vncnus Page 197
Page 197
But it was too late!
Viktor's powerful punches poured out like a flood bursting its banks!
First came a heavy right hook, aimed at the left side of Lewis's head!
Lewis barely managed to lean back and dodge, but the force of the punch stung his cheek!
Immediately following was a left straight punch aimed straight at his face!
Lewis blocked the shot, but the enormous impact made his arm go numb and caused him to lose his balance slightly!
Finally, there's the hidden upper right hook!
From the bottom up, with overwhelming force!
A perfect combination of punches!
As fast and deadly as a Chicago typewriter!
Lewis was completely stunned by the storm of attacks at close range.
He tried to grab him to break the stalemate, but Victor's charge was too strong and his strength too great, and his grab was not enough to lock the other's arms!
In that brief moment of opening, Victor's long-planned right uppercut landed squarely on Lewis's chin!
A muffled thud echoed throughout the venue via the microphone.
Lewis's eyes instantly lost focus, his body stiffened abruptly, and then, like a felled tree, he fell straight backward, crashing heavily onto the boxing ring!
"knock down!!"
Jim Lampley screamed at the top of his lungs, “My God! Unbelievable! First round! Victor Lee’s terrifying combination punches! Lewis is knocked down! He’s down!”
The entire venue erupted in cheers!
The gasps, cheers, and incredulous screams nearly lifted the roof off the stadium!
The referee immediately rushed forward and began counting down: "One! Two! Three!..."
Lewis lay on the stage, his eyes unfocused, instinctively struggling to get up.
His team was shouting wildly from the sidelines.
"Four! Five! Six!..."
Just as he read the number "seven", Lewis shook his head, seemingly regaining some consciousness, and used his arms to support his body.
"clang--!!"
Just then, the bell that signaled the end of his turn rang out with a deafening roar!
"The ringtone! The ringtone saved Lewis!"
Larry McCann exclaimed, "He got a valuable rest! But this first round was definitely a heavy blow to Lewis's team! Victor Lee's power is terrifying!"
The referee stopped counting down.
Lewis's team rushed onto the stage and helped him back to a corner.
Lewis still looked dizzy, and there were red marks on his chin.
Viktor walked back to his corner expressionlessly, not even glancing at his fallen opponent, as if it were all destined.
That calm was more unsettling than any celebratory gesture—in fact, Victor was already cursing under his breath:
'They're really tough!'
In the VIP section, the legendary boxing champions looked at each other with solemn expressions.
"That explosive power is terrifying!"
"Combined speed... coupled with a weight of 407 pounds..."
Joe Frazier muttered, “Monster.”
Traudl was ashen-faced and remained silent—Victor was likely to beat him next because of his foul mouth.
For Lewis, a one-minute break was like a lifeline.
His team applied ice packs to his chin, and Manny Steward urgently instructed him in his ear: "Hold him! Stick with him! Wear him down! Don't give him room to throw punches! Get through this round!"
Lewis's eyes regained their clarity, but with an added caution and... a hint of shadow.
He approached again, but this time, his strategy changed.
He stopped trying to control it remotely and instead actively sought a close embrace!
Once in mid-range, Lewis immediately stepped forward, wrapped his arms tightly around Victor Lee's massive body, buried his head in his shoulder, and pressed his entire weight down on him, trying to slow down the pace of the match, wear down Victor's stamina, and at the same time recover from the heavy blows of the first round.
"Lewis changed tactics and started hugging frequently."
Jim explained.
"A smart choice, but also dangerous. In the face of someone like Victor Lee, a hug may not be safe."
Larry analyzed, "I've seen his training plan, it's definitely not complete, but he can lift a 170-kilogram round stone and move it from side to side!"
Sure enough, Victor Lee was extremely impatient with Lewis's hug and threw a low hook.
The referee stepped in to separate the two players for the first time.
As soon as they separated, Lewis threw a jab and then tried to get close and hug again.
But this time, Victor Lee was prepared.
When Lewis lunged at him again to try and hug him, Victor did not passively accept it.
His broad shoulders and powerful core strength suddenly erupted!
With a sudden sway of his hips from side to side, like a giant bear shaking off the snow, he used pure strength and the advantage of a low center of gravity to create a precious space to throw a punch even in Lewis's seemingly tight embrace!
His right arm, like a spring compressed to its limit, sprang out instantly!
A short and fierce right uppercut came flying out from an almost impossible angle once again!
Another perfect shot to Lewis's chin!
Lewis was completely unprepared for his opponent to be able to break free and deliver a powerful punch in such close quarters!
He fell to the ground again!
"Knockdown! Second knockdown!"
Jim yelled, "Even in a hug, you're not safe! Victor Lee's strength is overwhelming! His shoulders and waist are so broad! All muscle!"
Lewis stood up again, his eyes now showing a mixture of disbelief and determination.
Lewis continues to stick to the clinching tactic, which is currently his only survival strategy.
Chapter 166 Victory and Unexpected Events
"But he clearly underestimated Viktor's destructive power in the paint."
On the HBO commentary desk, former heavyweight boxing champion Larry McKenzie frowned as he spoke.
His eyes were fixed on the ring, where a brutal duel was taking place.
Lewis made a mistake. He thought that hugging would wear down Viktor’s stamina, but he didn’t know that was Viktor’s favorite distance.
McCann's commentary partner, Jim Rampley, added that his voice is transmitted through the microphone to millions of viewers around the world.
On the ring, Victor was enraged.
No longer content with waiting for an opportunity, he took the initiative to move forward, squeezing Lewis's space with his massive 407-pound body.
He continuously unleashed short, powerful body punches and uppercuts with both hands, each strike carrying astonishing explosive force.
"Pfft! Pfft!"
The heavy thuds of bodies hitting each other echoed through the microphones beside the ring, making one's teeth ache.
The sound didn't resemble a fist striking flesh; it sounded more like a butcher pounding beef with a blunt instrument.
Lewis frowned in pain, trying to hold on tighter, but his stamina and resilience were being rapidly depleted.
The skilled British and Canadian boxing champion's face began to show a mixture of pain and surprise—he had never encountered such a terrifying inside strike.
“Victor’s inside game is underestimated by many,”
McCann analyzed from the commentary booth, "Look at the way he generates power. It doesn't rely on large swings, but on using the core strength of his waist and abdomen to generate short bursts of power. This kind of punch has extremely strong penetrating power, and it can cause damage even if it is blocked."
In the instant they separated once again, Victor delivered a left hook that swept across Lewis's forehead like a venomous snake.
Although he couldn't exert his full strength, he still managed to knock Lewis off balance and make him kneel on one knee.
"Third knockdown!"
Jim's voice was filled with shock, "Did the referee consider it a slip or a knockdown? ... A knockdown! The referee is starting the count!"
The referee crouched down and began counting. Lewis was panting heavily, a hint of confusion flashing in his eyes.
He had never been so humiliated in his professional career, having been knocked down three times in just two rounds.
"Lewis's agility saved him,"
McCann analyzed, "He avoided the maximum force of the punches time and time again, but the accumulated damage is already considerable. The question is, how much more of this kind of impact can he withstand?"
Viktor, like a tireless mammoth, continued his advance.
His gaze was cold and focused, as if he were not competing, but carrying out a destructive mission.
With a dozen seconds left in the round, he landed a heavy right straight punch that pierced Lewis’s exhausted defense, knocking him off balance again and nearly causing him to fall to the ground, barely able to stay upright with the ropes.
The bell that signaled the end of the second round sounded like a redemptive chime, temporarily saving Lewis.
He staggered back to the corner, his face swollen and red in several places, and his breathing was rapid, as if he had just finished a marathon.
His team looked extremely grim, and coach Manny Steward quickly pressed an ice pack on the area above his eyebrow that was beginning to swell.
"Two rounds, three knockouts! How long can Lewis last? Defeat is inevitable!"
Larry McCann's voice was filled with worry and amazement: "Victor Lee has shown us how fragile technique and tactics are in the face of absolute power and explosiveness! Lewis must work a miracle!"
In Lewis's corner, the atmosphere was so heavy it was almost palpable.
Looking at his disciple's swollen face and somewhat unfocused eyes, Manny Steward knew that the chances were slim.