Chapter 14 Semifinal opponents
Wang Lei came to the Sadler Boxing Gym the next day and happened to see a San Francisco Chronicle at the door.
The San Francisco Chronicle, also known as the San Francisco News, is the largest newspaper in northern California and one of the largest newspapers in the entire United States. Wang Lei’s parents’ restaurant ordered this newspaper.
I picked up the San Francisco Chronicle and flipped into the sports page. I was surprised to see that there was a news about the reporter interviewing him yesterday.
"The Chinese boy who is about to participate in the All-American Bill Gloves Competition says he doesn't know Roy Jones Jr."
"Yesterday in the 'San Francisco Youth Boxing Competition', a sixteen-year-old Chinese boy named Ray Wang performed amazingly. He fought six times and KOs his opponent in six games. He averaged only thirty seconds. In the fifth game, he even beat his opponent to vomit with one punch, which shows how fierce his boxing power was. In an interview after the game, he not only expressed his confidence that he would reach the finals of tomorrow's game and win the lightweight championship, but also threatened to participate in the All-American Balcony Glove Competition held in October and win the lightweight championship again. When the reporter asked him about his lightweight championship at the same level as him, who won the All-American Youth Olympic Boxing Competition last year, and Roy Jones Jr., who will also participate in the All-American Balcony Glove Competition this year, Ray performed very disdain..."
Damn, why did I act very disdainful?
I obviously just said in a plain tone that "I don't know" Roy Jones Jr. OK?
Mr. Reporter, do your mother know that you are writing so randomly?
Wang Lei was very annoyed about the obvious way to write hatred by the reporter who interviewed him yesterday.
After being reborn in the United States for so long, I finally realized the integrity of American journalists. It turns out that there is no lower limit!
Simon Neil, brother remembers you!
Just now, Sadler also came over. Seeing Wang Lei's annoyed look, he couldn't help asking: "Lei, what's wrong? Who made you angry?"
"A very unconventional reporter!"
Wang Lei handed the San Francisco Chronicle to Sadler and told him what he was interviewed yesterday.
After reading the news, Sadler laughed and said, "Lei, this is a good thing, at least you are famous!"
Wang Lei said: "I don't want to be famous like this!"
Sadler said: "Since you have chosen boxing, there will be such a day sooner or later. American journalists are so unconventional. When you become a professional boxer and become a boxing champion, you will find that news reports like this are just pediatrics. As long as you have problems, these journalists will turn into bloodthirsty sharks and will not tear you apart or rest. So you'd better be mentally prepared and you will suffer in the future!"
“…”
Because of the competition, Sadler arranged for Wang Lei today not much training, which is not much different from warm-up. After the training, Cruise and Ouyang Ming also arrived.
The four set out together again for the Bay Stadium.
When he arrived at the Bay Stadium, Wang Lei unexpectedly discovered that not only did the audience more than three times more than yesterday, but even Bill had a conversation with several classmates from the school who came to support him.
I just saved it after asking. Today is the weekend and there are no classes in the school.
The weekend holidays are on, so there are so many more spectators coming to the Bay Stadium.
Bill and a few classmates came to the locker room and greeted Wang Lei, encouraging him to "come on", and returned to the audience. He did not dare to stay for too long, for fear of affecting Wang Lei's preparations.
Wang Lei waited in the locker room for almost half an hour. Without waiting for the notice of entering the game, he waited for the doctor and two recorders from the boxing competition organization to weigh Wang Lei again and check whether the hand guard bandages, boxing gloves, head guards, crotch guards and other protective gears meet the requirements.
Wang Lei was tossed for a long time, and after the doctor filled in all the data on a card, he was announced that he could enter the game.
After briefly moving his body, Wang Lei entered the field with Cruise and Ouyang Ming.
Since today's competition was a semi-final, there were only four of the boxers of the three levels left, so only three were arranged in the boxing ring.
Wang Lei came to the 130-pound lightweight ring. Today, his semi-final opponent was a black boy named James Hamm.
He is one year older than Wang Lei, weighs just 130 pounds, is 1.76 meters tall, but has an arm span of 1.85 meters. His first two days of boxing record was six games, six wins and two KOs.
There are only two KOs in six games, and the remaining four wins are points, which means that this black boy named James Hamm has a low fist weight and is good at scoring points.
Although such an opponent is not very threatening, it will be very troublesome if it is not done properly.
Because if he can't knock him down and he drags him to the end of the game, it's hard to say the outcome.
After all, this is an amateur boxing match, and the rules are a bit different from professional boxing matches. Not only do they only play three rounds, but they only have two minutes per round, and even if they are gently touched by a boxing glove that has no lethality, they can be considered a score.
According to the information found by Ouyang Ming and Cruise, this black boy Ham has a solid basic skills, quick footwork, flexible body skills, outstanding resistance to blow and willpower, and his jabs are also superb. He is also good at boxing champion Ali's "butterfly dance steps". His style in the ring is very stylish with boxing champion Ali's style, and he also has a nickname called "Little Ali".
It is said that many reporters and audiences present were optimistic that Ham could fight Wang Lei for three rounds and win the final points.
Wang Lei sneered at this, but Sadler did not dare to be careless. He repeatedly told Wang Lei to strengthen the rhythm of punching and not to be controlled by Ham. If Ham controls the rhythm of the game and drags it to the end of three rounds, he will definitely lose.
Therefore, as soon as the ringtone of the game rang, Wang Lei launched the attack first, punched the left hand directly with a heavy jab, and at the same time, he swung his right hand.
Three rounds, I will KO you in half a round!
With this idea, Wang Lei punched very fiercely, and he punched Xingyi Bengquan again.
However, Ham swung his head and his footwork skillfully slid backwards, avoiding Wang Lei's heavy jab. Then, without waiting for Wang Lei's backhand to swing his fist, his long left arm stretched out, and his fist stabbed Wang Lei's face like a cobra, preventing Wang Lei's backhand to swing his fist.
What a fast fist speed!
Wang Lei was shocked and was about to step forward and attack again, but he saw Ham slid backward again, then slid to the left, then slid forward again, and at the same time he punched another jab.
This step is indeed light and elegant, like a butterfly flying.
In addition, Ham's upper body and head were constantly shaking, and his long arms in front of him kept stabbing Wang Lei, and he stabbed Wang Lei seven or eight punches in just ten seconds. His fighting style and style were indeed very similar to Ali.
If it weren't for his fist being too light, Wang Lei's face would have been swollen.
Damn, your footwork is good, and your style is amazing like Ali? My footwork is not bad either. Although the jab and arm length are not as good as you, my fist is heavy enough.
You learn from Alibaba and Tyson. You have to see if you can persist for three rounds under my heavy blow!
What is Tyson's playing style?
There is a very vivid adjective - hide and seek.
Hiding and seeking is not just dodging, but relying on diving and constant shaking to avoid the opponent's long arms blocking, and rushing in at the same time, and bombarding the opponent with heavy punches in close proximity, knocking down the opponent in one go.
This style of play is the best way for short and short-armed boxers to fight tall and long-armed boxers.
At its peak, Tyson used this "hide and seek" style to defeat countless opponents with tall and long arms, which was a terrible sight.
It’s a pity that this style of playing requires flexible skills and quick reaction, otherwise it will not be able to get in.
In the later stage, Tyson gained weight, his flexibility and reaction speed decreased, and his "hide and seek" style was not as good as his peak. As a result, he was cracked and defeated by Lao Huo and Lewis one after another, and the more he got, the more miserable he became.
Wang Lei has seen many boxing videos from Tyson's peak in his previous life on the Internet, and is very familiar with Tyson's "hide and seek". Moreover, he has used this style of play several times when practicing with John Ramon and Bobby Li in the boxing gym, which made John Ramon and Bobby Li feel embarrassed.
Sadler said that his playing style is very similar to Joe Fraser, who is nicknamed "Joy Smoker".
Speaking of which, Joe Fraser's boxing style is indeed a bit similar to Tyson, but Tyson is much more fierce than Joe Fraser's playing style.
Wang Lei's body movement is four centimeters lower than Ham, and his body movement and footwork are also very flexible. The weight of the hook and punch is very heavy, so it is no problem to imitate Tyson's playing style.
So, when Wang Lei bent his body, bent his knees, his upper body almost parallel to the ground, and he couldn't shake left and right and forward, Ham's feeling suddenly became bad.
Four jabs were made in a row, either failing or passing by Wang Lei's head, which failed to stop Wang Lei's advance.
When Ham made the fifth jab, Wang Lei shook his body and spread Ham's long arm with his shoulders. His body had already rushed to Ham's face. His two fists, which had already been filled with strength, bombed Ham's face, left and right.
With a "bang", Ham avoided the first punch but failed to avoid the second punch. Wang Lei's right hand hook punch hit his left face, almost dislocating Ham's chin.
Ham felt something was wrong, and his steps slid back quickly, intending to distance himself from Wang Lei.
But how could Wang Lei follow his mind as he wanted, keep moving forward and keep following up.
Thanks to grandpa who forced him to practice footwork for at least half an hour every night, the straight-forward footwork of Xingyiquan made Wang Lei advance forward at such a rapid speed, like an arrow from the string.
As a result, Ham not only did not get rid of Wang Lei, but was forced to the edge of the rope and blocked by Wang Lei.
Ham, who was hit by Wang Lei's two heavy punches, was anxious, opened his arms and rushed forward, and actually hugged Wang Lei tightly.
Damn, how could I use this trick? Learn from Lao Huo!
Wang Lei was very depressed. He was so hugged that he could not punch and attack again. He had to wait until the referee came to separate them and then beat them again.
Using the "hide and seek" style again, Wang Lei once again broke through Ham's long arm and bombarded him in close proximity.
However, Ham, who had learned his lesson, opened his arms and rushed forward again, hugging Wang Lei tightly again.
Wang Lei felt like he was going crazy.
Ham's sweat glands seem to be very developed, with sweat all over his body and a strong smell. Although he was wearing a vest, his exposed arms still stuck a lot of sweat on Wang Lei's body, making Wang Lei very disgusted.
Wang Lei felt that he had finally experienced Tyson's feelings. No wonder Tyson bit Lao Huo's ear in anger.
It turns out that it is not because I am annoyed by the embrace, but because I am smoldered by Lao Huo's sweat.
Chapter completed!