RNP Page 80
Page 80
Max shifted and slowly turned around.
Her eyes were red and swollen, but her lips held a strange calm.
"Good morning,"
Max's voice was hoarse. "Or just say good afternoon."
Viktor opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
His gaze unconsciously drifted towards the bloodstain.
"I volunteered; it was my first time experiencing the power of the Chicago Typing Chicken."
Max sat up, the sheet slipping down to his waist, revealing more bruises. "Even though I may not have asked for your consent, American law doesn't protect you, hahaha!"
“We…I…”
Viktor's tongue seemed to be tied in knots, "I drank too much, I shouldn't have... I considered you a friend!"
Max shook his head and reached out to stroke Victor's cheek, a gesture that made the latter freeze: "Don't do that, Victor, relax, don't get emotional, you're just trying to please me. You sober up quickly, I made you drink five bottles last night!"
Viktor's mind was in complete chaos.
He certainly cares about Max, but not in this way.
Alcohol, the sadness of parting, and the emotions accumulated at the dinner party—all of these combined to create a consequence he didn't want to face.
Victor was furious—"I treated you as a friend, and you treated me like a stick?"
"You're great."
Max finally sighed, picked up his shirt that was scattered on the floor, and said, "I'm going to take a shower. Do you want to come with me? We still have time."
Viktor waved his hand, and after the sound of running water came from the bathroom, he collapsed onto the bed.
The hangover and his confused emotions caused him to fall into a deep sleep again.
When he woke up again, he was all alone in the room.
Max's suitcase and the copy of "The Economics of Boxing" that he always kept by his bedside had all disappeared.
There was a note on the bedside table:
"I've signed the contract termination papers and left them with Jimmy. Remember to transfer your salary. Best of luck with your training in your boxing career. Don't blame yourself; last night was a beautiful farewell for me. —M"
Victor crumpled the note into a ball and threw it into the trash can, but then immediately picked it up and flattened it.
Just as he was about to call Max, there was a knock on the door.
Ethan and Michael stood outside the door, the former's face terribly grim.
"Miri is gone,"
Ethan said directly, "With Max. She just sent me a breakup message, on her pager!"
"That's so Milie!"
Michael handed Victor a cup of coffee and two aspirin tablets: "Jimmy said Max finished all the termination procedures at eight o'clock this morning. We'll handle the media side; we'll say it's for academic reasons."
Viktor mechanically swallowed the pills, the bitter coffee unable to wash away the metallic taste in his mouth.
Just a day ago, he had a complete team, the best agent, and a clear career plan.
Now, he has won the championship, but lost Max.
"I should have realized it sooner,"
Ethan slumped onto the sofa. "Miri doesn't like me."
Viktor looked out the window; the sky over Princeton was a clear, cloudless blue.
Somewhere, Max might be on his way to the airport, carrying with him that night they could never go back to.
Alcohol blurred his memory, but made the consequences crystal clear—he not only lost an agent, but also forever changed the nature of a friendship.
Thinking about this, Viktor felt very aggrieved:
'You can wake me up, I won't refuse.'
"Training will continue as usual,"
Victor finally said, his voice more stable than he had expected, "Ethan, contact that coach you mentioned. I want to have a frank discussion with Foucault's boxing gym."
At this moment, Ethan said, "Wilson is dead."
"It's none of our business, Ethan."
Viktor didn't care. Professional boxers don't have time to dwell on personal feelings. Viktor told himself that when the bell rings, you can only raise your fist and keep fighting.
No matter how absurd life is—you don't even know what it feels like.
Chapter 001: One of the Backgrounds of This Book
One: Commoner God of War
Butterbean (real name Eric Scott Esch) is a legendary American boxer, mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter, and professional wrestler.
Known for his impressive physique, powerful striking ability, and iconic "cowboy hat" look. Here is a detailed introduction to him:
1. Basic Information
Real name: Eric Scott Esch
Aliases: Butterbean, "The King of the 4 Rounders"
Born: August 3, 1966 (Georgia, USA)
身高/体重：约1.83米（6英尺），巅峰期体重可达150-180公斤（330-400磅）
Characteristics: Obese but agile, known for his heavy punches and resilience, and his fighting style is highly entertaining.
2. Career Highlights
Boxing (Professional record: 77 wins, 10 losses, 4 draws, 58 KOs)
He was discovered after participating in the "Four-Round Boxing Championship" and later became a professional boxer.
Known as a "four-round expert," he often knocked out his opponents in short rounds during his early matches.
He has fought against legendary boxers Larry Holmes and Peter McNeeley, Mike Tyson's sparring partner, and defeated many well-known heavyweight fighters.
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)
He entered MMA in 2003, with a record of 5 wins and 5 losses, and has fought against famous fighters such as Ken Shamrock.
They primarily use "standing strikes" and are relatively weak in ground techniques, but their heavy punches are extremely intimidating.
Professional wrestling (WWE, etc.)
He briefly participated in WWE (1999-2002), interacting with Batista, Big Show, and others, increasing his entertainment exposure.
3. Influence of Popular Culture
Movies/TV: Cameo appearances in films such as "Jackass" and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" (2003 version), appearing in comedic roles.
Internet meme: Due to his knockout highlights and exaggerated physique, he has become a frequent subject of memes, especially the "smiling after being hit" clips, which have been widely circulated.
4. Controversies and Interesting Anecdotes
Weight controversy: Although overweight, he believes that "fat is a natural armor" and has extremely strong resistance to injury.
Retirement Life: In recent years, due to health issues, he lost weight and transitioned into a motivational speaker, sharing his experience in fighting obesity.
5. Classic Quotes
“I may look like a lump of butter, but my fists are as hard as beans.”
Second: The following is a list of professional boxers who have won the world heavyweight championship title since 1980 (arranged in chronological order, with major achievements noted):
1. Larry Holmes, reigning from 1978 to 1985 (WBC/IBF), defended his title 20 times consecutively, and is considered a transitional champion between Ali and Tyson.
2. Michael Spinks, the first boxer to move up from light heavyweight and win the heavyweight championship (1985–1988, IBF).
3. Mike Tyson, the youngest heavyweight champion (1986–1990, WBA/WBC/IBF), unified the titles of the three major organizations, known for his ferocious style, transformed boxing from a sport into a combat sport, and his commercial value exploded.
4、伊万德·霍利菲尔德，唯一在次重量级和重量级均获无可争议冠军的拳手（1990–1992, 1993–1994, 1996–1999, 2000–2001），四度夺冠，击败泰森、道格拉斯等名将。
5. Riddick Bowe defeated Holyfield in 1992 to win the WBA/WBC/IBF titles, but his number of title defenses was limited.
6、伦诺克斯·刘易斯，1990年代末至2000年代初的霸主（1992–1994, 1997–2001, 2001–2004），击败霍利菲尔德、泰森、大克里琴科（争议终止），他曾是泰森的陪练。
7. Michael Muller, who defeated Holyfield (WBA/IBF) in 1994 and went on to win the title three times.
8. George Foreman, at the age of 45 in 1994, knocked out Muller (WBA/IBF), setting a record for the oldest person to win a title.
9. Chris Bird, IBF champion in the early 2000s, a representative of the technical style.
10、维塔利·克里琴科，WBC冠军（2004–2005, 2008–2013），以强悍抗击打能力闻名。
11. Vladimir Klitschko, longest reigning champion (2006–2015, IBF/WBA/WBO), with 18 consecutive title defenses.
12. Tyson Fury ended Wladimir Klitschko's reign (WBA/IBF/WBO) in 2015, and later returned to win the WBC title.
13. Deontay Wilder, WBC Champion (2015–2020), known for his terrifying knockout rate.
14、安东尼·约书亚，两度统一冠军（2016–2019, 2019–2021，WBA/IBF/WBO）。
15. Oleixand Usyk defeated Joshua in 2021 to become the first four-time champion (WBA/IBF/WBO/WBC) after moving up in weight class.
16. Daniel Dubois, who upset Joshua in 2024 to win the IBF title.
17 Other boxers who briefly held titles:
(1) James Douglas (who upset Tyson in 1990)
(2) Hasim Raman (KO Lewis in 2001)
(3) Joseph Parker (WBO Champion, 2016–2018)
(4) Andy Ruiz Jr. (who upset Joshua in 2019)
Chapter 002 The Second Background of This Book
Third, the commercial value of American boxing has appreciated significantly many times throughout history, mainly due to the hosting of top-level events, the appeal of star boxers, and the maturity of television broadcasting and pay-per-view (PPV) models.