Chapter 129: The riot at the press conference
There are many incidents in history that hardcore spectators of competitive sports go crazy because they are dissatisfied with the loss of the athletes and teams they support and trigger riot attacks.
Not only professional boxing, American football, basketball, football and other sports have experienced incidents where spectators go crazy and trigger riot attacks.
Among these sports, football is the most important. Arum still remembers the "Heisel Massacre" that occurred a few years ago in the European Champions League. It is said that 39 people died at the scene and more than 600 people were injured.
The most terrifying thing is the worst football violence in history that occurred in the 13th World Cup in 1969. Because the victory and defeat of the two football teams of El Salvador and Honduras not only caused fans to launch riots, but also continued to die innocent people, and even triggered war attacks, with the final death toll of as many as 3,000. El Salvador and Honduras also cut off diplomatic relations.
Although Arum does not think that boxing matches in Detroit will have as serious incidents as football riots, he is afraid of everything.
If it really happens, he will definitely be able to bear the consequences.
Arum wanted to object, but when he thought of the huge profits brought by 80,000 people buying tickets to enter the venue, he could never say anything about it.
Arum is an agent and boxing promoter who cares about his boxers, but he is still a businessman who values interests and is even more Jewish.
Marx said: If capital has 50% profit, it will take risks; if it has 100% profit, it will dare to trample on all laws in the world; if it has 300% profit, it will dare to commit any crime, or even risk being hanged.
If 80,000 viewers really buy tickets to watch the boxing match between Wang Lei and Hearnes, and the broadcasting costs of several cable pay TV companies, the profits will definitely be more than 300%.
Although Arum is not only about trampling on the law because of this, he takes risks but dares.
For the profits of Wang Lei and Hearnes' boxing matches, he is willing to take risks.
What's more, as Stuward said, boxing fans may not necessarily riot or cause violent attacks.
What if Wang Lei loses?
If Wang Lei is defeated by Hearnes, Detroit boxing fans will have no reason to riot!
Thinking of this, Arum made a decision and did not object to Wang Lei summoning the bodyguards, and went out to call Stuward. He agreed to the arrangement of the game at Ford Stadium in Detroit.
After determining the match date and location, Arum and Stuward held a press conference the next day.
The press conference is located in Casino Las Vegas.
More than 300 journalists from media across the United States rushed to Las Vegas. After learning that Wang Lei was going to play a middleweight defending game with Hearnes on November 30, and the game was in Detroit, the hometown of Hearnes, and was excited.
"Wang, why did you agree to go to Detroit to play against Hearnes? Don't you know that Detroit is the capital of crime and the highest crime rate in the United States?"
The first question was a reporter from the Los Angeles Times, who was obviously directed at Wang Lei.
The reporter's question aroused Hearnes' dissatisfaction. Anyone who hears someone say that his hometown is a city of crime will be dissatisfied.
Even if people are telling the truth.
However, the reporter did not take Hearnes' dissatisfied eyes to heart at all, and he was too lazy to look at him. He just stared at Wang Lei and waited for Wang Lei to answer the questions.
As for Stouward, who was also born in Detroit, sitting there expressionlessly, it seemed that he had not heard a question from a reporter from the Los Angeles Times.
Wang Lei glanced at Hearnes, coughed dryly before answering: "I went to Detroit to compete with Hearnes, and I will come back as soon as the game is over. Whether the crime rate in Detroit is high or not does not matter to me!"
The Los Angeles Times reporter asked: "Aren't you worried about encountering criminals and gang members in Detroit? I heard that there are tens of thousands of violent crimes in Detroit every year!"
Hearns's face looked even worse when he heard this.
Wang Lei replied: "I am not afraid of criminals and gang members. Don't forget that I am the boxing champion, and I have bodyguards. My bodyguards have gun certificates!"
A reporter from the Los Angeles Times wanted to ask again, but the press officer did not give him a chance and called another reporter to ask a question.
It was coincidentally called that Simon Bell, a reporter from the San Francisco Chronicle, only heard him ask: "Wang, I heard that boxing fans in Detroit regard Hearnes as a hero or idol worship. If you defeat their idol in front of them, aren't you afraid that they will riot and will you not be able to return to San Francisco?"
Hernes's already dark face suddenly became even darker.
Wang Lei glanced at Hearns with a little amusing and replied: "I believe that Detroit boxing fans should not be so irrational. But if they are really so irrational and riot just because I defeated Hearns, I will have the ability to escape safely. Last year, I played against Duran in Panama City. Wouldn't I return home safely?"
"but……"
Simon Bell wanted to ask again, but as soon as he spoke two words, he was suddenly interrupted by Hearnes snatching the microphone and saying, "No, the things you are worried about will never happen. Do you know why? Because I will defeat Wang Lei, as long as I defeat Wang Lei, there will be no riot!"
Simon Bell was stunned for a moment, then secretly rejoiced in his heart, and asked, "What do you mean, if you defeat Wang Lei, there will be no riots. If you lose to Wang Lei, the riots will happen?"
"You..." Hearnes didn't expect that Simon Bell would be so rebellious with the generals. He was so angry that he almost wanted to hit someone.
But he still remembered that this was a press conference, suppressing his impulse, just pointing at Simon Bell and said, "You are making trouble, I refuse to answer any questions you have!"
I didn't ask you at all!
Simon Bell muttered in his heart, and was about to ask Wang Lei again. But the press officer chose another reporter from another media.
This reporter is a reporter for the New York Times.
The New York Times had a bit of a feud with Wang Lei because of Ben Westson, and basically would not face Wang Lei. But the reporter didn't know whether he wanted to provoke a conflict or something, so he actually asked Hearns: "Hearns, how could you think you could defeat Wang Lei? You should know that Wang Lei defeated Leonard and Barkley, but you were defeated by these two one after another?"
Hearns' black skin twitched, and he said angrily: "The boxing game cannot be calculated like this. Otherwise we won't have to play again. Barkley defeated me just an accident. I will easily defeat him in another game. As for Leonard, he was only twenty-five years old when he defeated me, and his strength was at its peak, and when he lost to Wang Lei, he was already thirty-three years old..."
A reporter from the New York Times interrupted Hearnes and said, "Are you saying Leonard old? But you seem to be 31 years old, only two years younger than Leonard. Don't you think you are older too? You must know that Wang Lei is only twenty years old!"
Hearing this, Hearns glared at the reporter with murderous look and gritted his teeth, and replied: "My strength is at its peak, it's still too early to grow old!"
The press officer found something was wrong and quickly named another reporter and asked a question.
The reporter named was from the Chicago Tribune. He only asked with malicious intentions: "Mr. Hearnes, can you stop the Detroit boxing fans rioting?"
Hearnes said angrily: "They riots have nothing to do with me. Why should I stop them?"
The reporter said: "I mean, if you don't deny, you will lose to Wang Lei?"
"Who said I would lose to Wang Lei!" Hearnes was so angry that he cursed: "Is there shit in your mind? Will you talk to you?"
Hearns suddenly swears, which caused an uproar among the reporters below.
The reporter of the Chicago Tribune who angered Hearnes looked excited and didn't care about being scolded at all. He continued to provoke: "Then why did you ask Wang Lei to go to Detroit to compete with you? If you don't go to your hometown city, do you have no confidence in defeating Wang Lei?"
Hearns was so angry that his eyes were bulging, but before he could retort, Steward answered for him: "You misunderstood, this reporter, I proposed the game in Detroit. I just wanted Hearns to contribute a wonderful game to boxing fans in our hometown city to stimulate Detroit's economic downturn in recent years. There is no other purpose!"
Stuward was not an ordinary person, and his eloquence was comparable to Hearnes. Seeing him speak, the reporter of the Chicago Tribune couldn't ask anything else, so he sat down unwillingly.
The press officer named a reporter again to ask a question.
The reporter was from the Boston Tribune. He ignored Hearnes and asked Wang Lei: "Wang. Are you confident of defeating Hearnes?"
"certainly!"
"How many rounds do you think you can beat him?"
"Ten rounds at most!"
As soon as this sentence was spoken, Hearns became angry again. He suddenly stood up and glared at Wang Lei and said, "Yellow boy, what did you say?"
When Wang Lei was immediately displeased when he heard what Hearns called him, he stood up and glared: "I defeated you in at most ten rounds, what's wrong?"
Hearns said angrily: "Ten rounds, yellow boy, I can beat you in just five rounds?"
Wang Lei looked disdainful: "Who can't brag? If you really have the strength, you can still defeat a garbage boxer like Barkley?"
The unlucky Barkley was shot while lying down.
Hearns rushed to Wang Lei and pressed his head against him, "Yellow boy, do you have the will to say it again?"
Wang Lei slapped Hearnes' head away: "Stay away from me, do you know if you have bad breath?"
Hearns couldn't bear it anymore, and swung his right hand and punched Wang Lei in the face.
Wang Lei reacted very quickly and lowered his body, avoiding the punch, and at the same time punched Hearnes in the stomach.
Because he was a naked fist, the impact was comparable to that of boxing gloves, Hearns was beaten to the point of bent down.
Fighting early!
The media reporters in the audience were all very excited and kept pressing the camera shutter to take pictures, and the flash was flashing constantly.
Both Arum and Stuward's agents both changed their faces and hurriedly instructed the security guards present: "Hurry, stop them..."
A security guard closest to him rushed over, but was punched by Hearnes who was straightened.
Then he heard a "bang" sound, and Hearns, who had just knocked the security guard away, was punched in the face by Wang Lei, and fell down on the spot.
The scene suddenly became even more chaotic! (To be continued.)
Chapter completed!