When Bania learned that the newly rising star Jason Luo had actually accepted his challenge, he was ecstatic. He felt his long-awaited luck had finally arrived.
Bania's life in Mexico had been nothing short of tragic. At the age of six, his father was killed by a stray bullet during a shootout between local drug traffickers and government forces, plunging his family into darkness.
He never set foot in a school, growing up instead on the streets where fighting was an everyday occurrence. At fourteen, after a brawl with four other boys, a machete left a long scar across his face—all over just six pesos.
By sixteen, he was serving time for seriously injuring someone in another fight. Ironically, it was during that year in jail that he met Sitcay, a professional boxer who introduced him to the sport that would change his life.
Starting at seventeen, Bania spent four tough years in the amateur circuit before finally landing a deal with a promotion company. Overjoyed, he signed the contract—only to later discover that the company was nothing but an empty shell. After taking a large "service fee," they barely did anything for him.
They got his name registered in the WBA system but couldn't organize a single real fight. With no help from his promoters, Bania had to find opponents on his own. When fighters refused, he resorted to harassment—phone insults, endless pestering, even showing up to provoke them face-to-face. Through sheer persistence, he managed to secure only six matches in a year.
Those fights brought him no real income. In fact, they drained all the savings he'd built from his amateur days.
On the brink of despair, Bania realized he couldn't keep fighting meaningless six-round bouts that no one cared about. After advancing to Class II, he began sending out challenge letters to anyone who would listen. It didn't matter who accepted—even if he became someone else's stepping stone, he was willing.
Under immense financial pressure, boxing was no longer a dream for Bania—it was survival.
Then, against all odds, Jason Luo accepted his challenge. Bania could hardly believe it. This was his big break! Even losing would give him exposure—and the appearance fee alone was generous enough to keep him afloat.
Besides, Bania wasn't convinced Jason Luo was that strong. He'd seen the viral fight video, but to him, it had to be luck. If Jason Luo's evasive skills were that good, then his other abilities must be average. Maybe this was his chance to make a name for himself.
...
At the March 27th weigh-in, Bania and Jason met for the first time. With his scarred face twisted in a smirk, Bania boldly declared he would knock Jason out in the first round and end his so-called legend once and for all.
Jason only smiled. The weigh-in had long since become more of a media performance than a genuine pre-fight ritual. Fighters hyped themselves up, exchanged insults, and sometimes even came to blows—all just to stir up excitement for the match.
It was pure theater, and everyone knew it.
In truth, Jason didn't take Bania seriously. From the match footage, it was clear that his opponent lacked real technique—no evasive skills, no defense, and an overly simplistic fighting style centered entirely on close-range slugfests. Against such a fighter, Jason had countless ways to win.
Even if it came down to trading blows at close range, he had no reason to fear. With Absolute Evasion and Unyielding Body as his trump cards, this fight was nothing more than an opportunity to grind experience.
...
After the weigh-in, preparations began for the match a week later. Returning to the Podiat arena after several months felt oddly nostalgic for Jason Luo.
Meanwhile, with money finally in hand, buying a house in Chicago was easy. With everyone's help, Henry Luo quickly found the perfect place—a detached villa near Chinatown. It wasn't in a prime location, but it had over 260 square meters of space, a wide front yard, and even a small back garden—larger than Dr. Miao's home, in fact.
Henry loved it. He liked the sense of community in the area, and the location was convenient for everyday life—close to friends, shops, and good food.
Jason didn't mind either way; as long as his father was happy, he was satisfied. Still, living in such a large house with only three people felt a little quiet.
Henry saw it differently.
"Fewer people? That's just for now. Once you get married and give me a few grandkids, the yard will be full of life again! And Grace too—ha! For now, I'll get a dog. At least it'll keep those reporters from sneaking around."
Since his father was so pleased, Jason and Grace had no objections. The house, originally priced at $460,000, was finalized for $430,000. With everything in order, they'd be able to move in within a week. The agency had been maintaining the place, so it was spotless and ready to live in.
Henry and Grace soon started talking about moving traditions. Grace mentioned that, according to Shanxi custom, a red-and-silver rooster must be brought into the new home. Henry countered that in Fujian, it was traditional to pass through a ceremonial fire when moving in.
The two grew animated as they talked, until Grace suddenly fell quiet, lowering her head.
Henry looked confused. "What's wrong?"
Her eyes reddened slightly. "Nothing, Dad… I just miss home. I don't know if I'll ever get the chance to go back to Shanxi again."
Henry sighed softly. "That's not a problem. I miss our hometown too. Once Jason's career stabilizes, we'll go back and visit properly."
"Really? That would be amazing. I just want to see my grandmother again—she was so good to me when I was little."
...
By the end of the month, both Raul and Rod finalized Jason's income. Raul's side hadn't changed much, but BX Promotions—thrilled by Jason's debut win—paid out over $10,000 including bonuses and appearance fees.
That pushed Jason's monthly income past the $20,000 mark—practically middle-class territory.
Looking at the two checks in his hand, Jason felt a rush of emotion. He had finally climbed out of the depths of struggle.
He thought back to when an $8,000 hospital bill had nearly crushed him. Those dark days felt like yesterday, while his current success seemed almost unreal.
Boxing had completely changed the course of his life. Strengthened by that thought, Jason Luo's resolve grew even firmer, and he threw himself into training with renewed passion for the future ahead.