Domination in America, Starting from being a Boxing Champion

"Link, is it still raining in New York?"

Inside the car, Link glanced outside the window. It was overcast, like the tears that hang in the eyes of a child when his beloved toy is snatched away, waiting for the heavens to decide when they might fall. He found it odd that Franco was calling to ask about the weather.

Link said it wasn't raining.

Franco said, "Link, are you not used to living in New York? How about, after the match, you come back to Miami to live? The company will also try to schedule fights in Miami in the future. I've thought it over, rather than building a new training ground, we might as well acquire one. Coach West's boxing gym is pretty good, and I plan to invest in West Boxing Gym and make it your training base.

What do you think?"

"That sounds really good, but I'm doing quite well in New York."

"Really? But I saw you in an interview, and you seemed very irritable."

"That has nothing to do with the weather. I just wanted to make the fight more exciting."

"That definitely makes things more lively and saves the company millions in promotional fees, but you, alone, challenging a group of people - that's too exaggerated. Ali, Tyson, Mayweather, they also provoked their opponents, but they only targeted one at a time.

They will surely seek revenge on you fiercely, and your matches will become very difficult. Also, in future matches, you cannot afford to lose a single one; if you do, you'll become the laughingstock of the boxing world. That's too harsh," Franco Duvall inquired.

"Don't worry, Franco. If I dare to say such things, I'm prepared to accept the challenges. Besides, with Coach Brooks, I believe we can defeat any opponent," Link confidently stated.

Coach Brooks, standing beside him, couldn't help but touch his forehead, suddenly feeling a great pressure on him.

Shortly after ending the call, Link received a call from Coach West, who advised him to be careful in the match.

His words were like setting a fire in the boxing world, propelling the Super Middleweight competition to surpass Heavyweights and become the most attention-grabbing sport in the boxing world, even the entire sports community.

This was both good and bad because Link was right at the center of the fire. If he withstood this blaze, he would emerge as the most famous boxing champion; if he didn't, he would be utterly disgraced.

Coach West told him to stand firm, to try his best to win the matches, and not to worry too much about the 100-second promise. As long as he won against his opponents, even if it took twelve rounds, he would still be the victor, and a victor wouldn't be mocked afterwards, but praised for his tactical brilliance.

Link understood Coach West's concerns and assured he would definitely win the match.

Not long after he hung up the phone, he received a call from the chubby James.

James wasn't calling to talk about his 'trash talk.' Usually, James only liked to read fashion magazines, the likes of Playboy, and he only started to follow some sports news after Link had entered the boxing scene.

James told him the business at the shop was too good; the clients who wanted him as a diving instructor had booked up to three years in advance, and if he didn't come back soon, it might be up to ten years.

Link laughed upon hearing this. After the Olympics, the midsection of the Bund public beach had become a hot spot; he heard that on the night he won the championship, over a thousand people gathered on the beach for a party, complete with singing and dancing performances.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

And his Baker Diving Gear Store had become one of the most famous shops on Miami Beach, with daily customer traffic ranging from dozens to upwards of a hundred people, and even more during holidays.

James was too busy to handle it all on his own, so he hired two clerks to help out.

James also said he didn't know why, but these past couple of days there were even more people in the store than after the Olympics.

Link asked him if he wanted to come to New York to hang out since October marks the off-season for the dive shop.

James declined, saying New York was too dangerous. He mentioned that movies always portrayed New York as rife with gangs and that there were more murders there each day than in Miami. He didn't want to take the risk and also advised Link to be careful and return quickly after the fight.

Link just smiled without arguing with James about whether Miami or New York had a higher crime rate. After all, one was Gotham City and the other, Sin City; the first one wouldn't call out the second.

——

Link's second verbal barrage once again set the boxing world ablaze, making the front pages of major media outlets, which were all speculating whether Link actually had the ability to defeat Miko, Andrea, and others within 99 seconds or if he was just running his mouth to stir media attention.

Ring Magazine launched an online poll asking whether Link could defeat Miko and others within 99 seconds to become the Super Middleweight World Champion?

A total of 2147 people participated in the poll: 667 voted in support, while 1480 thought it was impossible.

The media were divided into two camps. One labeled Link as the 'biggest mouth' in boxing history since the sport turned professional—his verbal attacks weren't aimed at one person but at a group, indiscriminately slaughtering them.

The Chicago Tribune called him a brave but reckless talker.

The faction that supported this view was larger and thus had a slight edge in public opinion.

Meanwhile, media outlets such as the American Express and the Miami Herald, believed that Link's ability to defeat his opponents in mere seconds in the last two matches was evident of his extraordinary strength, so calling him a 'big mouth' or a big talker was very inconsiderate.

The Miami Herald even quoted Link's response from an interview with the Baltimore Sun after the Golden Gloves Championship when many media outlets were calling him a big mouth.

At the time, Link retorted, "So far, not a single match has taken place, and you already think I'm talking big. Do you want to keep laughing at me? Gentlemen of the press, you've been taught a lesson by the facts three times; why can't you wait a bit longer, wait until I'm defeated by those guys before you laugh at me?"

The Herald suggested that everyone should wait for him to fail once before labeling him a big mouth, rather than mock him while he continues to set records, to avoid being embarrassed.

After Link blasted the Super Middleweight boxers twice in a row, many of them stood up and collectively launched a counterattack in the media, with some claiming they would take Link down within three rounds and others stating they would teach him what defeat feels like.

No matter what they said, their comments were reported by the media due to Link's high popularity.

For a time, the Super Middleweight competition became the most talked-about event in the boxing world, outshining even the news of Holyfield announcing a challenge against Nikolai Valuev; Hasim Rahman challenging Vladimir Klitschko; and Samuel Peter challenging Vitali Klitschko.

Ring Magazine had to admit that after the quiet of more than twenty years since the heyday of the four boxing kings of the eighties, the Super Middleweight competition drew an unprecedented level of attention once again. This time it was all because of one man, Link Baker, "Link is already a king without a crown in terms of influence."