LRAB Page 195
Page 195
"But fairness can be given immediately."
Victor stood firm, “You’ve never truly given the Chinese American community the respect and attention it deserves, until now you realize we might turn to the other side. Tell me, Mr. Morris, if the Republican Party can provide the fair environment we need, why shouldn’t we accept it?”
Morris jumped to his feet: "Is this a threat, Mr. Lee?"
"No, it's a choice."
Viktor calmly replied, “The Chinese community in Chicago can be content to be pawns on the political chessboard, but we need to be treated fairly! We have our own voice and our own choice.”
We will support whoever can provide us with a fair environment. This is not a threat; it's the rule of the game in American politics, one you are all too familiar with.
There was silence in the conference room.
Senator Ubelman appeared to both admire and fear Viktor, admiring his courage but also worried about the consequences.
Maurice stared intently at Victor, seemingly assessing the other's resolve.
Finally, he slowly sat down, his tone softening slightly: "What do you need, Victor? Be specific."
“Let’s start with respect. Let’s not make us need to give every government official a bribe to get a license.”
"Then there are concrete policies: fair approval of business licenses, equitable distribution of educational resources, and not just seeing you during elections," Victor said.
Substantive participation in political representation—this point was not mentioned, because if it were, it would be...
The meeting lasted another half hour, and although the atmosphere remained tense, it had shifted towards pragmatic discussions.
When Viktor and Ubelman finally left the room, the congressman breathed a sigh of relief and almost collapsed against the wall.
"Oh my god, Victor, I thought we were going to be doomed."
Ubelm wiped the sweat from his brow. "How can you be so calm?"
Viktor smiled slightly: "Ubelman, when you've stepped into the ring in front of 20,000 people and faced an opponent who wanted to knock your head off, political meetings don't seem so scary."
That's obviously not the truth.
The real reason is that they have connections.
Ubelman shook his head: "But this isn't boxing, Viktor. This is politics, the rules are more complicated, and the ways you get injured are more subtle."
"The principles are the same,"
Victor said, "Stay upright, know when to attack and when to defend, and never let your opponent see your fear."
After the reception, Victor stood alone on the top floor of the unfinished building, overlooking the Chicago night view.
The city lights spread out like a galaxy, and the dark surface of Lake Michigan was faintly visible in the distance.
He knew that today's events were just the beginning.
The Chinese community is at a historical turning point, possessing real political leverage for the first time, but also facing unprecedented risks.
Three days later, Victor's office received a package.
Inside were two official permits for large farms, and a short note from John Morris: "Don't ruin your own life!"
Viktor picked up the license and felt the weight of the document in his hand.
This is both an olive branch and a shackle;
It is both an opportunity and a responsibility.
He walked to the window and looked out at the construction site of the Fengcheng Plaza Hotel, which had just begun construction.
Bulldozers and cranes are in place, ready to begin excavating the foundation.
This project is no longer just a business venture; it has become a symbol of the rise and challenges of the Chinese American community in American society.
Viktor knew that in the midst of political upheaval, only strength could ensure stability.
Whether as a former world boxing champion or a current community leader, he must remain strong.
He picked up the phone and started dialing the first number.
The game had already begun, and he was determined to win.
Outside the window, the Chicago skyline shimmered with hope in the sunset, while construction of the Windy City Plaza Hotel had only just begun.
Chapter 164 Weighing - Lewis, the Second Overlord
In September, the sea breeze, carrying a salty and fervent atmosphere, sweeps across Atlantic City, a city that never sleeps.
On September 7, 1987, the afterglow of the setting sun dyed the glass curtain wall of the Plaza Hotel a dazzling golden red, as if foreshadowing the impending clash of blood and fire.
The streets outside the hotel were already packed with people, with reporters, boxing fans, scalpers, and curious tourists crowding the entrance.
The flashes of light were like a barrage of lightning, each one accompanied by screams from the enthusiastic fans.
Tonight, what will be held here is not just a weigh-in ceremony for the WBA World Heavyweight Championship, but more like a pilgrimage through boxing history, a judgment on arrogance and strength—and such a judgment will continue.
The root of it all comes from that arrogant new boxing champion—Victor Lee.
Two months ago, at a signing ceremony following his title defense, he looked down at the numerous cameras in the audience and uttered one of the most outrageous declarations in boxing history:
"I'm not here to pick opponents, I'm here to clean house. In my opinion, all the boxers on this planet, from second to ninety-ninth, are just trash waiting to be conquered by me."
I will send them all to the hospital or to the retirement list, one by one!
This statement caused an uproar in the global boxing world.
This is no longer just simple pre-match hype; it is a blatant act of contempt and a declaration of war against all the great boxers of the past, present, and future.
To see for themselves whether this was just wild speculation or a prophecy of kings, the legends who once ruled an era and whose names are etched in the annals of boxing history accepted this "informal invitation" and came to Atlantic City.
The hotel's largest banquet hall has been transformed into a weighing ceremony venue.
On the makeshift platform, the huge WBA logo gleamed.
The best seats in the audience were reserved for special guests.
The reporters in the press area were all ready with their cameras and microphones, their focus not only on the two main characters on stage, but also constantly sweeping towards the star-studded guest seats.
“Look! That’s ‘Brown Bomber’ Joe Lewis! He must be thirty-nine years old! My God, he still looks so robust!”
"Smoker Joe Frazier! His long-standing feud with Ali seems to pale in comparison to his curiosity about Victor Lee! But he's 41 years old, can he still fight?"
"Larry Holmes, the Butcher of the East! He's here too!"
"Rocky Marciano! A legend who has been undefeated for fifteen years! At thirty-eight years old, he has actually come out of retirement!"
"Jack Dempsey! 'Manassa the Hammer'! This guy's thirty-nine and he's still coming out?!"
"And Sonny Liston! That horrible guy!"
"Trout! He defeated Rocky to win the gold belt! And he's only twenty-nine years old!"
These boxing legends spoke in hushed tones, their eyes sharp as eagles as they surveyed the scene, exchanging meaningful glances with one another.
Their presence itself imbued the weighing ceremony with an unprecedented sense of historical weight and tension.
The air seemed to freeze, filled with a suffocating sense of excitement, as if a great battle was about to begin.
The emcee's voice resounded throughout the hall through the microphone:
"Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the WBA World Heavyweight Championship weigh-in ceremony! First, please welcome the challenger—from Canada, former WBC World Champion, 'The Lion' Lennox Lewis!"
Under the spotlight, Lennox Lewis, dressed in a white jersey, walked steadily onto the stage.
He is 196cm tall and has a robust and well-proportioned physique, like an ancient Greek sculpture—of course, there was no black pigment in ancient Greek paint.
A weight of 240 pounds is considered standard for a heavyweight boxer, even slightly lean.
But his long arms—reaching an astonishing 213cm reach—and his calm, confident gaze proclaimed his strength as one of the boxing champions.
Having won the WBC title twice, he is a true boxing champion. This time, he is challenging WBA champion Victor Lee, aiming to become the undisputed double champion.
He greeted the audience with a blank expression, as calm as a lion about to pounce on its prey.
"Now, ladies and gentlemen! Please bring out all your enthusiasm and... skepticism! Welcome our current WBA World Heavyweight Champion—the Chicago Tiger, Victor Lee!!!"
A deafening roar of cheers and shrill boos erupted simultaneously, nearly lifting the ceiling of the banquet hall.
A massive figure, like a moving mountain, slowly walked onto the stage.
When he took off his heavy battle robe, the audience erupted in incredulous gasps and gasps of shock.
What a body it was!
Unbelievably broad shoulders, a thick neck like a bull, and a rock-like, angular chest and arms covered with thick fat and hard muscles.
His limbs were as thick as oak trees, and his entire body structure seemed to be a perfect machine born for destruction.
Even more astonishing is his weight—
When Victor Lee stepped onto the scale, the electronic numbers jumped wildly, eventually settling on a number that rendered all records obsolete:
407 pounds (approximately 185 kilograms)!
"My God! 407 pounds! He has broken his own world record again! The last one was 405 pounds, and the one before that was 401 pounds! This is an unprecedented behemoth in the heavyweight boxing world!"
The narrator's voice trembled slightly with shock.
The legendary boxers in the audience also looked surprised.
Joe Lewis shook his head slightly and said in a low voice:
"I've never seen such a heavy boxer maintain such agility."
Larry Holmes, arms crossed, commented, "That weight, that power, taking a punch from him is like being hit by a truck."
Rocky Marciano, the undefeated boxing champion known for his tenacity, also frowned: "Can his heart handle it? But he looks... amazing."
Lewis's eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at the terrifying weight number, but he quickly regained his composure.
He knew that weight wasn't everything; speed and skill were equally important.
He believed that his tall stature and excellent skills were enough to subdue this "beast"—Victor was only 186 cm tall and his wingspan was almost 10 cm shorter than his.
As is customary, the two stood face to face for the media to take photos.
Victor Lee looked at Lewis with a faint, almost cruel smile on his lips.
Lewis, head held high, met his gaze without fear, his eyes piercing.
There were no further verbal provocations between the two, yet the air was filled with invisible sparks, crackling and popping.