Coach Pedro had originally planned to test Jason Luo's perseverance over two days, but what he didn't know was that under his structured and comprehensive training, although Jason Luo was working extremely hard, he was actually enjoying every moment of it.
In just one morning, Jason Luo got two system notifications in a row—his Boxing Technique and Reaction had both improved. The progress was incredible.
Jason Luo realized he had finally found the truly effective way to train. Since his foundation was so low to begin with, the results felt even more dramatic.
With the recovery boost from attribute breakthroughs, training became much easier. There was no way he would back down now.
The next morning, his Footwork and Coordination improved.
On the third day, his Dodge & Anticipation advanced...
Pedro, who had been watching his progress closely, was stunned.
To be honest, Jason Luo had been the least gifted fighter he had ever coached. It was Jason Luo's honesty and hardworking nature that convinced him to give it a try. Yet after only three days, this kid's progress was astonishing.
A genius?
Pedro looked at Jason Luo, whose movements were no longer clumsy, and couldn't make sense of it. He recalled an old saying: for some fighters, once they grasp the right method, improvement comes fast. Jason's learning ability was astonishing.
Over his career, Old Pedro had trained at least twenty boxers, but none had ever shown such dramatic technical improvement in such a short time. He never imagined that in his old age, he would stumble upon such a treasure.
The trial period had ended, and Pedro was quietly relieved. Luckily, the boy had stuck with it. Otherwise, even if Jason Luo wanted to quit, he wouldn't have let him go.
"Alright, you've worked hard these past few days. Since you've made it this far, starting tomorrow, we'll begin formal training. The Chicago Golden Gloves Tournament is only three months away. If you want to give it a try, you'll have to push your training even harder."
"What?!" Jason Luo's eyes lit up. "Coach, I can compete too?"
"Of course. Aside from a few amateur fighters with some reputation who'll be invited as seed competitors, the rest can qualify through the preliminary rounds. It's the perfect chance for a newcomer like you to gain experience."
"And once you pass the prelims and enter the official competition, you'll have an amateur ranking. That'll be very helpful for your future development. But it won't be easy. From tomorrow on, I expect you to get up early every day: a 5km steady run, 100 push-ups, 80 frog jumps, 100 squats, and two sets of 15 minutes of jump rope. After that, you must be at the gym by 8 AM. Can you do it?"
"No problem, coach. I can definitely do it! I've already been training at home on my own."
"Good." Pedro was about to turn away when he noticed Jason Luo's abs and stopped, speaking with a different tone. "There's one more important thing. If you want to become an excellent boxer, you need to learn to control certain desires and maintain a disciplined lifestyle. For example, you need to show restraint when it comes to nightlife. Understand?"
Jason Luo looked at himself, then scratched his head shyly. "Coach, I'm only eighteen. I don't even have a girlfriend!"
Pedro coughed and said, "Even without a girlfriend, it's best not to seek… other outlets either." Then he turned and walked away.
Jason Luo froze in place. Other outlets...? Damn, this old man's not simple!
...
The intense morning training gave Jason Luo a huge appetite, but fortunately, lunch wasn't limited. With the boosted nutrition, though, he felt like he was starting to gain weight. While eating, he bit his tongue several times. His mom used to say, "When you're getting chubby, you bite your tongue; when you're skinny, you bite your cheek." Looked like he really was putting on weight!
That wouldn't do—he needed to control his diet.
The Chicago Golden Gloves! Just thinking about it made Jason Luo's blood rush. Reches had already begun preparing, and Kamman would definitely be competing too. With his talent, he was sure to be a seeded fighter.
Jason Luo had to push himself harder. Training had been going well lately, and he couldn't help but wonder how much he could grow in three months.
That afternoon, he sparred with Kamman as usual. From across the ring, Kamman could clearly see Jason Luo's changes—his reactions, his footwork, and even the intent behind his punches had all improved. His expression barely changed when he threw punches. The kid's progress was scary fast.
During the break, Jason Luo asked Kamman about the tournament. "Coach said I can participate too, just to get some experience. Do you think I have a shot at making it past the prelims?"
Kamman shook his head. "Hard to say. Usually, the prelim opponents aren't that strong, but sometimes you get unlucky and run into a skilled fighter. It's unpredictable. Still, that doesn't happen often. You should just focus on training. Speaking of which, what's your coach been teaching you? You've improved a lot in just a few days. I feel like you're getting more agile. Are you trying to become a technical fighter?"
"Yeah, Coach Pedro is steering me toward being technical. Why? Is that bad?"
Kamman frowned, puzzled. "Strange. Your body type clearly suits an offensive style. Why would he push you toward technical boxing? But judging from your progress, it doesn't seem like a bad path either."
Jason Luo said happily, "Yeah, I really like training this way. Kamman, you don't know how helpless I felt against Jonathan's slippery dodges. It was miserable."
Kamman shook his head. "But have you thought about this—when a technical fighter shows off with fancy combinations, the opponent might not even feel pressured. Then the moment the opponent lands one heavy punch, you go down. Every style has its weaknesses. On the ring, it's all about who controls the rhythm. If you can drag your opponent into your rhythm, victory won't be far away."
He patted Jason Luo on the shoulder. "That's why I suggest you don't give up your physical advantages completely. Stick with it, and maybe you'll find a path entirely your own."
Jason Luo hesitated. "But coach's schedule is already tight. And I don't even know how to train for an offensive style. How do I practice that?"
Kamman smiled. "I've already figured it out for you. For an offensive fighter, two things matter most—heavy punches and toughness. You've already got decent toughness. So, how about this: take off your body protector. That way, when we spar, it'll double as toughness training."
"What? Wouldn't that be a real fight?"
"We'll still keep the helmets on. What are you afraid of? If you don't dare, then forget it."
"Who said I don't dare? Let's go!"
...
Get early access (40 chapters ahead) plus other series available only on P@treon
[email protected]/GhostParser