As the referee began the count on Steven, he noticed the fighter's face twisted in pain, barely able to stay on his feet. Without hesitation, the referee waved off the fight.
Another KO victory! Jason Luo rushed over to his coach, overjoyed. "Yes! Coach, Mr. Raul, I told you I'd win—I did it!"
Pedro stepped in. "Now's the time to show concern for your opponent. Even in defeat, he deserves respect."
"Oh, right! You're absolutely right!" Realizing his mistake, Jason Luo quickly ran over and helped Steven up himself. The gesture won over the crowd, and scattered applause echoed through the tavern.
Since Steven had suffered minor injuries, the referee officially declared Jason Luo the winner.
"Ding! Congratulations on your third career victory. The Greedy Wolf talent has extracted 1 point each of Reaction, Punch Speed, and Footwork from your opponent's superior attributes. You have also achieved the minor combat achievement 'Three Consecutive Wins.' The system rewards you with 2 free attribute points and one minor reward draw. Please check your inventory."
The system notification chimed, but Jason Luo didn't bother checking. As he stepped down from the ring, Tony Huo and Kamman came over.
"Ha! Jason, you were amazing! That fight was brutal. From now on, we'll call you Little Tyson..."
Jason Luo laughed and gave him a playful punch. "Come on, quit it. Don't embarrass me in front of Mr. Kamman—you're exaggerating."
Kamman chuckled. "You really did well today. Tyson won his first championship at 20, but when he was 18, he wasn't much stronger than you are now. You're improving fast. Have some confidence—maybe in two years, you could be a champion too."
Jason Luo waved it off quickly. "Don't tease me. I know my limits. I'm nowhere near that level..."
Just then, Pedro and Raul walked over. "That's the right attitude, kid! Don't get arrogant over a couple of wins. You all still have a long way to go."
Kamman noticed Pedro had lumped him in as well, but instead of taking offense, he smiled. "Old Pedro, you're right. We were just joking around. I know I still have a lot to work on. If you have time, I'd appreciate your guidance."
Pedro nodded. "Kamman, I know who you are. I've watched two of your fights. To be blunt, right now you're like a cheetah without claws. Your punches look fierce and quick, but they lack finishing power. Until you grow those claws, you won't be able to make a real impact in the pro circuit."
Kamman hadn't expected Pedro to be so direct. "What do you mean by that?"
Pedro didn't answer directly. "Figure it out on your own. If it weren't for this kid picking up a few things from you, I wouldn't have bothered giving you even that much."
"Uh..." Kamman was left hanging, feeling a bit awkward.
Seeing the awkwardness, Raul quickly stepped in. "Alright, enough. Let's get Jason to the locker room to rest first. You young ones can chat later."
...
Back in the locker room, Jason Luo changed while speaking. "Coach, Mr. Kamman's a good guy. He's always helped me. If you can give him some guidance, please do. Otherwise, I'll feel awkward asking him for advice again."
Pedro chuckled softly. "You really know how to bargain—throwing me under the bus for your own gain... But Kamman's situation is different from yours. He already has his own boxing style, with a solid base of technique and experience. The problem is, he's hit his ceiling. Whether he can break through depends on his natural talent."
"Ceiling? What do you mean by ceiling?" Jason Luo asked, confused.
Pedro pulled up a chair and sat down. "Boxing has always been debated—what matters more, technique or physical ability? Now that you've learned a bit, what do you think?"
"Well... Coach, I think technique is more important. Boxing isn't arm-wrestling or weightlifting. Even if someone's strong, it doesn't matter if they can't land a punch. My weakness right now is technique."
Pedro nodded. "That's true for your stage. But Kamman's case is the opposite. Once your technique reaches a certain level, physical ability becomes the deciding factor. Steven today was the perfect example. In terms of technique and experience, he was far ahead of you. But because of his physical limitations, he still lost."
"Think about it—what if Steven's heavy punch had been stronger, or if his stamina had been higher?"
Jason Luo lowered his head in silence. If Steven's heavy punch had exceeded what he could endure, he might not have lasted even one round. And if Steven's stamina had been full, he could've kept outboxing until the end, and Jason would've had no chance.
Seeing Jason's thoughtful expression, Pedro continued. "For Kamman to break into professional boxing, his biggest obstacles are stamina and heavy punch. Professional boxing is completely different from amateur fights. The minimum is six rounds, with each round lasting three minutes instead of two. That makes stamina especially important."
"And as opponents get stronger, without the support of a heavy punch, you'll have no deterrence in the ring. In that situation, no matter how good your technique is, it won't be enough..."
...
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