Across America, Starting with the Boxing Champion

 Chapter 7 Join the Boxing Gym

“Mario, haven’t you had breakfast? Use some strength and strike decisively. If you punch like you, you won’t be able to catch Link’s punch even if you practice for ten years.”

"West, don't mention that **** Link. Yesterday I underestimated my opponent and was not prepared. If you let me fight again, I will never lose."

 “Stop talking, just concentrate on practicing.”

On the boxing ring in the training area on the second floor of the West Boxing Club, Mario and a boxer in a black vest were sparring. Coach West, wearing a white baseball jersey and holding a notebook, was guiding the training under the boxing ring.

Link walked around the boxing gym and looked at the environment and training equipment.

Yesterday, coach West came after him to persuade him to join. He thought that West was a coach in a small boxing gym. In fact, this place was more formal than expected.

There are three floors, steel frame structure and glass curtain wall, with good lighting. The first floor is the office area and canteen, the second floor is the training area, and the third floor is the dormitory and offices. There are elevators up and downstairs.

 The training area is next to the boxing ring. It has rubber boxing targets, pear-shaped balls, tension machines, boxing bags, barbell racks, etc., and all the necessary equipment. There are more than a dozen young people doing strength training, and the atmosphere in the boxing gym is very lively.

“Link, this is a picture of Coach West when he was a boxer.”

The staff of the boxing gym followed Link and introduced that this person took the initiative to follow Link when he entered the door. He was Robinson, the manager of the boxing gym, and said that he wanted to show him around, especially the wall of honor.

Hung on the walls of the training hall are photos of West Corian participating in boxing matches when he was young.

 West was a middleweight boxer when he was young and trained at the same gym as Roy Jones Jr.'s father.

He debuted in the early 1970s. In 1978, he competed with boxing champion Sugar Ray Leonard for the WBO middleweight gold belt, but lost. Sugar became the first boxer in boxing history to accumulate a prize money of 100 million US dollars. , powerful and powerful.

Manager Robinson also said that Coach West retired in the early 1980s and began to be a boxing coach. He has been a coach for nearly 30 years and is very experienced.

“Very good, has there been any successful boxer from the boxing gym?”

Link asked.

 “Yes! Of course there is!”

Manager Robinson then named several boxers that Link had never heard of in his life.

There is only one boxer named Robert Allen who is more famous. He once competed with boxing champion Bernard Hopkins for the IBF middleweight gold belt in 1999, but failed. He later became a second-rate boxer and has now retired. .

Seeing the regret on Manager Robinson's face, Link smiled and said, "It doesn't matter, I'm here, and there will be a boxing champion here."

Manager Robinson gave him a look, unsure if he was serious or joking, and chimed in saying that was great.

 “Haha, Link, you’re here.”

Coach West laughed and walked over, as if he had just seen Link. In fact, he received the news when Link entered the door, but it was more appropriate to leave the introduction of the honor of the boxing gym to Robinson.

“Link, what do you think of this place?”

Coach West asked, pointing to the clean and tidy boxing gym. Originally, the boxing gym was quite messy. Last night, he asked everyone in the boxing gym plus four hourly workers to stay up late and clean it up, so that the boxing gym didn't look so bad.

 “Very nice, very formal.”

Link nodded in affirmation.

Coach West laughed and said, "Link, as long as you like it here, practicing boxing at home is not as good as practicing in a boxing gym. There are training equipment and sparring partners here. Join the West Boxing Gym and I will do my best." How about we cooperate with you and provide you with the best training venue and environment, as well as logistical services?”

Seeing his hesitation, West added, "Before you play in a professional boxing match, all boxing gym services are free. After you play in a professional boxing match, the coaching team only charges 5% of your bonus."

Link thought for a while.

 The conditions provided by Coach West are also considered excellent.

According to the rules of the boxing industry, after a boxer enters the professional boxing ring, the coaching team can receive 1%-15% of the boxer’s match bonus. The greater the contribution of the coaching team, the more it will receive.

 The coach also plays a vital role in the development of a boxer.

 In addition to training boxers on a daily basis, coaches develop training plans for boxers, find ways to make up for boxers' shortcomings, and improve boxers' boxing skills.

 In a boxing match, the coaching team also needs to formulate a suitable game plan for the boxer. At critical moments, the coach can also help the boxer throw a white towel to save the boxer's life.

 A good boxing coach can make a boxer.

For example, Tyson’s coach Cus D’Amato. Many people believe that Cus trained Tyson. If Cus had not died in 1985, Tyson’s peak period would have been extended beyond 2000. And Holyfield’s coach Lou Dewar.

Lou Duva is one of the founders of the Boxing Hall of Fame and the owner of a major event promotion company. He has brought out 19 boxing champions including Evander Holyfield and Whittaker.

Compared to these famous coaches, West Corian's performance is much inferior, but Link doesn't care.

His strength and speed are steadily improving in training and will become stronger in the future. He does not need to worry too much about competitions. What he needs now is a skilled logistics team and a guide to guide him into the boxing ring.

 West Korian has been in the boxing ring for more than 30 years, and he should be relatively proficient in his business. It doesn't matter if he is a little worse. There will be time to replace him in the future.

 “Coach West, it’s a pleasure to work with you.”

Link stretched out his hand and said.

 “Haha, Link, happy working together.”

Coach West took his hand and shook it vigorously, and shouted towards the boxing ring and training area, "Everyone, stop, let me introduce to you, this is Mr. Link Baker, from our boxing gym. The new member, his boxing skills are very good. Last night at the Red Glove Bar, he KOed Mario with one punch.”

"Wow!"

"Really?"

There was an exclamation at the scene. Everyone looked at Link in surprise, and then looked at Mario with strange eyes, asking him if it was true? Really can't even take a punch, so weak?

Mario's face turned red from holding it back. He originally wanted to hide the news, but he didn't expect West to break the news directly in public, leaving him no face at all. It was so embarrassing.

He glared at West in embarrassment, then looked at Link, rolled his eyes and shouted: "Don't laugh at me, everyone. Link is a very powerful guy. He is a heavy artilleryman. West said that none of us can take it." Link punched him and said that Link will become a boxing champion in the future. Do you know that Link will not have to pay a penny for food and clothing to train here, and West is going to pay him to train him."

　　Everyone looked at Link very unhappy. No one likes an outlier in their group.

 “Mario, don’t talk nonsense here.”

 Coach West scolded.

 “No, I’m not talking nonsense, West, that’s what you told me.”

 Mario crossed his arms and turned his face in disdain.

Link smiled softly, picked up a pair of gloves and said: "Mario, we are boxers. It's useless to talk too loudly. The only real skill is to be able to fight. How about we compete again? I hope you won't be so loud this time." Fall down quickly."

“Okay, Link, today I will show you what absolute defense is.”

Mario waved his thick arms and roared excitedly.

　　Bang!

 Thirty seconds later, Mario's face hit the ring hard.

He played very carefully this time, protecting his head with both arms from the beginning of the game, keeping his eyes firmly on Link's fists. As long as Link's shoulders moved, he would concentrate on defense.

But unfortunately, his defense was still not rigorous enough. Link only threw a combination of punches, hitting Mario's ribs first. Mario was forced to shift his center of gravity downwards, and the second punch hit the left side of his jaw. Mali Ao's center of gravity shifted, and the third punch knocked him to the ground.

 Mario lay on the ring, rolling his eyes. Less than 12 hours later, he enjoyed another dizzy feeling.

 Feeling terrible.

 Fortunately, Link saved his strength this time and didn't do much damage to him. He lay on the ground for a few seconds, glared at Link, and walked off the ring angrily.

 West laughed and said to the four adult boxers around him: "You also go up and practice with Link and see how powerful high-level boxers are."

Four adult boxers lined up to sparring with Link. Because it was a confrontational exercise, he did not hit hard. He practiced with each of them for five or six rounds. With his skilled skills and physical strength, he shook the four of them until they were breathless and their feet were shaking. It was messy and had to take the initiative to admit defeat.

"Link, you bastard, why does it take four or five rounds to fight them, but one round with me? Are you worried that if you fight for a long time, you will not have enough physical strength, and I will turn defeat into victory?"

 Mario was sitting in the audience, holding a water bottle and shouting.

Link was a little helpless. This man had been KO'd twice, so why did he still want to regain his reputation? He could only say perfunctorily: "Yes, your endurance is very strong, and I need to fight quickly to defeat you. "

“Haha, I knew it, Link, I will fight you for twelve rounds next time.”

 Mario waved his fist and shouted excitedly.

Link smiled. Although this guy looked ferocious, he was still quite cute at heart.

 (End of this chapter)