, if I hadn't defeated so many masters in the boxing world, how would everyone know that I am strong? I think after the two meet, they should fight, exchange a few blows. Even if Hector can't win and is forced to retreat, it's better than not daring to draw his sword."

"Mr. Brad, I understand what you mean. There's another reason why Hector retreated. He is a wise man who knows how to assess the situation. Seeing that Achilles and his men are more powerful, he took the initiative to retreat to avoid injury." Screenwriter Benioff secretly praised himself for this great explanation.

"Okay, then I have no further questions." Richard shook his head and smiled.

"Uh, Mr. Brad, actually your question is also very reasonable. After I go back, I will discuss it with the director and see if we can make some modifications." David Benioff quickly added.

"I hope it won't cause you any trouble."

"Haha, no, this script is not the final version, we will shoot and modify it at the same time, it won't cause any trouble." Screenwriter Benioff laughed.

Richard nodded slightly and continued to chat with him about other issues.

For example, when Hector fought against the strongman Boagrius, the script portrayed Hector as too pathetic, not like a warrior at all. When fighting Achilles, he could die more heroically, with more depth and a sense of mission, and so on.

Listening to his words, Benioff secretly wiped his sweat, regretting coming over to greet him.

If he changed it according to Richard's suggestions, Hector would become the main character, and Achilles, who killed him, would seem like a villain.

"Mr. Brad, what you said is very interesting, we will seriously consider it." Benioff sat for a while and hurriedly excused himself.

Richard shook his head. He wanted to contribute to this epic film based on the principle of taking people's pay and doing things for them, but the other party didn't listen at all. Forget it, wouldn't it be better to use his brain cells to think about other things?

"Mr. Brad, is your armor ready?"

"Got it."

After two days of work in the "Troy" studio, rehearsing, trying on costumes, and taking makeup photos, Richard had a lot on his plate.

Once he finished there, he went to New Century Pictures to watch a movie.

"Lost in Translation" had finished post-production and was in the pre-release scheduling phase.

After two years of expansion, New Century's distribution channels had become more comprehensive. This time, the distribution was mainly handled by the company itself, while continuing to collaborate with Fox Searchlight Pictures. Their previous collaboration went well, and they planned to establish a long-term partnership.

After discussion, the distributor scheduled "Lost in Translation" for mid-April, before the summer blockbuster season, taking advantage of the relatively few commercial blockbusters in the market and using this small-budget art film to warm things up.

Richard watched a rough cut of "Lost in Translation" in the screening room and felt it was pretty good. Scarlett's acting was better than he expected.

"Scarlett acted very well. She's a natural actress. Seeing her, I suddenly feel old," Gwyneth sighed, touching her rosy cheeks.

"You're sweet and plump, like a peach. How could you be old?" Richard shook his head and said.

"Haha, am I that sweet?" Gwyneth smiled slightly and brushed her hair behind her ear. "I heard Gisele is pregnant. Congratulations."

"Thank you. This is indeed a happy event," Richard smiled.

"Congratulations to Gisele too. She's a lucky woman. No one in the industry doesn't envy her. A Brazilian girl actually snatched away our treasure. I'm so jealous of her," Gwyneth said, tapping her knee with her fist.

Richard smiled, "Gwyneth, you're cured, right? If you want to be like Gisele, you can also find a man who loves you, get married, pregnant, and have children. We're still friends, and I'll sincerely wish you well."

Gwyneth blinked, "You want to get rid of me? I've been with you for five years, you've bullied me hundreds of times, and now you want to get rid of me?"

Gwyneth's eyes and tone became resentful.

Richard smiled softly, "You're so charming, how could I bear to get rid of you? I just don't want to affect your life. A woman needs a normal life, a husband, children, family companionship, these things I can't give you, so I hope you can find your own happiness, and then you don't have to envy anyone."

"But I have you, that's enough. Although we spend relatively little time together, every time we're together, I get the deepest and strongest satisfaction from you, and then I look forward to the next time. If I marry another man, will you still want me?" Gwyneth asked.

"We can be good friends, colleagues, partners, and try not to affect your life."

"No, I don't have any plans to get married yet. I want to continue to stay by your side and be your lover, can I?" Gwyneth took his hand and placed it in her arms.

"Of course, until you get married, you're all mine." Richard continued watching the movie.

---

(End of this chapter)