After returning to Chicago, Jason Luo immediately threw himself into training. Coach Brown collected and analyzed all available footage of Siham's fights.
Siham, 29 years old, stands 180 centimeters tall with a reach of 182. Nicknamed "Short Barrel," he's a well-known heavy puncher in the super middleweight division.
His fighting style is fierce and aggressive, his movement sharp and quick. Though not especially refined technically, he's incredibly durable, with seemingly endless stamina—clearly still in his professional prime. That's why he's managed to secure the challenger's position so solidly—and why David Morell has been reluctant to accept his challenge.
Siham's heavy punches are dangerous, but his combinations often lack rhythm and consistency—hence the nickname "Short Barrel." His more recent bouts show some improvement and flashes of explosive power, though those moments remain rare.
He currently holds a professional record of 25 wins, 1 draw, and 6 losses, with 23 of those wins coming by knockout—a remarkably high KO rate.
He moved up from middleweight two years ago, and most of his defeats came at the hands of top-tier opponents—Cotto, Golovkin, and Saunders.
From the footage alone, he looks every bit the tough brawler—dark skin, piercing eyes, a thick beard, and a chest so hairy it looks armored. The guy clearly isn't ordinary.
Coach Brown spoke slowly. "I've studied him carefully. He's hard to deal with. His quick movement and high tolerance for punishment make technical, evasive tactics ineffective. Last year, Tresswell tried fighting on the retreat, but Siham chased him down, landed a series of heavy shots, and ended it right there."
"This guy's got incredible stamina and recovers fast. The only option is to exploit his weak technical fundamentals and limited explosiveness—attack him head-on and break him down with pressure. But his heavy hands make that dangerous. It's practically a gamble."
Jason Luo thought for a moment. "Coach, maybe we should focus on the key moments from his losses. See how others managed to beat him."
Brown nodded. "I've already done that. Saunders is also a power puncher—fast hands, solid technique. His durability is a bit lower than Siham's, but his offensive volume let him control the fight. Even though Siham knocked him down twice, Saunders still took the win."
"As for Cotto—forget it. That man won through sheer toughness and willpower alone, trading blows the whole way. That's not a strategy I'd recommend."
"Golovkin had it the easiest—pure domination through both skill and power. His body hooks completely shut Siham down, ending the match in the second round."
...
In short, the conclusion was clear: fight fire with fire. Abandon the idea of winning on points. This battle had to be an all-out offensive war.
Coach Brown advised Jason to study Saunders' style—use fast, high-frequency punches to maintain pressure and force Siham on the defensive. That would reduce his already limited opportunities to counter. He also told Jason to strengthen his body hook training to boost his offensive power.
Jason added that he wanted to work more on his front-hand punches to fix his offensive gap.
Coach Brown was pleased with his mindset and fully agreed. The tailored training plan was finalized and immediately put into action.
Intense training resumed. Jason trained relentlessly—at the gym and even at home. He emptied the fine sand from his heavy bag, padded it with cloth, refilled it with soybeans, and practiced tirelessly to develop Penetrating Force.
During drills, he attached steel springs to his ankles to strengthen his legs. Every night, he spent an extra hour on stance training, focusing on weight transfer and ground-gripping technique...
He used every spare moment to grow stronger. The fight with Siham was critical. According to Coach Brown's analysis, Siham's strength was close to that of the reigning champion, David Morell. If Jason could defeat him, the path to the championship would already be half complete...
Two days later, Jason's father called. Grace had finally met her imprisoned father, Sean Sun. Upon hearing that his wife had died, Sun completely broke down—filled with regret and despair, he even tried to take his own life on the spot.
Thankfully, the guards intervened in time. After a long period of persuasion, he calmed down. When he learned that his daughter now lived with Henry Luo's family, had found a new home, and was preparing for her college entrance exams, he knelt to thank Henry Luo, expressing his full approval and gratitude.
Throughout the entire visit, Grace said nothing—she only wept silently. The police informed them that Sun had been behaving well in prison and had earned a reduced sentence, but he would still need at least twelve more years before release.
Before leaving, Sun once again begged Henry Luo to take good care of Grace and expressed his hope that Grace and Jason might one day become partners and support each other for life.
Hearing this, Henry Luo glanced at Grace and sighed deeply. "I can't control what happens between the children. Their future should be their own choice. When Grace's wedding day comes, we'll make sure to let you know in advance. Don't lose hope. Cooperate with the authorities and work toward early release. We'll be waiting for you. Grace, don't be stubborn—say goodbye to your father. Who knows when we'll visit again? Don't leave with regrets."
Grace looked at her biological father through tears. She opened her mouth but couldn't speak. After a long struggle, she finally managed to choke out, "Dad... I... I hate you... but..."
Those few words drained all her strength. She collapsed into Henry Luo's arms, crying uncontrollably.
Sun slapped himself repeatedly. "Grace, I was wrong! I'm no better than an animal! I've failed both of you! You're right to hate me! Forget about me—live well, study hard. From today, you're Luo Grace. You have nothing to do with me anymore..."
Seeing this, the police had to end the meeting early. They dragged Sun back toward his cell. Just before the door closed, Grace suddenly cried out, "Dad! I'll wait for you!"
...
The phone call with his father lasted half an hour. Jason said nothing throughout. Grace's fate was so much like his own—but hers was even more painful.
There was no good way to handle something like this. All they could do was endure it in silence—clenching their teeth and carrying the pain.
Jason finally said over the phone that if Grace wanted to stay longer in her hometown, she didn't need to rush back. The vacation was still long.
But Grace insisted that her wish had been fulfilled. She no longer wanted to stay in that place of sorrow and planned to return to Chicago immediately.
After hanging up, Jason felt a heavy weight in his chest. Grace was the type who looked gentle on the outside but was strong inside. She had endured so much hardship yet rarely spoke of it. The way she forced herself to smile only made his heart ache more.
Come back!
This is your warmest home.
Jason silently vowed that he would never let his sister suffer again. As for his father's suggestion—it left him uneasy. Grace had always been family to him. Could that really be called love?