Domination in America, Starting from being a Boxing Champion

Chapter 20: Negotiating for One Hundred Million US Dollars

"An exciting match, the anesthetist Link once again ended the match with a KO, bringing his amateur record to 14 wins, all by KO—a remarkable and record-setting accomplishment. Tyson didn't have it, Holyfield didn't have it, Mayweather didn't have it…. On June 13, please turn your attention to the boxing ring in Miami, as a new star rises in the southeast of the United States, and his name is Link Baker."

——Reported by "Boxing Ring" magazine

"It has been understood that the 2008 Golden Gloves Championship Southeastern Division tournament concluded yesterday. Representing Florida, Super Middleweight boxer Link Baker delivered an outstanding performance in the finals. He successfully KO'd Jones Fullos, the former runner-up of an amateur championship, clinching the Southeastern Division Super Middleweight Gold for Florida. He will continue to represent Florida in the national Golden Gloves Championship."

——Reported by the "Florida New Herald"

"Yesterday I visited Roy Jones in Palm Beach, I asked him if he had been following the Golden Gloves amateur championship. Roy Jones was smoking marijuana, surrounded by two bikini-clad beauties, and told me he hadn't."

"I said, take a look, man, there's this incredible young fighter from Miami named Link Baker. He represented Miami in Orlando and won the state championship and then secured the Southeastern Division championship in South Carolina."

Not just any champion, mind you, he overwhelmed his opponents with a streak of 14 wins, all by KO, a feat that makes a division championship seem trivial by comparison."

"Ha ha, winning every amateur match by KO?"

"I understand what he meant, I really do; he was telling all of us, 'This is too easy. Let me show you a trick— I'm going to enter the championship final by knocking out my opponents.'"

If I had known him before the matches, I would have given him the cold shoulder; young man, don't be too arrogant, it's pointless, there are too many skilled boxers out there, watch out or someone might break that handsome nose of yours.

Luckily, I didn't know him before the matches, nor did I give him the cold shoulder because he truly accomplished it. He completed an almost impossible challenge—God, knocking out all those guys padded up in high-elasticity foam.

Does Link have a giant dragon residing in him?

I asked Roy Jones who was smoking marijuana, could you do it?

Roy Jones looked a bit blank, apparently reminiscing his not-so-glorious past; clearly, his poor amateur record could not compare to that of Link.

My interview wasn't over when Roy Jones yawned; his assistant told me Mr. Roy Jones was getting ready to rest.

I looked at Roy Jones's retreating figure, seeing a boxing champion age, signalling that Miami's boxing ring might be seeing its last days.

I felt a bit melancholic.

Wait a minute!

The boxing ring seeing its last days?

No, no, no, we still have Link Baker, a new champion, Miami's boxing scene won't be lonely! Let's cheer for Miami's future champion—Link Baker!"

——Comment by Rafael Varane, Sports Editor of the "Miami Herald"

Onboard the moving Silver Star train, Link put down the handful of newspapers he was holding, touched his head, his forehead was sweating profusely.

The air conditioning in the carriage was working fine, and the air was quite cool, but his forehead was sweating, not because of the hot weather but because the news in the newspapers was too embarrassing, so embarrassing that his toes clenched as if they were stopping a train.

He was only the Southeast Division Super Middleweight first place winner, not the overall Golden Gloves champion yet.

But the media in Florida and Miami hyped him up as if he had just won the championship, almost as if he had just returned from a moon trip on an Apollo spacecraft, excessively glorified.

He couldn't help but feel embarrassed.

But after the embarrassment came a secret thrill.

Yes, it felt great, a relief and pleasure that came after achieving goals.

Would the Florida and Miami media have gone to such lengths to hype an amateur boxer like him if he had simply won the matches and taken the Southeast Division championship?

Link thought it was unlikely.

Simple achievements don't hold up to hype; the media would be wary of praising him too much for fear that he might fail in the upcoming matches.

But for a boxer who could win every match by KO, his strength was apparent and stood up to the hype.

So Link set himself a very high goal, not only earning himself honor but also giving local media a newsworthy topic to discuss.

He gained considerable visibility through the media, and the media sold papers by promoting him—it was a win-win situation.

This also proved that his deliberate aim to win every match by KO was meaningful and not a waste of effort.

At the same time, Link also understood the advice from West previously.

When he first joined the gym, he told West that he would only fight in amateur boxing for half a year before going pro.

West did not agree at the time and advised him to fight a bit longer. At the time, Link felt it was unnecessary as he believed his skills were mature and did not need to be honed through amateur boxing matches.

After seeing these news articles, he suddenly understood what West meant.

Fighting in amateur competitions not only honed skills but also accumulated match experience.

More importantly, it could bring fame and honor to the Boxer, as well as to the people around him, the local area, and even the nation; this was a stage for gathering popularity and character.

When representing a region or the country in competitions, both the regional and American media would promote him for free, making him well-known in the hearts of the public.

After gaining a high profile in his region, when a boxing match was held in Miami, Florida in the future, wouldn't the people of Miami come to support him on site?

After becoming well-known in America, when holding boxing matches in New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and other places, American people would buy tickets or pay to support him because he was a celebrity.

This was also why foreign champions were often not supported in America; even if they were formidable and held several Golden Belts, if they weren't one of their own, who cared?

Because he had been imprisoned in his previous life, Link had not enjoyed this treatment during his amateur stages and thus did not understand the role of amateur competitions.

Now with a little enlightenment, he was preparing to participate in more amateur competitions in the next half-year or so, gathering more popularity and honor—after all, it was free media promotion, why not use it?

Once he turned professional, all the fame and prestige accumulated would be converted into U.S. dollars in subsequent matches, so competing in amateur fights was not a waste of time.

"Link, are you done? Shall we chat?"

Sitting opposite him by the window of the train was a brown-haired middle-aged man.

Wearing spectacles and neatly dressed in a brown striped shirt even in the heat of summer, with his hair parted in a Clark Gable style, he was meticulous. When he smiled, his neatly white teeth were visible, showcasing his good personal habits and affluent social status.

He always spoke with a smile, looking directly at the other person, and his gestures exuded a gentle and elegant demeanor.

This man was Franco Duvall, a surname originated from Latin America and quite rare in the United States, yet anyone in the boxing circle would likely know Lou Duvall.

Lou Duvall was one of the founders of the Boxing Hall of Fame and coach or agent to 19 world champions, like Holyfield and Whitaker, as well as the founder of a premier event promotion company.

Senior Duvall was 86 this year and reportedly in poor health, having stepped back from the leading events company and passed on the boxing business to his eldest son, Franco Duvall.

That was the man in front of him.

This wasn't their first encounter. Shortly after Link left the Gyro Barbecue Restaurant in Orlando and had just added Emma Watson on MSN, Franco Duvall and West knocked on his door, wanting to discuss a signing.

When West heard that the visitor was the son of Lou Duvall, president of a premier events promotion company, he immediately agreed to bring him to meet Link.

Upon meeting, Franco made his intentions clear, expressing his desire to sign him with a signing bonus of one million U.S. dollars.

Link appreciated Franco's straightforward approach, but one million U.S. dollars was not enough to sell his contract, not even ten million.

He politely declined Franco's offer with the excuse of 'not discussing signing for now,' just as he had turned down other promotional companies after finishing his competitions in the Southeastern region.

And on the train leaving South Carolina, Franco Duvall caught up again, sitting opposite him—originally, the seat opposite him held Mario, a guy eager to be signed by a promotional company, how could he refuse to give his seat to a president of such a company?

Once seated, Franco Duvall did not stop trying to engage him in conversation, seemingly using this approach to draw closer and get him to agree to sign, displaying sincere attitude. But so what?

Once it involved his own interests and future development, he could still choose to ignore, even if the three big names of the boxing world—senior Duvall himself, Bob Arum, and Don King—were sitting in front of him.

He didn't want to talk, choosing to read the newspaper, and then being so embarrassed by the news that he knocked on the train.

"What about, Mr. Duvall?"

Link grabbed a South Carolina citrus from the table, cut it with a knife, peeled a segment, and put it in his mouth.

"Link, congratulations on your successful entry into the finals of the Golden Gloves Championship. Even though there are many formidable opponents in the final circle, with your strength, getting into the top three won't be difficult."

His mouth twitched slightly when he heard "top three."

"Not even the championship will be difficult."

Franco Duvall quickly added and pulled out a Chanel-lettered tissue paper, handing it to him. He continued, "Link, if you win the overall championship, and those promotion companies want to sign you, what kind of conditions would you propose?

You can tell me; I am here not just with sincerity but also with a checkbook, maybe I can satisfy you right now."

"What kind of conditions?"

Link thought, slightly squinting his eyes.

"Yes, any conditions, just tell me."

Franco Duvall smiled subtly, with an attitude that seemed to say as long as you dare to name a price, I dare to handle it, quite magnanimous.

"One hundred million U.S. dollars!"

Before he stuffed the other half of the citrus into his mouth, Link spoke out that heavily significant figure with his lips, shaped into a sexy curve.

"One hundred million U.S. dollars?!!"