Chapter 181: The Island Nation's Boxing Champion, Strategic Fall

After strolling around the sports center with Chen Xingyan, Cheng Yao noted that the United States had also brought their cheerleading squad along.

Those blonde, blue-eyed American matrons didn't possess much in the way of beauty; they simply gave off a rough, uninhibited vibe that fell far short of domestic beauties.

Wearing a uniform and twisting a slender waist—could anyone really withstand that?

It wasn't that foreign countries lacked pretty women; Cheng Yao personally favored mixed-race foreign beauties, as mixed heritage genuinely produced striking looks.

If given the chance...

As time passed, hordes of spectators flooded into the sports center, searching for their seats.

The cameras and other equipment on the ring were already fully prepared.

After Cheng Yao and Chen Xingyan rendezvoused with Chen Ruiyong, Lin Sujiao also rushed to the venue, though she had a pair of twin sisters in tow.

Lin Sujiao said triumphantly, "I met them on the street. They're traveling in Qinghai. By the way, which one is the older sister and which one is the younger?"

Ouyang Aili mischievously stuck out her tongue. "I'm the older sister, yo."

"Clearly I'm the older sister!" Ouyang Zhenli retorted impatiently.

Cheng Yao didn't show any unusual reaction. Ouyang Zhenli had a mole on her left buttock, while Ouyang Aili's mole was on the right; he had figured them out long ago.

Nevertheless, he played along, putting on an expression of great curiosity. "How did you two meet?"

"Miss Lin is very enthusiastic. May I ask who you are...?"

Ouyang Zhenli was quite professional; knowing that acting required commitment, she established a clear boundary with a single sentence, distancing herself from Cheng Yao.

Lin Sujiao smiled and introduced him. "His name is Cheng Yao. Handsome, right? He's also here to participate in the competition. Cheng Yao, I specifically recruited two cheerleaders for you to cheer you on. You should thank me."

"Indeed, we'll do our best," Ouyang Zhenli said, giving a small wave of her hand.

Ouyang Aili secretly blinked at Cheng Yao, maintaining a beaming smile. Playing along like this felt so thrilling and utterly fascinating.

She definitely wanted to play like this again next time!

"Then I truly thank you. You two aren't Chinese, are you?"

"No, we're of mixed heritage, but we are Chinese. I love it here and I don't like Island Nation," Ouyang Aili declared defiantly.

Chen Xingyan glanced at the twin sisters and remarked, "Mixed with Island Nation and Chinese blood—you really can't tell whether they're from the Island Nation or Chinese."

"Chen Xingyan, that's very impolite of you."

"My apologies."

Chen Ruiyong paid no mind to this exchange, turning instead to Cheng Yao. "The matches are about to start. Each bout is fifteen minutes. This match will be more than enough to make a name for yourself, so handle it as you see fit."

"Alright."

Chen Xingyan waved her hand. "I'll go with them to cheer you both on. Go ahead."

Armed with their tickets, Chen Xingyan, Lin Sujiao, and the others had long since chosen seats near the front.

Ouyang Zhenli and Ouyang Aili happened to be seated near the front as well. Since Cheng Yao had purchased the tickets, they were naturally located in an area with a clear view, allowing them to observe the action on the ring without obstruction.

"Sis, I honestly can't imagine it. Cheng Yao is actually going to fight in the ring."

"Didn't he say he practices martial arts? It's pretty normal, I suppose."

"Chinese martial arts? But he looks really skinny."

Ouyang Zhenli sighed helplessly. "That's lean muscle. It's not like you haven't experienced it yourself. Who is it that always gets left half-dead, crying and begging for mercy?"

Ouyang Aili muttered with a blushing face, "You're one to talk..."

How infuriating!

Bringing up something like that—such a cunning sister!

...

Inside the resting room backstage, the space was moderately sized at around twenty square meters, equipped with drinking water, a punching bag for warm-ups, and a scale.

Cheng Yao stepped onto the scale, registering right around seventy kilograms. There was a slight margin of error, but nothing of consequence.

At one meter eighty, seventy kilograms made him look very slender.

Though he appeared thin, his explosive power was high, his muscle density was different from ordinary people's, and his strength could not be measured by conventional standards.

After removing his shirt, Chen Ruiyong tossed over a pair of boxing gloves and said, "Here, these should be your size."

"Thanks."

"Do your best."

Cheng Yao took off his jacket, put on the gloves, and walked over to warm up, each punch striking the heavy bag with resounding thuds.

Behind him, Chen Ruiyong asked, "Cheng Yao, do you know the benefits of making a name for yourself?"

"Clueless."

"What do you think of our country's combat sports?"

"Pretty weak, I suppose. Other countries are very strong; take the Island Nation, for instance—they've cultivated over ninety boxing champions." Cheng Yao wasn't entirely ignorant and had a slight understanding of the field.

To speak bluntly that might sting, one could evaluate the domestic standard by looking at three professional categories: professional boxing, MMA, and kickboxing.

First, professional boxing: the comprehensive level of domestic professional boxing not only failed to reach the world's elite standard, but it hadn't even broken out of Asia yet.

In pan-combat sports, top fighters commanded the highest incomes, with a single match purse sometimes reaching as high as one hundred million US dollars. Whether you watched boxing or not, you could generally name a few world-class champions like Ali, Tyson, or Pacquiao.

So, what constituted a world boxing champion?

There were four major boxing organizations in the world: the WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO. Each organization had seventeen weight divisions, meaning theoretically, winning a world title in any division across the four major organizations qualified one as a world champion.

To date, the entire country had produced a grand total of three male world boxing champions, with only one active male world champion remaining.

Chen Ruiyong flashed a grin, revealing two rows of white teeth. "That's why this match is your chance to make a name for yourself. Elite fighters from various countries, including boxing champions from the Island Nation and the United States, are all here. Pummel them in the ring, and you'll blow up overnight.

Believe me, major media outlets will come looking for you, and it will have a massive impact on your company.

I've said all that needs to be said. You know what to do. Those Island Nation champions are disgusting—you could call it a national grudge. Whenever you catch one, beat him hard."

Cheng Yao glanced at him sideways, gave a slight nod, and continued his warm-up.

In truth, he had come to participate in this sort of competition purely to seek a bit of everyday excitement. Otherwise, with all his wealth, wouldn't it be more pleasant to travel and hang out with his girlfriends?

Yet ordinary life always required a bit of seasoning; a man had to do what a man had to do.

He wasn't claiming to make some noble contribution to the domestic sports industry, but beating up an Island Nation or American fighter was undeniably exhilarating.

Of course, that assumed one had the strength.

Otherwise, stepping up there would only result in making a fool of oneself and getting beaten to a pulp.

"Any good suggestions?"

"The most effective method is to fight in different weight classes—to cross weight divisions," Chen Ruiyong offered as his answer.

"Fighters who do that become legends in history, and there's no doubt they achieve fame. Because it's not just the live audience watching; major domestic corporations and combat organizations are all paying attention."

A moments later, Chen Ruiyong finished his warm-up and departed.

Cheng Yao sat on a stool, closing his eyes in weary boredom to rest, gradually gathering his focus and casting aside distracting thoughts.

His full-power punch could currently deliver nearly four hundred pounds of force. Combined with his comprehension of Jeet Kune Do, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he had surpassed Bruce Lee.

Therefore, he felt zero pressure regarding the match.

At that moment, a staff member knocked on the resting room door. "Mr. Cheng from the Jinling Martial Arts Association, you're up next. Please get ready."

"Understood."

Cheng Yao stood up and walked out. The staff member was startled by his youth, double-checking the registry sheet to confirm he was indeed nineteen years old.

To step into the ring at such a tender age—it certainly wasn't easy.

Meanwhile, in the Island Nation's section,

Island Nation boxing champion 'Koizumi Momonosuke' had finished his warm-up and was preparing to make his entrance.

His head coach joked, "Your opponent for this match is an unknown Chinese guy from the Jinling Association, and he's very young. When you fight him, make sure you don't beat him so badly he cries for his mommy."

"Heh, the Chinese are weak."

Boxing champion Koizumi Momonosuke stepped out of the resting room and headed toward the competition arena. Walking down the exclusive corridor amidst enthusiastic cheers, the ring came into view.

Dazzling neon lights illuminated the surroundings, dominated by a blue glow.

The ring was brightly lit, and the cheers of four thousand spectators in the surrounding stands electrified him; his fists were already itching to strike.

His portrait and profile appeared on the big screen: seventy kilograms. Koizumi Momonosuke raised both fists, striking a victor's pose as he scanned his surroundings.

He jogged onto the ring and looked toward the opposite side.

When Cheng Yao walked out, his display showed only basic information with no glorious titles to his name. The glaring lights momentarily dazed him, and as he looked at the ring, scenes of tournament bouts flashed through his mind.

He had never imagined that one day he would step onto this stage himself.

Surrounded by cameras, his handsome face appeared on the screens. The muscle contours of his bare upper body were exceptionally flawless, radiating an intense aesthetic of violence and formidable beauty.

He mounted the ring, his focus entirely locked in, as if the surrounding noise and cheers had nothing to do with him.

In the spectator seats, Chen Xingyan stared fixedly at the ring.

Lin Sujiao shouted at the top of her lungs, "Cheng Yao, you can do it! Go!"

"Go for it!" Ouyang Aili stood up and cried out adorably, the twin sisters drawing sideways glances from those around them.

A middle-aged man nearby asked curiously, "Young ladies, do you know him?"

"Yeah, he's our friend."

"This young man is so young. This must be his first time in the arena; I've never heard of him. His opponent is a powerhouse in the seventy-kilogram division, top-tier even across all of Asia. There's no hope for him."

Chen Xingyan glanced at the man and retorted, "You're writing him off before the match even starts?"

"His opponent is an Island Nation boxing champion."

"An Island Nation boxing champion isn't your father!" Chen Xingyan fired back unceremoniously, feeling thoroughly disgruntled.

The man offered an awkward smile, too polite to argue with her.

What did a girl like her know about combat sports!

Inside the ring, the referee was ready.

Koizumi Momonosuke looked at Cheng Yao with a frivolous smile, his body continuously twitching slightly as he tilted his head in a thoroughly punchable manner.

Cheng Yao simply stood there wearing his boxing gloves, perceiving the other's contempt and condescension. He sneered inwardly and looked toward the referee.

The referee hesitated for a fraction of a second, then signaled the start of the match.

Cheng Yao pushed off with his rear leg, instantly displaying explosive power, and followed up with a punch hurtling forward.

Boom!

Living up to his title, the boxing champion turned pale with shock, though he was no pushover. Regaining his reflexes just in time, he unleashed a combination punch in return.

Koizumi Momonosuke panicked internally; Cheng Yao's profile hadn't prepared him for this at all.

Hurryingly resorting to a defensive tactic, he fell backward onto the canvas as his coach rushed over to intervene.

Cheng Yao lowered his hands, stepped back, and flexed his knuckles.

Now, he had a clear grasp of a boxing champion's true strength.

***

Author's Note: Regular updates continue. The outline is mostly done, but sitting in front of the computer staring blankly tends to make me drowsy, haha. No dropping the series, don't worry.