Across America, Starting with the Boxing Champion

Chapter 59 Taylor

The game between Link and Peters is over.

The "Miami Herald" described the game as "tragic" and "shocking". No one expected that Link could break the jaw of "Rock" Peters and end the game by forcing the opponent to surrender.

 The results were shocking.

But afterwards, Link was criticized by some public opinion, saying that his way of playing was a bit bloody. In amateur matches, when the opponent was protected by protective gear, he could break the opponent's jaw with his fist, which was simply too cruel.

 Hence, he also got a nickname - "The Destroyer", saying that his heavy punches can destroy all opponents. No matter how strong the opponent's body is, they will be destroyed under his attack.

The sports section of Cuba's official newspaper "Granma" also published an article reporting the matter, with more criticism than praise. It believed that the Olympic series is an amateur competition, focusing on exchanges and exchanges. Link's method of winning every fight by KOing his opponents is "too extreme and unacceptable." He believes that the Olympic Organizing Committee and the United States Boxing Association should intervene in this matter and urge Link to correct the way he plays.

Link doesn't care about the criticism from the outside world. It's normal to get injured or hit your opponent in the boxing ring. Boxers will be injured regardless of professional or amateur competitions.

 After being injured, some boxers ask to stop the game to treat the wound and prevent the injury from worsening and affecting future development, such as Rossnier; some are more **** and choose to persist, which aggravates the injury, such as Peters.

 After being injured in the game, whether to continue playing or give up the game depends entirely on personal choice, and you must bear the consequences, not your opponent.

In addition, the Olympic Organizing Committee and the Boxing Association have no right to intervene in this matter. Whether boxing matches are amateur or professional, they all value the strength of the boxers.

Since boxers are allowed to infinitely improve their defensive and anti-fighting abilities, boxers must also be allowed to infinitely improve their personal defense-breaking and offensive abilities. You cannot ask for changes just because others have heavy punches and sharp attacks.

“Such a request is extremely unreasonable, amateurish, and ridiculous, just like asking factories around the world to stop producing axes because their door was broken open by an axe. ’

 Afterwards, "Boxing Ring" magazine refuted the commentary article of "Glenma Newspaper".

  —

 After the fourth round, the qualifying round entered the semi-finals.

Link drew the Venezuelan dark horse Alva Henriquez.

Lorenzo Aragon's opponent was Mexico's Fernando Vargas.

Fernando qualified for the semi-finals by defeating Douglas Silva of Jamaica and Peters of Haiti giving up the game after being defeated by Alva in the previous round.

The match between Link and Dark Horse Alva was in the first game. Compared with the hardness and thickness of 'Rock' Peters, Dark Horse Alva is a boxer known for his technique and speed. His attack and dodge speed are very flexible, and his fighting style is also very flexible. tenacious.

Alva also relied on this advantage to win five games in a row after losing in the first round, and directly entered the top three.

  Against this kind of boxer, as long as you can crush the opponent in terms of technique and speed, it is not difficult to win the game. The difficult thing is how to KO him.

"Link, there is news from the Olympic Organizing Committee that Alva has voluntarily abandoned the competition, and you will advance directly to the finals."

Link was watching the match video of his opponent Alva in the hotel. Coach Ed walked in excitedly and told him that Alva had decided to give up the next round of competition.

Alva played against Fernando of the Mexican team in the last match. Although he won the game, Fernando's playing style was too fierce, which caused his ribs to be injured and two ribs to be broken. If he fights with him again, the injury will be more serious.

 After careful consideration, they decided to give up the next game.

“Haha, Link, your playing style was too fierce. When Alva saw that Rock Peters was injured by you, he got scared and gave up the game on his own initiative.”

Andrzej smiled.

“Link has to win every game by KO, and he has done it every time. In other words, everyone needs to be prepared to be knocked unconscious by you before going on stage. It’s scary to think about it.”

Jones Fullers said with a smile.

Link smiled softly. It was good news that his opponent gave up the game on his own initiative. Without one game, he could have an extra day of rest and prepare more before the game.

  After all, the next opponent Aragon is more difficult to deal with than Peters.

　　When you beat Peters, you almost failed to KO it. How should you beat Aragorn, who is more powerful than him?

Link has watched Aragorn's video tape more than ten times and still has no clue.

Jingle Bell!

The phone rang, and it was Taylor’s call. Taylor said she had arrived at Havana Airport and asked him if she could pick her up.

Link was a little surprised. The last time he called Taylor, he said he didn't have time to come over. Why did he suddenly come over again?

 He borrowed the keys from the boxing team driver and drove the minibus to Jose Marti International Airport.

José Martí Airport is located 18 kilometers southwest of downtown Havana. It is named after Jose Martí, the leader of the Latin American liberation movement. It is Cuba's main international and domestic airport.

Due to tense relations between the two countries, the Cuban government has banned any U.S. flights from landing at Cuban airports since the 1960s. It was not until the easing of relations between the two countries in recent years that some restrictions were relaxed, allowing some U.S. groups to travel to Cuba, but only in Miami. Three airports in New York, New York and Los Angeles have opened flights to Cuba.

Link drove to the International Building T3 of the airport and saw Taylor, whom he had not seen for a long time, in the rest area.

 She was wearing a white printed T-shirt, blue jeans, and a pink baseball cap. She was tall and beautiful, with a guitar case hanging on her back, making her very conspicuous in the crowd.

Next to him was a middle-aged man in a wheelchair and a female assistant who was talking on the phone with her head down.

 “Hey, Taylor!”

Link took off his sunglasses and waved his hand.

“Link!” Tyler waved his arms happily, ran over from the crowd, and threw himself into his arms with a smile.

Link smiled softly and hugged the girl gently.

 “You seem cooler.”

Tyler raised his head and blinked, looked at his face and smiled.

Link looked at the girl's beautiful face, with blue fox eyes, golden bangs, and pretty smile. She seemed to be prettier than before. He held her in his arms, and his nose was filled with the fragrance of her body.

 “You are more beautiful too.”

Link said with a smile.

 “Tyler, don’t run so fast, there are many thieves here.”

A middle-aged man rolled over from the crowd in a wheelchair. The man was in his forties, wearing a casual suit. He had an elegant appearance, a slightly bald head, and some belly fat of a middle-aged man.

Link let go of the girl in his arms and looked at the man in the wheelchair, "Who is this gentleman?"

"This is my dad. He suddenly suffered from hemiplegia the night before yesterday. My mom asked me to take care of him in the hospital, but I promised you to come to watch the game and couldn't break the appointment. I thought about it again and suddenly came up with a good idea. Why can't I take care of him? Come with him, he also likes to watch boxing matches, right dad?"

Taylor held his arm and looked at Mr. Swift and smiled.

Link looked at the father and daughter in confusion. The daughter brought her paraplegic father to watch the game? Does the father also agree?

Mr. Swift was a little embarrassed. The day before yesterday, he had no choice but to agree to his wife's suggestion and pretended to be unable to get up due to back pain. His wife was worried that it was just a small problem such as back pain and she would not be able to keep her daughter, so she exaggerated his condition and said he was paraplegic.

 Taylor was very sad when he found out and said he would go to the best doctor to cure him.

 He couldn't bear to see Taylor sad, so he told her that he was fine, it was just a small problem and it would be fine in two days.

Tyler asked him if he was really okay?

Mr. Swift said it was all right.

 After examination, the doctor also said that there was no major problem. He was temporarily paralyzed and would be fine after a few days of rest.

Mrs. Andrea asked Taylor to stay in the hospital and take care of him and not run around.

Taylor took care of him for a long time and suddenly proposed to take him to Havana to watch a boxing match.

Mr. Swift didn’t want to agree at the time, but seeing Taylor in a bad mood, he couldn’t bear to agree and then followed Taylor to fly from Los Angeles, thousands of miles away, to Havana, the capital of Cuba. It felt like a dream.

“Mr. Swift, you are welcome to come to Havana to watch my game. I hope it will not affect your treatment.”

Link bent down, stretched out his hand and said.

 “It’s okay, there won’t be any delay.”

Mr. Swift reached out and shook hands with him. At the same time, he also looked at Link and found that he was wearing ordinary T-shirt jeans. He had a gentle temper and spoke politely. He did not look like a bad person.

 “Link, this is my assistant Emily.”

Taylor pointed to the girl pushing the wheelchair and said.

The woman in her twenties, wearing a casual dress, was on the phone. When she heard Taylor's introduction, she nodded to Link, then took the phone and whispered to Taylor: "It's Annie's call. She heard that you secretly brought Mr. Swift." Come to Havana and be very, very angry.”

 “Mrs. Andrea doesn’t know you are coming to Havana?” Link asked in surprise.

 “She was too busy, so I didn’t tell her.”

Taylor winked playfully and raised the corners of her mouth slightly. She took the phone and called out "Mom" carefully. An angry female voice immediately appeared on the phone, "Taylor, I asked you to take care of your father at home. You take him with you." Are you crazy about going to a foreign country to watch a boxing match?”

Taylor held the phone further away from his ear, waited for the sound on the phone to stop, and then said with a smile: "Mom, don't worry, I asked the doctor, and the doctor told me that dad's illness is mainly caused by psychological problems. It’s best to walk outside and get some sunshine. It’ll be fine in a few days.”

“What are you talking nonsense about? Your father is paraplegic and you want him to walk outside more?”

 The voice on the phone was hysterical.

Taylor covered her ears with her hands and handed the phone to Mr. Swift. "Dad, come and tell mom that you volunteered."

Mr. Swift spread his hands. How could I, a paraplegic, go out voluntarily? But this was his daughter's request, so he could only answer the phone and speak softly into the phone for a while.

Link saw the sweat on Mr. Swift's forehead and secretly sighed, it's not easy to be a man, and it's doubly difficult to be a man to a strong woman.

The group was delayed for a few minutes at the airport. Link drove Taylor, Mr. Swift, and his assistant Emily to the hotel. Since Mr. Swift and Emily were always by Taylor's side, no matter where she went, Emily had to keep up with her closely, and Link and Taylor didn't have many opportunities to be alone together.

  —

 (End of this chapter)