章 103: Chapter 103: Breaking Records
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"Mr. Link Baker, congratulations on becoming the WBA world champion. How do you feel right now?"
After the match, a group of reporters from TV stations and newspapers surrounded Link below the ring.
"Feels great, I'm very excited," Link said, draping the gold belt over his shoulder and wiping sweat with a towel.
"Mr. Baker, did you think you would defeat Mikkel Kessler and become the world champion before the match?" asked a reporter from the American Express.
"Of course, I said earlier that the world champion's gold belt was mine," Link loudly declared to the media cameras.
"Mr. Link Baker, you promised to KO all your opponents within 100 seconds before the match. However, it took you exactly 100 seconds to knock out Mikkel Kessler. Do you think that although you got the gold belt, your plan failed?" a reporter from USA Today asked sharply.
"100 seconds?" Link thought it took longer than 100 seconds. Realizing it was exactly 100 seconds, he shrugged and said, "Sir, you should know Mr. Mikkel Kessler is a very formidable boxer. His strength exceeded my expectations, and during the match, I had to give it my all. Yes, I gave my all to defeat him. Personally, I'm quite satisfied with defeating him in 100 seconds and don't see it as a failure."
"Mr. Link Baker, now that you are the WBA super middleweight champion, what's your next plan? Will you go after other gold belts?" asked a reporter from Ring Magazine.
"Of course, I said I would unify the super middleweight gold belts of the four major organizations, and I will keep my word."
With the WBA gold belt, it would be easier to get the other belts. By having the promotional company contact the holders of the other three belts, a few unification fights could be arranged. The winner would take all four belts, similar to the fight between Mikkel and Calzaghe.
After the WBA super middleweight title fight, the other three organizations' matches would be held within the next six months. Link could directly challenge the champions of the other organizations and win the other belts.
"Mr. Link Baker, we heard that you privately accepted a match with Tyson. Do you have confidence in defeating him?" asked a reporter from the Miami Herald.
"I'm not sure. Mike is incredible. He's a legend in the boxing world and one of my idols. So, I don't know if I can beat him, but I will do my best to defeat him and pay my respects to him," Link said, clenching his fist.
As he answered this question, the reporters on site were astonished. Link was going to fight the recently returned Tyson? A super middleweight boxer against a former heavyweight champion? When did this happen? Why didn't we know?
Sensing a big news story, the reporters quickly bombarded Link with questions about his fight with Tyson.
Link answered a few questions before leaving the arena with his coaching team.
Afterward, the Dynasty Promotions Company hosted a grand celebration party at the Hilton Beach Hotel, inviting all the notable figures present at the event.
The party was attended by mogul Mr. Thom, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, Sports Committee Chairman Avery Brundage, WBA Association President Gilberto Jesús Mendoza, Anderson Gyllenhaal, Raphael Varane, Coach West, Coach Brooks, James, Michael, Reggie, and many others.
Link, following Franco, met Mr. Thom, who praised him and mentioned his eldest daughter Ivanka. Mr. Thom said she was recording a reality show in New York and would have attended the match otherwise.
In 2008, Mr. Thom's net worth was $1.8 billion, ranking 689th on the Forbes global list, making him a bona fide mogul with high prestige in both political and business circles.
Seeing Mr. Thom being so close to Link, the other guests became even more enthusiastic towards him.
Shortly after the party, Franco cheerfully approached Link.
"Guess how much our company earned this time?" Franco said, sitting on a beach chair and sipping a cold watermelon juice.
"Five million?" Link gave a rough estimate.
"Haha, the total revenue was nearly 7 million dollars: 3 million from HBO broadcasting fees, over 2.2 million from ticket sales and nearby hotel revenue sharing, 1.1 million from advertising, and about 500,000 from other sources. Take a look."
Franco tossed a document to Link. Glancing through it, Link wasn’t adept at reading financial statements but trusted the accountants and asset managers to handle it.
"So, after deducting costs, we only earned a couple of million?" With the hosting rights costing 2 million and over 3 million spent on promotion and advertising, the net income was around 2 million.
"Two million isn’t a small amount. For a new company like Dynasty Promotions, making 2 million on our first major event is impressive. When I told my father, he sighed deeply. I heard it took him almost ten years to make his first million," Franco laughed heartily.
Link shook his head. Old Duva entered the boxing world in the fifties when inflation wasn’t severe, and a million back then was worth more than ten million now. Besides, Franco was right; Dynasty Promotions was a new company, and there were many issues during the promotion process.
For example, the promotion wasn’t thorough enough. Many boxing fans said they only knew about the final in Miami after the match ended. If they had known earlier, they would have gone to support, and the 40,000-seat venue wouldn’t have had empty seats.
"Do you think we made too little? I have good news. Just now, the vice president of Thom International called and wants to buy the rights to your match with Tyson for 8 million."
"Eight million?" Tyson, who came out of retirement in 2020, fought Roy Jones Jr., and the prize money for that match was reportedly 20 million. Three years after retirement, fighting me, a super middleweight rising star, and 8 million seems a bit low?
"Besides Thom International, five other companies are in contact with us. Conservatively, the prize money for this match won't be less than 10 million."
Franco smiled, holding up a finger.
Link shrugged, "You're the CEO, it's your decision. I have no opinion."
"Alright, I’ll negotiate with a few companies. Expect good news."
Franco finished his watermelon juice, grabbed his documents, and left in a hurry.
Link turned over, laying under the sunshade, and continued reading the newspaper.
In the past two days, media coverage of the match was extensive, even more than the days following the Olympics. The key points of the reports about him were threefold:
First, he won the championship title at 20 years and 4 months old, becoming the youngest super middleweight champion in WBA history.
Second, he was the fastest to become a world champion in boxing history. The New York Post claimed he was the first and only one to become a world champion in just 400 seconds.
Initially confused about where the 400 seconds came from, Link understood after reading the article. The reporter had done some addition. From the start of his career, he participated in 11 professional matches with durations of 6.1 seconds, 4.8 seconds, 5.3 seconds, 9.2 seconds, 7.5 seconds, 5.8 seconds, 21 seconds, 42 seconds, 98 seconds, 91 seconds, and 100 seconds, totaling approximately 390 seconds, just under 400 seconds.
Onlookers were amazed by this number, exclaiming that Link was incredibly fast, becoming a world champion in 400 secondsâ€"a legend.
The third piece of news was about the records he set in this match. Although he didn't break Shannon "The Cannon" Briggs's record of seven matches, Link set several boxing records.
For instance, he ended six consecutive matches within 10 seconds; seven consecutive matches within 30 seconds; 11 consecutive matches within 101 seconds; 11 consecutive professional matches with first-round KOs; and he won the shortest world championship match.
Ring Magazine stated that apart from Link himself, no one could break these records.
Besides these three pieces of news, there was a controversial topic online about the 100-second discussion.
Before the match, Link said he would defeat all opponents within 100 seconds, but in the last match, he didn't achieve that. The match lasted 100.67 seconds, rounding up to 101 seconds.
The focus of online discussion was whether Link was just all talk.
Some said that strictly speaking, Link didn't succeed since he missed by a second, making him a loudmouth.
Others argued that Link said 100 seconds, and 100.67 is still 100 seconds, so it doesn't count.
Debating this single second, netizens wasted countless seconds.
"Link, a customer called wanting to dive. It’s a booking from over a month ago. Do you want to take the order?" James called from the door.
"Are you joking? I’m a freshly crowned world champion, and you want me to teach diving?" Link joked.
"So, should I refuse him?"
"Never mind, invite him over. I want to swim in the sea too."
Link put down the newspaper and stretched his shoulders.
Thanks to the reader "sadness Mo Yan" for the reward, thanks.
(Chapter ends)
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