Chapter 421: 421
Stephen held the phone anxiously . "Barron, I will explain to the media that your statement about retiring was just something you wrote when you were drunk . Just a dumb dare with your friends . "
"No, I really want to retire," said Phillip in a somber tone .
"Barron, I know that the results from your recent competitions have been a bit disappointing, but this is just temporary . I believe it will soon return to how things were," Stephen said encouragingly .
"How it used to be? Seriously? Even you don't believe that!" Phillip replied .
Stephen was silent for a few seconds . It was just as Phillip said; even he didn't believe that Phillip would be able to return to his previous peak condition .
"Barron, listen to me . Even if you aren't as good as you used to be, you don't have to choose to retire," Phillip advised .
"What can I do if I don't retire? Come last in every race?" Phillip laughed in a self-mocking manner . "I've had enough of feeling like a loser . Being the last to cross the finish line every time, looking at others celebrating, and scurrying off to the locker room with my tail between my legs . "
"Barron, listen, if you care about winning so much, you can enter parathletic competitions . You don't need to compete with able-bodied athletes . Going by your performance now, if you enter a parathletic contest, you will definitely get first!" Phillip continued .
"Enter a parathletic competition? How will people look at me? They might say, 'Hey superstar, why is a celebrity athlete like you not competing in the world championships? Why are you here trying to contest the prize money with us, disabled people?' If I did that, I would feel like a loser . I would rather retire, and at least keep a little of my dignity!" Phillip paused for a while and said, "You don't need to try to convince me, I've already decided . I am retiring!"
"Barron, you really need to reconsider this carefully . . . " Stephen kept trying to convince Phillip to change his mind, but he knew that it was unlikely . To a person suffering from a physical disability, dignity might well be more important than their lives .
Sure enough, Phillip interrupted Stephen as he spoke . "I'm tired, not physically, but mentally . Now, being an athlete no longer interests me . It is a heavy burden, and it makes me depressed . Sometimes I even have difficulty breathing . I am exhausted, and I don't want to keep this up anymore! I want to retire . "
After the conversation with Phillip, Stephen could only stare into space .
Phillip was really retiring . It was a bolt out of the blue for Stephen . This meant that Stephen would lose his primary source of income .
Over the past two years, Stephen had made millions of dollars from Phillip . He bought a big house and a new car, and enjoyed the good life with that huge income . However, that good life was coming to an end . Once Phillip retired, he would no longer have any commercial value . And as his agent, Stephen no longer had any reason left for existing .
"I'm finished! I will need to sell the house!" Stephen's looked at the luxury furnishings in his villa in dismay .
He bought the villa for 1 . 6 million dollars . House prices in California were relatively high, and the median house price was about 400,000 dollars . His villa was four times the median house price . It was definitely a luxury house .
Buying a house was easy, but maintaining it was another story . And no American property owner could escape property tax . The more expensive the house, the higher the tax . If one refused to pay the tax, the government had the authority to take away the person's house, and either sell it in an auction or sell it to a bank .
If the average American were given a luxury house, they still would not be able to afford to live in it, because they would not be able to afford the property tax . For example, when Phillip had an income of a couple million dollars per year, the property tax for that house meant nothing to him . Once he lost his income, though, the property tax became a huge burden . If he worked hard for a year, he might be able to come up with the money to pay the property tax, so the only option for him was to sell his current house and move into a smaller one .
. . .
"The famous parathlete 'Blade Warrior' Barron Phillip announces his retirement . "
When Dai Li read this news headline, his heart felt sad and heavy . He couldn't help but sigh .
"Coach Li, don't worry so much, cheer up!" Ayres' voice boomed . Ayres walked over to him with a smile on his face . He glanced at the headline and said, "These kinds of things, you need to get used to them . When I was young, I felt the same as you when I saw the athletes that I trained retire . The heart feels heavy, as if you just lost someone close . "
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"What did you do?" Dai Li asked .
"Work . Worked like a maniac . I put all my energy and attention into my work . With time, you will naturally forget the things that worried you," Ayres said . He then had a hearty laugh and said, "Which is why I brought you some work . "
"You really never come, do you? Go ahead, what is it?" Dai Li asked .
"It is about Taylor's next fight . His opponent is Highfield . I'm sure I don't need to tell you about the rivalry between these two, so this fight is crucial to Taylor . Three years ago, Highfield used a delaying strategy when he fought against Taylor . He kept dodging Taylor's attacks to deplete his strength . He knew Taylor's weakness, and he was able to successfully exploit it . Seeing as he was successful in that fight, I think that Highfield will definitely use this tactic again in the next match," said Ayres
He continued, "Physical fitness is Taylor's biggest weakness . The way he fights uses up too much of his stamina . The longer a fight goes on, the more disadvantaged he becomes . When it comes to fighting an experienced fighter like Highfield, I do not think that Taylor will be able to finish the match within a short timespan . It is very likely that the match will go on for all 12 rounds . So I devised a strategy that involves him fighting all 12 rounds . "
"However, while Taylor debuted over a decade ago, he has never fought in a match that went on for all twelve rounds . I am worried that he might not be able to last that long . I need him to focus on his physical fitness training, to improve his stamina . I need him to last all twelve rounds . You are a fitness coach, so this is your job!"
Dai Li nodded his head . "No problem, just leave it to me . I will personally take care of this . I guarantee that Taylor will have enough stamina to last all 12 rounds . "
"Don't be too confident . Time is an athlete's biggest enemy . Don't overlook Taylor's age . He is already a 33-year-old . A 33-year-old body, with 33-year-old stamina! He couldn't even fight for all twelve rounds when he was 22 years old, and now, we need him to be able to fight for 13 rounds . Just thinking about it gives me cold sweats," Ayres said .
. . .
A group of reporters surrounded Highfield . While facing the reporters, Highfield looked relaxed, as if he was a tourist on holiday .
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"Of course I have prepared . Kevin Taylor is an experienced fighter . However, I am confident when it comes to fighting him . After all, he's never defeated me . "
"What type of strategy have I prepared? I guess it doesn't hurt to tell you; Taylor only knows a few moves . So, facing him doesn't require any special tactical preparation . I will simply reuse the strategy that I used to beat him three years ago . "
"Taylor's become stronger? No, no, no . I don't think so . I believe that the reason why he has remained undefeated since his comeback is only that his opponents were not able to find the proper way to restrain him . "
"Other things I should look out for in the match? Of course . I need to protect my ears this time . I don't want to get bitten again . I am considering whether or not to wear an earmuff, hahaha . . . "
Highfield was laughing arrogantly on the television screen .
Taylor was fuming in front of the television . His eyes filled with anger . Highfield was obviously making fun of Taylor for biting his ear when he mentioned wearing earmuffs in the fight .
"Kevin, he is simply trying to provoke you!" said a calm Ayres from beside him .
"I know!" Taylor took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down .
"Kevin, I hope that you learn to calm down . You have gone through a lot, not to mention that you have once again climbed up the ladder and reached the peak of the boxing world . I think it is time for you to grow up . "
Taylor did not answer . He just sat there quietly, not knowing how to calm down . He was still fuming .
Ayres frowned slightly . He didn't know how to persuade Taylor to calm down .
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Beside him, Dai Li suddenly said, "Kevin, do you trust me?"
"Of course I trust you . Why? What is it?" Taylor replied without any hesitation .
It seemed as if Dai Li was deliberately trying to change the topic . "Three years ago, the reason you bit Highfield wasn't only because you were angry, but because you were afraid you would lose, right?"
Taylor didn't reply . He lowered his head . He did not dare to look at Dai Li . It was like giving an affirmative answer .
"You were worried that you would lose . You knew that you couldn't last all twelve rounds . Your negative emotions made you do something that was stupid . If you felt like you were going to win, would you have bitten Highfield's ear?" Dai Li continued to ask .
"Li, I know what you are saying . I will be calm . I have faith in myself!" Taylor's head still hung low . He had no desire to be reminded of that incident .
"No . What I am saying is that you need to have faith in me!" Dai Li said confidently . "Have faith in my training . "
Taylor lifted his head and moved his head slightly to look at Dai Li .
Dai Li had a smile on his face . Taylor felt a sense of calm when he saw his smile .
"If you have the stamina to last all 12 rounds, you will definitely win! This is because I am the one who personally trained you . "
On the side, Ayres looked at Dai Li . He felt a sense of familiarity with the unique temperament Dai Li emanated when he spoke . That confidence . It was as if they had already won before the match even began . Suddenly, Ayres felt like he was looking at himself from ten years ago .
Interesting . This kid sure grows up fast . He is becoming more and more like a proper coach! Ayres thought, judging him using the standard of a legendary coach .Please download our sponsor's game to support us!