The qualification match format was somewhat similar to the Golden Gloves finals.
In the first round, the top-ranked boxers from all participating countries would face off against the second-ranked boxers from other countries.
If the first-ranked was defeated, and the second-ranked was defeated, but the third-ranked won, there was still one more chance to join the challenge match. If the third-ranked also failed, the entire national team was wiped out.
If the first-ranked was defeated but the second-ranked succeeded, the second-ranked would replace the first one and continue in the competition; the first-ranked would also have one opportunity to participate in the challenge match.
If both the first and second ranked succeeded, just like Link and Jones Fullos in the Golden Gloves finals, the two would compete separately.
If Jones Fullos had won his match against Andrea Berto, he would have replaced Andrea and had another bout with Link, but he did not.
The qualification matches were largely the same.
Only the number of participating teams was larger, and Link had to fight more bouts. His opponents changed from Andrea and others to the top-ranked amateur boxers in the super middleweight rank from Cuba, Mexico, Canada, Brazil, and other countries.
In the sport of boxing, although the United States was leading the world, other American countries also had considerable strength.
Mexico, Canada, and Cuba, like the United States, were traditional boxing powerhouses that had produced many world champions.
For instance, Mexico had 'War God' Julio Cesar Chavez, nine-time defending WBC featherweight champion legend Salvador Sanchez, Hall of Fame boxer Olivares, Hall of Fame boxer Arizmendi, Hall of Fame boxer Vincente Saldívar, and over ten other world-class boxers.
In the lighter weight ranks, the United States was no match for Mexico.
Cuba was also a boxing powerhouse, having won 31 golds, 12 silvers, and 18 bronzes in Olympic boxing events, just a little behind the United States' 42 golds, 21 silvers, and 35 bronzes. Moreover, in recent Olympics, they have continuously crushed the American boxing team.
There were also champions from other American countries like Argentina, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Haiti, Jamaica, and Guatemala.
These countries combined often claimed 5/6 of the quotas in the boxing qualifications at the Pan American Games.
Only two spots were left in the super middleweight rank, and Link and the others were facing one or more tough bouts ahead.
——
"Hey, guys, anyone wanna spar with Link?"
After talking for a while, dreadlocked Morales couldn't resist the itch anymore, grabbed a pair of boxing gloves, and asked Andzeje, Jones Fullos, and Andrea Berto.
Andzeje waved his hand, "I won't fight Link, he's too fast and powerful. If I genuinely fought him, I wouldn't last a round."
Andrea Berto glanced at Link and shook his head. Discover stories at empire
Defeated in the finals last time, even though Link had played tricks, Andrea had to admit, after competing with him once, that whether in terms of technique, power, speed, stamina, or tactics, he was somewhat inferior to Link.
If they fought again, he had no confidence in defeating Link.
Besides, half a month had passed, and he also wanted to see if Link had made any progress during this time. If not, there was no rush to fight back.
Jones Fullos, with his arms crossed, leaned against the ring, flashing his bright white teeth as he smiled, "Link's rear hook punch is too fierce; I can't handle it right now. Mario, you have a strong ability to take hits, why don't you have a bout with Link first, and let us watch."
"Alright, Link, you want to fight a round?"
Morales put on the boxing gloves, hit them together forcefully, and shouted.
Link smiled. As visitors coming from afar, requests for a sparring session would naturally not be refused by him. He had a few apprentices help Mario, who had just woken up, to rest, and he also brought two sets of competition protective gear for both Morales and himself to wear.
"Boxing!"
Link and Morales bumped fists, and the sparring began.
Morales was solidly built with strong resistance to hits, good stamina, and heavy punches—he was a heavy hitter.
His weakness, though, was slow speed. Standing 180 centimeters tall with an arm length of 182, he was 10 centimeters shorter than Link, a disheartening discrepancy.
It was like Chris Byrd, with an arm length of 188 centimeters, fighting Vladimir Klitschko, who had an arm length of 206 centimeters. Because his arms were too short, he lost both fights held in 2000 and 2006.
During matches, he would only get pressured.
Bang bang!
Morales swung his thick arms, throwing a straight punch toward Link's head.
Link raised his right arm to parry while simultaneously swinging his left fist. This was a set of reactive combination punches, meaning the combination punched out instinctively when facing an opponent's attack.
Such combination punches required years of training to develop muscle memory and habituation so that during a match, they could be thrown in the shortest time possible. The more reactive combination punches one had, the smoother the fighting.
Link's left fist smashed toward Morales's head.
"Mario, watch out!"
Jones yelled from below the stage.
Morales turned his head, just in time to see Link's Right Swing Punch heading for his head. He wanted to dodge, but it was too late; his body couldn't keep up with his thoughts.
Bang!
Link's fist lightly struck Morales' temple before quickly retracting.
"Be more careful, Morales."
Link said with a laugh.
"Fuck, Link, how come you've gotten faster again? I just can't guard against you."
Morales roared in frustration.
"Your punches have gotten heavier, too."
Link said, still smiling.
The two continued to spar.
Considering that The Day After Tomorrow was the match, Link no longer aimed for Morales' head but only targeted his arms and shoulders and areas protected by padding.
Morales had a sturdy physique and was wearing protective gear, which made him very comfortable to spar with, more so than the other Mario.
While the two sparred, Andzeje, Andrea Berto, and Jones Fullos stood watching the match.
"Damn it! He was already technically strong; how has he improved so much? If he's this impressive, how will we ever make a name for ourselves?"
Andzeje sighed deeply, furrowing his brow.
Having practiced boxing since he was a child for fifteen or sixteen years, technique was his specialty, the foundation of his status in the amateur boxing circle. In the past, when competing, even if he faced Andrea Berto, he could put up a good fight.
But it was different when facing Link. Link not only suppressed him in technique but also far surpassed him in other aspects. Competing against him, he stood no chance at all.
Andzeje felt a sense of powerlessness.
"His technique isn't the only great thing about him; his Combination Punches are becoming more and more proficient. His boxing talent is enviable," remarked Jones Fullos in admiration.
"Right, he's a real genius. People used to call me that too, but compared to that bastard Link, I just don't stack up," Andzeje shrugged as he spoke.
Turning to look at Andrea Berto standing beside him, Jones Fullos said, "Andrea, why are you so quiet?"
Andrea Berto shook his head and sighed, "Do you guys know how he beat me in the fifth round last time?"
"Wasn't it a clean defeat?"
Jones Fullos and Andzeje looked at him with curiosity.
"Bullshit! If I had stayed on defense in the fifth round, he would never have knocked me down," Andrea Berto angrily fixated on Link in the ring.
"Haha, Andrea, there's something everyone's curious about. That day in the fifth round, everyone knew you should have been defending, but you chose to attack Link instead. Why was that? Some people say you were throwing the fight; is that true?"
"Bullshit!"
Andrea Berto's face darkened with a mixture of sadness and anger as he spoke, "During the fifth round, that bastard Link told me he would knock me out completely in the eighth round."
"The eighth round? But he had promised to knock you out by the fifth round, so what's this about an eighth round?" Andzeje asked, curious.
Andrea Berto swore and then said, "Link told me that the promise to knock me out in five rounds was a lie, a tactic. He was going to keep fighting, continue through to ten rounds.
At that point, I was already running on fumes, didn't have much energy left. Hearing him say that, I was so enraged. I ignored my coach's advice, intent only on going all out with him, and ended up playing right into his hands."
Andzeje and Jones Fullos exchanged glances and burst into laughter.
The sparring on the stage had also ended. The two had fought ten rounds, Morales going on the offense, Link on the defense. Morales' punches were very heavy, no worse than the Heavyweight Mario's, and Link took hundreds of punches, his arms tingling from the impact.
By the time the two stepped down from the stage, both were drenched in sweat.