Domination in America, Starting from being a Boxing Champion

The final result depended on Link's performance in the match.

If he panicked and lost, it would suggest that the two were messing around in the hotel.

If he won, it would indicate that Link was very talented, but their relationship would be questionable.

"Hahaha, Link, the publicity and hype you guys planned for this time are fantastic."

In the changing room of the Hung Hom Stadium, Link was getting ready, warming up before the match, when Eddie Hearn, the CEO of the sports company, strode in and showered him with praise.

Originally, not many people were paying attention to the match, and even if the organizers and the promotion company invested tens of millions in publicity funds, it only received a bit of attention in Asia, becoming a somewhat noteworthy sports event.

But since Link arrived on Hong Kong Island yesterday, the attention on this event soared.

Coupled with the rumors that started yesterday, phrases and headlines such as 'Link Hong Kong match,' 'Link vs Belrut match,' and 'WBA Light Heavyweight Championship' became hot search terms in the Asian region.

On Google, Baidu, Weibo, Yahoo, and other websites, searches for related terms skyrocketed many times over from two days ago.

There were more than 30,000 related news links and articles on various search sites.

The trending 'Link Hong Kong match' reached a staggering 8.5 million views on the Weibo platform, currently still holding a top three spot on the hot search list, with the number one being the scandalous rumor about Link and Chris Liu.

Because of this publicity, the previously little-known WBA Light Heavyweight Champion Belrut Shumenov also saw a massive increase in fame.

He gained a significantly higher profile in Asia.

Now, many people know through the news that Link's opponent for this match is the boxer Belrut from Kazakhstan.

In the world of boxing, just like in the entertainment industry, the more famous the boxer, the higher the appearance fee.

Because of this publicity stunt, even if Belrut lost the match, his appearance fee for the next match would rise significantly.

This is also why Eddie Hearn, knowing full well that Link was strong and could possibly take Belrut's WBA Golden Belt, still facilitated the match.

"Eddie, this isn't my publicity plan; you don't have to flatter me," Link said, wrapping himself in a towel to keep warm and taking a sip of water.

This date with Chris Liu was not something they intended to exploit for publicity; it was simply a date, unrelated to the promotion of the event.

He had already received an upfront fee of 35 million for the appearance, equivalent to a buyout for the match, so whether the profit was big or small, it didn't much concern him; the subsequent earnings might at most be a few million.

With not much to gain, he didn't need to exploit such matters for attention.

As he was aware, the reason this scandal was reported by numerous media in Asia was due to the pushing hands behind the scenes—organizers and betting companies—as well as the media joining the hype to earn traffic and sell news.

"Really?" Eddie looked at him with a smile that wasn't quite a smile, not quite believing this hype had nothing to do with him.

During the last match in London, Link also used his scandal with Emma Watson to make that match known to all of Britain, and even more than a month after the match ended, the media was still discussing the match and the scandal, keeping its popularity high.

And for this match in Hong Kong Island, Link once again used the same method to hype the match into a hot news topic in Asia.

This technique may seem simple and monotonous, but it's very practical; besides Link, no other boxer could use it because they lack the necessary conditions.

Firstly, Link is strong, both a World Champion boxer and a pop superstar in the world music scene, with his own base of fans; other boxers can't stir up such hype.

Furthermore, Link is handsome and extremely famous, beloved by girls from different countries, and all his rumored girlfriends are stars worldwide; other boxers don't have such appeal.

Lastly, Link himself is a playboy, unfazed by gossip or scandal; other boxers would be blasted by the fans as dog poo before even stepping into the ring, let alone have anyone watch their matches.

But Link has no such worries.

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Sometimes Eddie Hearn even suspects that Link has become a playboy, dating women from multiple countries also as a means of facilitating hype.

If it weren't for this, his international fame definitely wouldn't be so high, and his appearance fees for overseas matches would not have risen so quickly.

Understanding these points, Eddie Hearn admired Link even more in his heart.

As a hype master like Link, even if he didn't become a boxer, he could achieve great things as a boxing promoter.

"Hey, Eddie, what are you doing running over here from Beirut? Are you trying to use this method to help Belrut beat Link?"

Franco joked as he entered from the doorway.

"I'm not as underhanded as you think, I'm just here to ask Link if he has any plans to join the athletic room promotion, I can give him 50% of the company's shares plus a signing bonus of one hundred million, Link, want to consider it?"

Eddie Hearn said with a smile.

"Eddie, is it really appropriate to poach clients to their face like this?"

Before Link could answer, Franco shouted in dissatisfaction.

"I'm not poaching, I'm just considering Link's future. The American boxing scene has become very impetuous, with a scarcity of talent, leaving only a bunch of old fighters in their thirties and forties brawling. Apart from Link, there are no other outstanding young people.

And the British boxing scene has continuously produced many powerful and famous boxers from the last century to now, like David Haye, Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, and so on.

We, as insiders, also understand one thing: to reach the pinnacle of the industry, a boxer, besides being strong, needs a few formidable rivals.

Like Hoyle and Pacquiao, Mayweather, Hopkins... they all achieved greatness together.

What Link is most lacking now are a few formidable opponents. Young boxers like Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are just the right fit, so signing with the athletic room promotion would be more helpful to Link's future development."

Eddie Hearn spoke candidly.

Franco frowned, "Are you actually here to poach? Let's not even mention your claim that the American boxing scene has no one, which is itself wrong. Deontay Wilder, Andy Ruiz Jr., and Andre Ward are all very promising boxers.

And another thing, the most important thing, the top ten PPV revenue-drawing boxing matches all took place in the United States. If you want to make money, it's best to stay in the United States. So don't disturb Link here, let him prepare in peace."

"Hmph, American boxing only focuses on PPV revenue, not on discovering and cultivating talented boxers, and you have already gone astray. I bet that in twenty years, the center of boxing will inevitably return to Britain."

Eddie Hearn declared confidently.

"We'll talk about that in twenty years."

Franco contested.

Link listened to the conversation between the two without interjecting. With the help of his boxing assistant, he wrapped his hands with protective bandages and put on his boxing gloves.

"Alright, let's leave the signing matter aside for now, Link. I also came to deliver a challenge from Belrut. He's on good terms with Carl, and he says he's sure to teach you a lesson for Carl in the match, so better not to have weak knees when the time comes."

Eddie Hearn said jokingly.

"Don't worry, I won't."

Link clenched his fists in the gloves, his arms' muscles bulging tight.

"Go for it, Link! Take down the Light Heavyweight championship and become the number one boxer in the world."

Morales shouted loudly.

The coaching staff also cheered for Link unanimously.

Simon came over to remind them it was time to start the pre-match check. Link and Coach Brooks and others went to the venue for the weigh-in and to check the match equipment.

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