Boxing God-Chapter 243: The Battle for the Crown (Part One)

Everything proceeded according to standard protocol. With the referee’s command, the long-awaited championship bout officially began!
Both fighters immediately rushed to claim the center of the ring, clashing in a brief exchange right from the start.
David Morell’s thoughts were clear: I’m the reigning champion—how dare a rookie try to pressure me with an aggressive offense?
But Jason Luo had no intention of showing this so-called champion any respect. From the opening bell, he attacked with full force, skipping the usual probing phase altogether. There was no need for that. Whether the attack landed or not—he would keep pressing forward. Retreat was not an option.
Still, there was a reason Morell wore the champion’s belt. His lead hand was tight and disciplined, blocking every path forward. Jason Luo’s feints and sidesteps had little effect. The man was cunning—no matter how Jason moved, he wouldn’t bite.
Morell didn’t rush to counter. Instead, he fired quick straight combinations, front and back. He wasn’t aiming to hit—only to maintain distance and keep Jason from closing in. A cautious but effective strategy.
That caution suited a champion, but Jason Luo, as the challenger, couldn’t afford to play it safe. Realizing a direct charge wouldn’t work, he switched to lateral movement, circling in to close the distance.
Morell had anticipated this. He knew Jason Luo favored this approach—and his counter was simple: move when he moves, never stay still.
The two began circling each other, both attacking and defending with rapid exchanges, the rhythm so fast that the fight quickly reached a stalemate.
Jason Luo was eager to seize control, but it wasn’t easy. Morell had a solid foundation, having once earned an Olympic bronze medal for Italy. In long-to-mid-range exchanges, he was textbook-perfect—every move by the book.
His defense was airtight, too, especially against Jason Luo’s rear hand. He gave no openings whatsoever.
Jason Luo quickly realized that continuing at this distance only worked in Morell’s favor. He had to find a way in.
Mid-step, he suddenly stopped, using a jab to cover his advance as he lunged forward into Morell’s space, his rear hand cocked and ready.
But Morell wasn’t about to let him in that easily. The moment he saw Jason trying to engage up close, he reacted instantly—locking him in a clinch, pressing down hard on Jason’s neck, and striking his ribs with short, sneaky shots.
Pinned and forced down, Jason could only throw blind hooks upward, but with no leverage and no visibility, they lacked impact. The two entered a tense, tangled clinch.
That was the clever part of Morell’s strategy. A passive clinch might draw a referee’s warning, but this semi-active one—part holding, part punching—was perfectly legal. Experience at work.
Still, the crowd wasn’t impressed. Booing rippled through the stands at Morell’s tactics, but as long as it stayed within the rules, the referee couldn’t intervene.
In the front row, Carl leaned toward De La Hoya. “Both of them are adapting fast. Let’s see if that kid can break the deadlock.”
Hoya nodded. “Yeah. He’s one of the best young fighters I’ve seen—great conditioning, sharp awareness, and a complete skill set. What do you think, feeling the pressure yet?”
Carl chuckled. “I’ll admit he’s improved a lot, but if that’s all he’s got, I’m not worried. Still, it’s early. Hopefully Morell can force him to show his hand.”
“Oh? So you already think the kid’s going to win? Why’s that?”
“I fought him a year ago. His biggest weapons aren’t technique but raw strength and willpower. Morell might have a small technical edge, but his rear-hand power is weak—that’s his fatal flaw. If he can’t suppress Jason Luo, he’s doomed eventually.”
Hoya laughed. “Right on point! I agree. Honestly, this fight was never much of a mystery. What I really want to see is how this kid breaks free from the clinch.”
As they spoke, Jason Luo made his move. Still trapped under Morell’s arm, he suddenly yanked backward, pulling Morell’s balance forward. Then, in a flash, he ducked low and exploded upward with a blazing uppercut that crashed straight into Morell’s chin!
The impact broke the clinch. Morell stumbled backward, and Jason seized the opening. He charged forward in a storm of punches—each faster and heavier than the last. Morell, off balance and without footing, could only retreat under the assault.
But even as he backed up, Morell wasn’t passive. After dodging a rear-hand strike, he braced through Jason’s jab and tried the same clinch trick again, reaching for his neck.
Nice try.
Jason suddenly braked, ducking under his arm to slip to Morell’s left. A backhand hook crashed into Morell’s ribs. Grimacing from the blow, Morell raised his guard, and Jason immediately pressed forward with another furious combination.
After several failed clinch attempts, panic began to flicker in Morell’s eyes. Damn it! This kid’s nothing like the one who fought Tomio! If I can’t control the close range, I’m finished!
Desperate, he launched a wild counterattack, trying to push Jason back. But Jason had been waiting for this moment. With a fierce shout, he activated his Intermediate Offensive Title, forcing through the punches without yielding an inch.
This was Morell’s worst nightmare. Close-range exchanges weren’t his strength, and his durability couldn’t match Jason’s. After only a few traded blows, he was already buckling. He lunged to clinch again, but Jason had learned his lesson.
Reading the move instantly, he shifted his stance back just as Morell reached out—causing him to grab at empty air. In that heartbeat of confusion, Jason unleashed two quick diagonal hooks that rattled Morell. As soon as he saw him falter, Jason followed up with a wide swing aimed at the head.
Fortunately for Morell, his instincts and years of experience saved him. Though dazed, he covered up tightly, blocking the worst of the impact and surviving the onslaught.
He wasn’t knocked down, but everyone watching could see it—the tide had turned. Once Jason Luo broke Morell’s clinch tactics, the champion had nothing left to counter his inside game. If this continued, defeat for Morell was inevitable.
The crowd roared, sensing victory. Waves of cheers from Jason’s supporters filled the arena. But time wasn’t on his side—just as Jason was closing in, the bell rang.
Round one was over. David Morell had barely escaped.