The high-intensity dodging battle dragged on for over a dozen exchanges, both fighters' nerves stretched tight as bowstrings. Though Jason Luo trusted his endurance and resilience, Carl's punches always aimed straight for the vital points—he didn't dare recklessly take a heavy hit just to test his limits.
Finally, Carl made the first move!
After missing a heavy hook from a step-in swing, he suddenly unleashed a series of rapid combinations, closing in to smother Jason Luo's evasive space. Jason quickly retreated, slipping past the barrage, then pivoted and countered with a sharp hook-and-uppercut combo.
Carl turned his body to dodge the hook and—shockingly—ignored Jason's lead uppercut entirely. Instead, he whipped a left hook straight toward Jason's face—a clear sign he was going for a trade!
He knew Jason's rear hand was the real killer, so he gambled on a heavy exchange, betting that Jason's left hand wasn't dangerous enough to stop him.
The sudden switch caught Jason completely off guard—there was no way to dodge in time. Gritting his teeth, he threw his hook while snapping his neck forward, driving his head straight into Carl's hook punch!
It looked reckless, but the move was grounded in sound boxing logic. Every punch has a point of power release; by ramming into it with his head, Jason disrupted Carl's timing and balance, cutting the force of the blow in half!
"Thud! Thud!" Both landed punches almost simultaneously, staggering back as the crowd erupted in a collective gasp.
Neither had achieved what they wanted from that exchange, but Jason took it seriously. Carl hadn't even thrown that punch at full strength, yet the force behind it was enough to be dangerous. From that moment, Jason vowed to watch Carl's left hand like a hawk.
Carl, for his part, was equally stunned. He hadn't expected Jason to neutralize his heavy punch like that—and the power behind Jason's lead hand was far greater than he'd assumed. He immediately tightened up his guard and grew more cautious.
Cautious or not, Jason stuck to his pre-fight plan: keep attacking relentlessly, suffocating Carl's rhythm and denying him any space to display his technical edge. The moment he stepped back, Jason lunged forward again, locking onto Carl's left hand and firing off a fierce flurry of combinations!
The crowd had witnessed the entire sequence—especially Jason's insane headbutt counter—and the arena exploded with excitement. Chinese fans in particular went wild, their cheers shaking the roof.
"He's insane! Who takes a heavy punch head-on with their forehead? That's pure guts! Jason's winning this tonight for sure!"
"I've seen Carl's highlights—his left hand's a monster! But now? One round with Jason and it's gone dead! Let's see what else he's got!"
Of course, most of them were just passionate fans, not technicians. They didn't grasp the deeper mechanics of power and timing; to them, it looked like Carl's heavy punches had simply lost their bite.
But the seasoned professionals in the front rows knew better. Jason's response wasn't unheard of—technically, it wasn't even that complex. What made it so rare was the split-second timing and iron will it required. To meet a heavy punch with your own skull... that took a level of composure and courage few fighters ever reached.
In the front row, Mayweather and De La Hoya exchanged glances before both turned toward Pacquiao.
"This student of yours is just as crazy as his teacher," Mayweather muttered. "You'd better warn Carl to stay sharp. If I were him, I'd build a points lead and control the pace instead."
De La Hoya nodded. "Yeah. You can see that kid's determination. I'd give Carl another two rounds. If he still can't get an edge, he'll have to settle for playing it safe."
Back in the ring, Jason maintained mid-range pressure, constantly pushing forward. Carl met him head-on, both keeping laser focus on each other's heavy punches as they exchanged rapid blows.
But with their toughness, the light jabs and short exchanges barely did any damage—just the constant "thud, thud, thud" of fists meeting guard and air.
Even knowing that, neither fighter dared to open up with full-power combinations. This puzzled the audience—two heavy hitters, and they weren't even trading bombs? Was this supposed to be a fake fight?
They couldn't understand what was really happening. Both men were locked in a psychological battle. The first one to throw a reckless heavy punch could be punished instantly by a counter. And this was only the opening round—after a few exchanges, both already realized this would be a long, grueling fight. Managing stamina would be just as important as landing clean shots.
Their heavy punches hung like nuclear warheads—deadly, but restrained—creating a fragile, tense equilibrium between them.
But as the round neared its end, that balance finally broke. Jason unleashed a burst of heavy punches, driving Carl backward. Carl immediately sidestepped, but Jason stayed on him, refusing to let up.
Carl frowned. Enough of this. Does he really think I'm afraid to trade? The round's almost over anyway—let's see what he's got!
He suddenly stopped retreating, raised his shoulder to block Jason's rear straight, then countered with a sharp left hook. Jason was caught off guard—he'd never seen Carl use a shoulder roll before. What the—he learned Mayweather's move?
There was no time to think. Jason ducked low under the hook, but as he lifted his head, Carl's right straight was already flying toward him.
Dodging was impossible now. Jason went all in, throwing a heavy punch at Carl's midsection—an old "strike the body to distract the enemy" maneuver. If Carl didn't pull back, he'd eat the full force of Jason's shot.
Carl wasn't stupid—he withdrew immediately, cursing under his breath. He was frustrated but also impressed by Jason's quick adaptability.
But retreating gave Jason an opening. He charged in again, pressing the attack relentlessly and driving Carl back to the ropes. He hadn't landed anything decisive, but momentum was clearly in his favor.
Backed against the ropes, Carl prepared to counter—when the bell rang.
Round one was over. The referee stepped in instantly, separating them.
Carl clicked his tongue in irritation. The round had been even, but Jason's late surge might sway the judges' impression. Just his luck.
In truth, it wasn't as bad as he thought. Professional judges could tell the difference between a tactical retreat and being overpowered. Still, Carl had built this fight up too much in his heart. After waiting a whole year, his pride refused to tolerate even a moment where he seemed to be losing ground to Jason Luo.