King of Sports 104 Tang Yan vs Park Sang-jun

Despite only being a quarterfinals fight, the budding fame of Tang Yan nationally and internationally combined with Park Sang-jun's already existing fame and connections meant their fight ended up a big event with a rather star studded front row.

Ranging from Chinese comedians and singers to Korean movie stars, who came to cheer for Park Sang-jun among which was the popular female movie star Seo Yeon.

Returning home from the previous Asian Games, Park Sang-jun returned to Korea as a star, he was the only Korean boxer to win gold that year. Now he was hoping to repeat history but he acknowledged there were many strong contenders this year, Tang Yan the unexpected dark horse of this year's competition was one.

.....

When the two sides entered the gymnasium, the reception was grand even for Park Sang-jun, though not many Koreans made a trip down but those who did made up for their lack of numbers by loudly cheering for him. 

After taking office, Park Sang-jun waved to the audience who supported him. His face was full of triumphant colors, which immediately attracted the hum of many Chinese fans.

However, this seemed to make Park Sang-jun more excited. He threw some show punches in the direction of Tang Yan.

This move attracted more dissatisfaction from the home fans, shouting for Tang Yan to knockout Park Sang-jun.

Tang Yan didn't show any reaction. What he was thinking about now was the game plan Qin Hailong came up with. He knew this was gonna be a tough fight, his hardest official fight yet.

The two walked to the center of the boxing ring, touched gloves them moved to their corners.

Then there was the gong — the signal for the beginning of the first round!

.....

At this time in the front row of the stands, Seo Yeon, dressed in a beautiful dress was sat down her eyes showing a nervous and expecting look.

As a famous Korean actress, she normally wouldn't have come to such an event, after all boxing wasn't exactly the kindest scene but she came this time to cheer for Park Sang-jun.

The reason being that her baby sister after nearly being kidnapped in Singapore became enthralled by boxing, martial arts and things of that nature after luckily being rescued by an unknown boy. Hearing about this fight she had pleaded to come and with some help from Park Sang-jun they had managed to get ringside tickets.

"Unnie!" Just as the boxing match began, Seo Byeol finally arrived back with snacks and sat by her.

Seo Yeon showed a sullen look seeing how much food her sister bought but when she saw her sister's joyful smile, she sighed and let it go.

Seo Byeol saw her sister's look of disapproval and stuck out her tongue with a naughty smirk before she focused on the boxing ring.Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click for visiting.

At this time, the two boxers were properly going at it.

However, when she glanced over, she couldn't help but do a double take, her eyes full of doubt.

.....

Back in the ring, Tang Yan and Park Sang-jun were trading blows.  They stood toe to toe for a full minute, arms working with the speed of lightning bolts. Tang Yan was playing for the face. Whilst Park Sang-jun was shooting for body shots.

Tang Yan then danced away from a blow from Park Sang-jun.

Park Sang-jun had his head down and bored in. He was a dangerous body-puncher. Low-hung, squat and hard-headed. He was coming in close, his arms working from his hips like tireless pistons.

Tang Yan danced away; and then that lightning-like left of his flicked out and smacked against the almost unprotected face of Park Sang-jun. Each time it landed it damaged his face. Park Sang-jun managed to keep up relatively well and match his speed to the best of his ability but he was a tad bit slower. For one blow, he took two and soon he had one eye closed and purple.

Tang Yan had Park Sang-jun's nose battered flat and his lips raw and bleeding. But Park Sang-jun bored in.

He measured Tang Yan carefully and let go a left and right to the head. They went home with a velocity of a mule's kick. Tang Yan settled back upon his heels and shook his head rapidly to clear away the effect of the punches.

Park Sang-jun's left glove shot out like a whip-lash and the spat of leather on flesh sounded. There was blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

Park Sang-jun rushed forward, and again Tang Yan gave ground, shooting punches from underneath, up at Park Sang-jun's covered head. He felt them going in — one — two — three!

Tang Yan straightened up and Park Sang-jun drove a right cross to his temple that shook Tang Yan to his toes.

But Tang Yan was soon back at it again like a gliding phantom with a punch of a bag of bricks in either hand. 

He evaded the slower-moving Park Sang-jun looking for gaps. When he tried to get close Park Sang-jun would hit him with a powerful body shot to the ribs.

Commentator:

"Tang Yan is dancing around him — peppering him with straight left jabs mixed up with a flock of hooks and short rights that reminds you of Dempsey or Tyson at their best. He doesn't bore in like Tyson did — he's a boxer, not a fighter — but, folks, he has about the stiffest punch in either hand that we've ever observed in a flyweight and he knows how to use that punch.

"A couple of seconds ago he almost flattened Park Sang-jun with a one-two to the jaw. Park Sang-jun was hurt — no doubt about it — and Tang Yan went dancing away. He's holding Park Sang-jun now. Park Sang-jun, the defending champion is struggling to match his speed and is slowly being led along. Things aren't looking good but there's the bell, folks — we are turning the 'mice' over to our friend, Huang Jianxiang over in the booth for this break."

Tang Yan walked to his corner.

....

Ding! Ding!

Tang Yan shuffled forward into the center of the ring. Park Sang-jun came out — a blue lump under his jaw where Tang Yan's sharpshooting right had caught him in the previous round. His eye looked better. His cutman had been working on him furiously through the minute rest. His head was down, bobbing from side to side, his hands at his hips, his square jaw set in a snarl. He was shuffling forward, almost like a tank over rough ground. His little, deep-set eyes were fixed on Tang Yan's face. He meant danger in large letters.

Tang Yan stepped in and belted him on the jaw with a long, looping right. It shook Park Sang-jun but it didn't stop him. Tang Yan clinched and tied him up and pushing the lumbering Park Sang-jun away from him, stabbed him with a straight left to the injured eye. Park Sang-jun muttered feelingly and charged like a mad bull.

They were in a neutral corner with Tang Yan close to the ropes. 

Tang Yan feinted the enraged Park Sang-jun into leading with his left, and, as he did so, Tang Yan nailed him with a stiff right to the jaw — but then it happened.

.....

Commentator:

"Tang Yan is trapped in a neutral corner. He's grinning at Park Sang-jun. Park Sang-jun leads a left and Tang Yan crosses with a right to the jaw — Tang Yan ducks — Park Sang-jun throws a right for the heart. It hit Tang Yan under the heart and liftes him fairly off his feet.

"Tang Yan's eyes are glazed and his mouth is hanging open — he's hurt — badly ! Park Sang-jun is all over him, throwing punches at his jaw. Tang Yan is trying to cover up. He's sagging at one knee. Park Sang-jun lands a right on Tang Yan's jaw!

"Tang Yan is going down, folks — he's folding up, kind of. Park Sang-jun shoots another right to the jaw of him as he is falling — he's on the floor — Tang Yan— a knockdown ! The timekeeper is counting — Park Sang-jun is being waved to the far corner of the ring. The count is up to three. He lifts his arm — listen — you can hear him count —'Four' Tang Yan is still on the floor; Park Sang-jun is over in the neutral corner growling like a tiger that has tasted blood. He looks as if he'd like to kill the referee for keeping him off the fallen Tang Yan.

"It looks as if Tang Yan is out cold — He's trying to struggle to his feet — his limbs are trying to move — the referee is still counting — 'Seven'.

"He's struggling, folks. Tang Yan is trying to get to his feet. 'Nine!' chants the referee. He's up — Tang Yan's up, people! — he is the first man who ever got up after Park Sang-jun hit with a short right to the heart and jaw! He's up — he's groggy — but he's covering up and backing away.

"Park Sang-jun is swarming all over him, shooting punches wildly. They're mostly hitting Tang Yan on the head and shoulders or missing him altogether. He's down again — down on one knee — taking another count for a rest — to let his head clear some more. The round has twenty seconds to go; Tang Yan will use nine of those precious seconds before he gets up. He's up — at nine ! His head seems cleared. He's tying Park Sang-jun up — Park Sang-jun is trying to tear himself away.

Ding! Ding! 

.....

Tang Yan staggered to his corner and threw himself wearily down upon the stool. Qin Hailong was on him in an instant. The team was around him as well with a cotton swab soaked in epinephrine, they applied it with pressure to under his nose which was showing signs of bleeding. A second was rubbing his stomach muscles. Qin Hailong came over and said:

"He's gonna want to take you out in the next round. You need to stay away from him, stay away until you feel yourself. Play to stay alive this round..."

Tang Yan's face was red and his breathing was almost normal again. A great red welt showed beneath his heart where Park Sang-jun's plunging fist had almost shocked his heart into stillness.

An egg shaped bruise was forming on the side of his jaw. His eyes were blazing. He seemed a fighter transformed. He leaned forward eagerly in his chair after fifteen seconds of the minute's rest.

"I can win this round, he got a lucky blow!" Tang Yan said through set teeth. "

.....

The bell rang.

Tang Yan leaped halfway across the ring before the echo of the bell was still. He trapped the slower moving Park Sang-jun coming out of his own corner. He set himself, his fists at a slugging position, and greeted Park Sang-jun with a solid right to the jaw ; then he tore in, working both hands from underneath.

The spat — spat — spat of gloves on flesh could be heard above the roar of the crowd. He was driving jolting bruising, man- killing body punches from his knees into Park Sang-jun's midsection.

Park Sang-jun tried to back away, to give ground, but the furious fighting machine that was Tang Yan smothered him under an avalanche of blows and drove him to the ropes, hands working tirelessly, pumping through Park Sang-jun's weak defense — overhand rights, short lefts, left hooks to the jaw, jolting uppercuts.

He stepped back and looked Park Sang-jun over coolly. There was no grin on his face now. It was drawn up into grim lines — the lines of a fighter — and his eyes were gleaming like the eyes of a wild-cat. His right flashed out.

The punch, as it landed, jarred the audience and commentators below the ring. They were watching Tang Yan— speech forgotten, cheering forgotten — at the sight of him transforming into a demon of scientific destruction.

Qin Hailong's words sounded in his head — "Hit him with a left then line him up for a right as a closer!"

And like a signal, Tang Yan's left flashed out. It tilted Park Sang-jun's head backward a trifle; there was an almost imperceptible pause, then Tang Yan's right lashed out.

Boff!

It did not travel more than eight inches. It went in, shoulder high, landing squarely on his jaw, the thud shook even Tang Yan's body.

Park Sang-jun stiffened on his feet while Tang Yan stepped back. He didn't so much as look back at his handiwork. He deliberately walked away to a neutral corner and Park Sang-jun plunged face downward into the resigned canvass.

Boom!

No one was interested in the count. The referee might have counted to a hundred and ten. The seats back in the darkness away from the brilliantly-lit ring were rocking, screaming, yelling, bellowing. The reporters around the press tables were standing on their chairs, gazing at Park Sang-jun on the canvass. 

In the neutral corner, Tang Yan waited until he saw the referee's hand rise and fall with the tenth count, then he walked straight to his corner, donned his black and gold bathrobe and climbed through the ropes.

Seeing the situation in the ring,  Seo Yeon's face was astonished.

The Arena was in an uproar ! They were shrieking his name to the high heavens. His face had lost the grim look of concentration. A wide grin was present on Tang Yan's face.

The Korean media had called Park Sang-jun the strongest 49-kg boxer in the history of South Korea. Seo Yeon had expected Park Sang-jun to come through in the end with the victory.

The gap between ideals and reality made this Korean actress dumbfounded.

"Unnie, the Chinese boxer..."

"It's him, he's the one from Singapore!" At this moment, Seo Byeol under the ring suddenly pointed to Tang Yan and shouted.

The Chinese team grabbed him as he came down the steps from the ring. They lifted him high and danced away with him in the direction of the dressing rooms.

Chapter end