Domination in America, Starting from being a Boxing Champion-Chapter 848 - 611: Championship Winner

After deciding to participate in this year's University Sports Competition, Link practiced boxing and also took time to practice shot put on the track and field.

In the school's internal selection competition held on Wednesday, Link's second throw in the first round reached 18.05 meters, breaking the school sports meeting record, only 1.73 meters short of the national record set by Ma Yongfeng in 1986, and 1.99 meters short of the Asian record.

This performance pleasantly surprised several shot put coaches.

Let him throw a few more rounds.

Link threw three more times, with the farthest personal record being 18.41 meters, which gave him a great chance to win a medal at the University Games.

After discussing, the coaches contacted the office of the University Games' track and field events and reported his results.

A day later, Link was taken by the head coach to a neighboring national training base for testing. The coaches from the sports department and track and field department were all there. If he could throw over 18 meters again, he would qualify for the University Games.

This time Link achieved 18.46 meters on his second throw, which was slightly better than the previous day's test result.

For an 18-year-old student, this performance is quite good, with tremendous potential.

The coaches encouraged him happily, urging him to continue training diligently and strive for better results.

Link asked the head coach of the shot put, Li Yabing, how much prize money he would get for winning the University Games and for setting an Asian record?

Coach Li Yabing wasn't sure because in Huaxia and even Asia, shot put is a weaker event. The Asian record is over three meters short of the world record, and in previous University Games, no one had won gold in shot put, so he couldn't give a precise answer.

However, according to the rules of the sports department, athletes who win medals in international competitions will receive corresponding rewards.

Based on the 2001 University Games standards, champions would be rewarded with 20,000, runners-up with 10,000, which is between the World Championships and Asian Games prize levels; including scholarships and corresponding subsidies, roughly 30,000 to 40,000 in total.

Link nodded upon hearing this and expressed that he would train seriously to win this prize money.

There's also a 20,000 prize for winning the boxing championship.

Earning these two sums of money could solve his pressing needs.

——

On Friday, Link flew to West River with Coach Zhao Liwei to participate in the National Boxing Championship, which also serves as a qualifier for the Olympic Games.

This means that boxers who perform well at this championship may have a chance to participate in the next round of Olympic qualification competitions.

There were 16 boxers who went to West River for the championship together.

Including from the same school, Zhang Xiaoping, an 81kg class boxer and the Olympic champion from 2008, along with 54kg Li Yang, 57kg Lu Hao, 60kg Yan Hur, 64kg Huang Yanchao, 75kg Li Jinlong, and so on.

The schedule for the National Boxing Championship is similar to the American Golden Gloves Tournament, the first round is elimination, with contestants drawing lots for their opponents, fighting in pairs until only six remain in each weight class.

In the 69kg category, Link advanced to the semi-finals with a record of 5 wins in the preliminary round.

In the quarter-finals, he drew Li Chao from the Anhui team, whose punches were heavy and had a solid build, a strong-looking man in his late twenties who seemed tough to bring down.

However, his technique was quite rough, with a messy fighting style and traces of mixed martial arts.

Link knocked down his opponent twice consecutively in the second round and finished the third round with a score of 23 to 8, winning by a large margin and smoothly entering the semi-finals.

In the semi-finals, he faced Shan Lin from the Shanxi Team, a tall and thin man, 26 years old, 189cm tall with a 192cm reach, a key member of the Shanxi boxing team.

He advanced into the semi-finals by using his long reach to defeat his opponents and was also considered a seed for the 69kg title.

Unfortunately for him, he met Link.

Link has faced many "long-armed freaks" in past matches, such as Klitschko with a 206cm reach, Anthony Joshua with 208cm, and Valuev with 213cm.

Dealing with this type of boxer isn't difficult.

Boxers with long arms have the advantage of a long striking radius, allowing them to hit their opponents without needing to move, which is an advantage.

The downside is that their punches are slower to both throw and retract, and the punching frequency is even slower.

For example, heavyweight boxers are usually taller than 180cm, bigger and with longer arms compared to lightweights.

In a fight, heavyweights throw about 130 punches per round on average, while lightweights can throw more than 200 punches per round.

This isn't a matter of talent, but a difference in body structure.

To deal with this type of boxer, first step back to increase the distance from the opponent, then dodge flexibly with the "Shake and Flash" during their attack, even without throwing punches, you can control the pace of the fight.

When the opponent retracts their punch, suddenly close the distance and use Upper Hook Punches to attack their chin.

Bang!

At 86 seconds into the first round, Link hit his opponent's chin with a Right Upper Hook Punch, delivering an explosive force of over 500 pounds. Even with a chin guard, the opponent was rocked back, his mouthguard ejected as he stumbled backwards and crashed onto the boxing ring.

"Good!"

Down below, Coach Zhao Li and several coaches and boxers from the Kyoto City boxing team loudly applauded, clapping their hands.

"Old Zhao, where did you find this Link?"

The Shanxi team's head coach asked with a sullen face.

"Haha, from Beijing Sports University, what do you think, is he fierce?"

Coach Zhao Liwei chuckled with a smirk.

"I heard he's only 18 this year, who taught him boxing? Is it a family tradition?"