Just then, the bell rang, signaling the start of the third round. Jason Luo stomped his foot in frustration. What a perfect chance! Too bad he hadn't seized it. His rear heavy punch just wasn't powerful enough after all!
On the sidelines, Raul and Tony Huo lit up with excitement when Jason's rear heavy punch finally smashed into Jonathan's head. Jason's sudden brake-and-counter was sharp and instinctive, surprising even Raul.
But Jason's follow-up combos lacked bite. Instead of layering his offense from different angles, he just threw wild left and right swings. That predictable attack let Jonathan hang on.
Raul grew anxious and shouted from below, "Hook! Hit him with a hook to the body! An uppercut works too..."
But in the heat of the fight, Jason didn't hear him. When the bell rang again, Raul and Tony could only look at him with deep regret.
Back in his corner, Raul noticed Jason's discouragement and quickly spoke up. "It's fine, Jason. That guy just got lucky. You fought well that round and already found his weakness. There's still one more round—we've still got a chance. But your combos are too predictable. Mix in some body hooks and uppercuts, and he won't be able to defend."
Jason thought back and realized Raul was right. In his eagerness to score a knockout, he'd completely forgotten about the hook. Still too little ring experience!
What he regretted more, though, was not putting more points into Cross Power in the second round. If he had, maybe that one punch would've floored Jonathan...
No more holding back. Jason made up his mind. He dumped both of his remaining free attribute points into Cross Power. With only one round left, the only path to victory was a knockout!
As soon as the points were allocated, a cool, refreshing sensation swept through his body, almost making him groan out loud. But the worry quickly returned. Sure, his Cross Power was now stronger—but Jonathan wasn't about to make the same mistake twice. How could he create another opening?
The rest period flew by. The fourth round began.
Jonathan, who had been rocked by Jason's rear heavy punch the round before, actually came out more aggressive. In his mind, Jason's so-called heavy punch wasn't much of a threat. Since that was the case, he'd punish this kid properly. Hah, a Chinese boxer? Let's see if he can really fight. What a joke!
Eager to recover the face he'd lost, Jonathan opened the round with a barrage of punches, not giving Jason any chance to close in. His jabs kept landing clean, and the fight looked like it was sliding back to how things were in the first round.
Jason refused to back down. With his Punch Speed boosted, his counterattacks began to land. Still, his Boxing Technique and ring experience lagged behind, leaving him on the defensive. Worse, Jonathan was fixated on watching his rear hand, shutting down Jason's newly empowered heavy shots before they could connect.
The seconds kept slipping away. Jason's heart pounded with urgency—if this kept up, he was doomed to lose. Jonathan struck with a sharp one-two jab, then snapped in a straight right before quickly pulling back to reset the distance...
That's when Jason remembered something he'd discussed with Reches: Jonathan had a clear rhythm he liked to follow. Maybe he could use that against him.
No time to hesitate. Jason deliberately dropped his guard, inviting Jonathan to attack. Jonathan took the bait instantly, stepping in with another jab to set up his offense.
Jason went all in, abandoning defense completely. He ate the two jabs square to the face, and Jonathan, grinning with satisfaction, naturally followed with another straight right.
Now!
Jason slipped low, ducking under the punch exactly as planned. At the same moment, he unleashed the rear heavy punch he'd been holding in reserve, driving it full force into Jonathan's abdomen. The impact was brutal—his Cross Power at eight was beyond Jonathan's ability to endure.
Jonathan staggered back several steps, clutching his midsection, unable to straighten up. No way! How could that kid hit so damn hard?
Jason didn't give him a chance to breathe. He charged in, unloading a barrage of close-range combos. Jonathan, writhing in pain, forced himself to raise his arms to protect his head and ribs. The round was nearly over—if he could just survive the last seconds, victory would still be his.
But Jason's punches now carried devastating weight. Jonathan's defense was crumbling. Suddenly, Jason ripped an uppercut straight into his jaw. Jonathan's vision went dark. His mouthguard flew out, and he collapsed to the canvas like a rag doll...
The veteran referee, Old Joel, rushed forward at once. He pulled Jason away and knelt to check Jonathan, ready to start the count.
But this wasn't a simple knockdown. Jonathan was out cold. Joel had no choice but to wave the fight off immediately and call for ringside medics to rush in.
Boxing is a cruel sport. The moment Joel signaled the end, Raul shouted in ecstasy, "Beautiful! We won! Jason, that was perfect!"
Tony Huo, unfamiliar with boxing rules, was just as thrilled to see Jason knock Jonathan down. But he couldn't understand why Raul already knew Jason had won before the referee even made it official.
Inside the ring, Jason's mind was a storm. Watching Jonathan sprawled on the canvas, surrounded by medics, he was overcome by guilt. He rushed over to help, silently praying, Please let him be alright.
Thankfully, under the medics' care, Jonathan soon regained consciousness. Supported by attendants, he staggered a few steps and seemed out of danger...
Jason Luo's one punch had completely flipped the fight, drawing the attention of several patrons in the VIP section. At a table near the bar, a middle-aged man with gold-rimmed glasses chuckled and said to the old man beside him, "Ha, Pedro, you really called this one wrong. That kid actually turned it around! Sometimes, watching these rookie matches can be pretty entertaining, don't you think?"
The old man, Pedro, took a slow sip from his glass and replied indifferently, "So what? Jonathan had it coming. He's been boxing amateur for years and still stuck to the same damn rhythm every time he attacked."
"All that did was hand the greenhorn a free opening. The kid's technique is pathetic, but his physical tools aren't terrible. That moment he seized—well, that was sharp. A rare highlight..."
The middle-aged man paused, his eyes glinting with surprise. "Oh? Old Devil, it's been a long time since I've heard you give anyone that kind of credit. Could it be this kid's caught your eye?"
"Bullshit!" Pedro snapped, glaring. "Him? His fundamentals are garbage, he's clumsy as an ox, and only an idiot would waste time on him! And Sonny—let me warn you again: call me that nickname one more time, and I'll smash your brand-new car!"
Sonny only shrugged, grinning. "Go ahead. I've got full coverage anyway..."
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