Chapter 31: Chapter 31: I Will Challenge All Boxing Champions
He turned his gaze to the second row, where a reporter held a microphone with the HBO logo. She was a tall female reporter in a beige suit, and the most attractive of the group.
"Miss reporter, what's your question?"
"Mr. Link Baker, boxing champions Bernard Hopkins, Chris Byrd, Hasim Rahman, James Toney, and giant Valuev have publicly questioned your punching power. They believe it's impossible for a normal person to KO opponents 16 times in a row in amateur competitions. They also think there's something wrong with the matches. What's your response to this?"
The reporter asked with a smile, batting her eyelashes.
Link shrugged and smiled regretfully, "I haven't seen the relevant reports, so I'm not sure if they said these things. But I'll make a promise here, all boxers who question me, whether it's Hopkins, Chris Byrd, James Toney, or the 213 cm tall Valuev, or any other boxing champion, if they don't believe in my strength, they can challenge me after I turn professional. Anyone, regardless of weight class, as long as they can last three rounds against me..."
Link paused, looked at all the reporters, and said forcefully, "Even if I lose!!"
"What?!"
The scene was quiet for two seconds, then exploded.
What did Link just say?
He said that after he enters professional boxing, everyone can challenge him, regardless of weight class, as long as they can last three rounds against him, even if he loses?
Is he serious?
A super middleweight boxer challenging all professional boxers?
Is he crazy?
West's mind also exploded. Link had answered the first few questions appropriately, but then he suddenly made a bold statement, saying that he could defeat all challengers within three rounds, regardless of weight class. This was too arrogant. If word got out, people would definitely call him "Big Talk" Link or "Trash Talk" Link.
"Mr. Link Baker, you just said that you can accept challenges from all weight classes, as long as they can last three rounds against you, even if you lose. Does this include everyone here, including Holyfield, Mayweather, Hoya, Roy Jones Jr., Joe Calzaghe, the Klitschko brothers, David Tua, and all other boxers?"
The HBO reporter's face was flushed with excitement as she rattled off the names of more than a dozen popular boxing champions in one breath.
As long as Link dared to say yes, the news would immediately report that Link had challenged these champions, believing that they couldn't last three rounds against him.
This news would definitely become the hottest sports news today and for some time to come.
Link looked at the female reporter and smiled slightly, "Beautiful reporter, there was a premise to what I just said. Anyone who questions me, anyone who is unfriendly to me, can challenge me. If those champions you mentioned also don't believe in my strength, I also accept their challenges. Three rounds, everyone is equal!"
"Hey, Mr. Baker, don't you think your words are a bit too arrogant?" The American Express reporter shouted.
Link shrugged and said indifferently, "I'm too strong to be low-key."
Boom!
The reporters were stunned by his words. How arrogant could this person be to say such arrogant and shameless words?
West covered his old face with both hands, his face, which had been dark for more than sixty years, couldn't help but turn red at this moment.
"Link, Roy Jones Jr. also publicly questioned you, will you challenge him after turning professional?" The Miami Herald reporter asked.
From the performance of the Miami Herald during this time, it was obvious that it was a newspaper that favored him. Link didn't mind giving them some eye-catching news. He chuckled, "Mr. Roy Jones Jr. has always been a respected senior boxer to me. The reason why I practice boxing is because of him and Tyson's influence. But I regret his public questioning. Considering that he is a respected senior and 37 years old, I will only use one round in the match with him. If it exceeds two rounds, I lose."
"Link, don't talk nonsense."
West was sweating profusely behind him. He said he would fight other boxers for three rounds, but when it came to Roy Jones Jr., it became one round. This was not a provocation, it was an insult. If Roy Jones Jr.'s fans heard it, they didn't know how they would scold Link.
West tugged at Link's arm, asking him to restrain himself a little, not to be so presumptuous, or he would easily get beaten up.
Link turned around and gave West a reassuring look, telling him not to worry too much.
Even if he angered all the boxing champions, those champions wouldn't come to fight him.
Because the champions all had promotion companies behind them, they would never participate in matches without a chance of winning, or matches that didn't make money. Those champions wouldn't bring their gold belts to fight him either. If they won, it would be fine, but if they lost, they would have to hand over their gold belts, which would not be worth the loss.
Besides, Link was not afraid of losing to them. He had only been practicing for more than a month, and his boxing skills, strength, speed, and reaction ability had been greatly improved. After practicing for another year, two years, or three years, he didn't think there were many people in the boxing world who could be his opponents.
He was not afraid of them coming, he was afraid that they would not dare to come.
This group of reporters was probably fed up with the few scoops he threw out, and after asking a few more random questions, they generously opened the encirclement and let him pass.
"Hey, Reggie, hearing your idol bragging here, what are your thoughts?"
Mario bumped Reggie, who was in a daze, with his arm and smirked.
Reggie looked away and sighed, "Link is really amazing, he is a boxer with strength, wisdom, and courage, a perfect boxer, I want to learn from him."
"Are you crazy?"
Mario grabbed Reggie's shoulders and shook him vigorously, shouting, "Reggie, wake up, will you? Link is just a guy who likes to brag and get attention, he's not as good as you think."
"No, no, you're wrong, Mario, this is not bragging, nor is it seeking attention, this is self-marketing. As an amateur boxer, Link is always thinking about promoting himself, and today is the same. He took the opportunity to challenge the boxing champions, which is self-marketing.
I bet that after these news reports, Link's popularity in the boxing world will skyrocket, comparable to a second-rate boxing champion. If he turns professional, his appearance fee for each match will be at least 1 million, 1 million, Mario! If you were to market yourself, what way would you have to make your popularity reach the level of a second-rate boxing champion?"
Reggie looked at Mario with burning eyes.
Mario scratched his head. Of course, he had no way, but he would never admit that Link's approach was right.
"But he actually challenged all boxers, isn't that bragging? How could he possibly beat everyone?"
"Why not?"
Reggie shook his head, looked at Link who was walking onto the ring step by step, and praised, "A long, long time ago, a Chinese neighbor of mine told me that a truly courageous person, even if there are ten thousand enemies blocking the way, he dares to charge forward alone, Link is that kind of person."
Mario imagined a scene ofcharging at ten thousand people and curled his lips, "This is not courage, this is stupidity."
Reggie glanced at him and shook his head, "No, no, you don't understand, you will never understand."
Mario looked at him, suddenly angry, and punched him a few times, "Fuck, you damn guy, have you forgotten that I taught you boxing, you dare to pretend in front of me."
Reggie was beaten so hard that he bared his teeth and fled in embarrassment.
(End of chapter)