Though Jason Luo appeared relaxed when he agreed, he actually took Tomio very seriously. The man known as the Little War God was no ordinary fighter—he possessed first-tier strength. Even a slight lapse in focus could cost Jason the match...
Coach Brown watched the footage with him, analyzing each segment in detail. "Look here—Tomio's left jab is a real problem. It's sharp and powerful. Gruev spent almost the entire fight struggling against that jab. Luckily, Gruev has an excellent sense for timing; he managed to knock Tomio down twice. Without those knockdowns, he would've lost on points for sure."
"Now pay attention to this part. Tomio has two modes in a match. When his opponent presses hard, he keeps a tight guard to defend. But most of the time, his arms hang naturally at his sides—essentially giving up defense altogether."
"Jason, you have to be careful. Fighters who dare to fight like that usually have incredible Dodge & Anticipation skills. With their hands lowered, their punches come from outside your main line of sight, making them far harder to predict. You'll need to get used to this kind of rhythm. I've already arranged sparring partners who specialize in this style."
"One last thing to note—watch this frame! Tomio's rear-hand punch isn't particularly heavy, but he's always storing up energy. See? While throwing his jab, his back hand stays tense, not swinging naturally. Once he spots an opening, that rear heavy punch follows immediately. But it's only that one big hit—he can't follow up because he has to recharge again..."
Jason Luo became fascinated by Tomio's fighting style. It was unorthodox and clever, sparking all kinds of new thoughts about boxing.
Human creativity is limitless. Even in a sport as seemingly straightforward as boxing, countless fighting styles have emerged—it was truly impressive.
Jason's Dodge & Anticipation wasn't his strong suit, so that hands-down, pure evasion style wasn't something he could imitate right now. But Tomio's power-charging technique caught his attention—it looked practical and worth trying.
After summarizing the analysis, Brown turned to strategy. "Jason, you're not a rookie anymore. Tell me what you think. How should we deal with Tomio?"
Jason studied the video, thought for a moment, then said, "That lead jab of his is trouble, and his evasion is sharp. A conventional positional fight won't work. I think I'll need to take an unpredictable approach—catch him off guard. As for his charged rear punch, I think I can take it. It doesn't seem like a real threat to me."
"Hah, now you're thinking like a seasoned fighter," Brown said with a grin. "That's exactly right. We'll need to fight smart and fight hard if we want to win. Remember this, kid: being a champion only means status—it doesn't mean invincibility. Different styles create different outcomes. You must always keep a sense of respect for every opponent you face."
Jason nodded. He'd already learned that lesson. In boxing, you couldn't simply compare names or titles. David Tua was still just an intercontinental champion, yet Ruiz—whom Tua had once knocked out with a single punch—went on to claim two world titles. Things like that happened all the time in boxing.
Ultimately, victory came down to who was in better form that night, who had the more targeted strategy, and who was better prepared. That was what made boxing so captivating.
Then began the grueling, targeted training. Jason had to adapt to Tomio's unique style before building a strategy that fit his own strengths.
As he sparred with his new partners, Jason realized the advantages of the hands-down stance. First, punches came from below, making them harder to predict—but also riskier, since they left his own jaw exposed. He had to focus on protecting that area.
Second, the lowered hands naturally guarded the ribs and abdomen while helping with balance and evasive movement. There were definite advantages to it...
While Jason focused on training, news of his upcoming fight with Tomio stirred heated debate outside.
Some critics said he was being reckless—risking his hard-earned title shot by taking on Tomio at such a critical time was madness.
Others argued that Jason was simply ambitious—that he aimed to crush every top contender in the super middleweight division to establish absolute dominance.
Opinions were divided, but more and more fans were siding with Jason. Nobody was calling him an overrated fighter anymore, or predicting he'd be knocked out in two rounds. Without realizing it, Jason Luo had already cemented his status as a true elite contender in the eyes of boxing fans.
Some passionate fans, after reviewing the super middleweight division, noticed that among the new generation, only Jason Luo and WBO fighter Carl Frazier were rising the fastest. They began chanting a new slogan—the "Twin Stars," recognizing Jason and Carl as the two brightest talents of their era.
Golden Boy Promotions' Oscar De La Hoya, with his sharp business instincts, seized the opportunity and publicly announced the prearranged fight between Jason Luo and Carl Frazier. The news sent shockwaves through the boxing world.
Given the current situation, the match scheduled four months later had a strong chance of becoming a title unification bout. Whoever won would hold both the WBA and WBO Gold Belts—already carrying the aura of a true super middleweight king. And if they went on to claim the IBF and WBC titles after that... it would be monumental.
As soon as the announcement went public, Rod stormed in furiously. "Damn it, kid! I was wondering why you were so interested in Carl's every move—it turns out you two already had a deal! Why didn't you say anything sooner? Now Golden Boy Promotions has announced it first and made us look passive!"
"Uh... Mr. Rod, I'm really sorry. Please, don't be mad. The agreement was made before I signed with the company—it was a personal matter and doesn't violate any rules. As for what happened after... I honestly didn't expect Carl to rise this fast. Things got way beyond what I anticipated..."
Rod exhaled sharply, then waved it off. "Forget it. Who made the announcement doesn't really matter. Heh, actually, this might be a blessing in disguise. The impact is huge. If everything goes smoothly, this could reshape the entire super middleweight division. Jason, go for it! This is your big opportunity!"
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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