Five days later, Jason Luo and his team headed to the UK to attend the WBA's pre-fight weigh-in in London.
This match had drawn special attention from the British media. The UK, a nation steeped in boxing tradition, had produced countless legendary fighters over the past two decades—Lennox Lewis, Carl Froch, Amir Khan, David Haye, Joe Calzaghe, Naseem Hamed, Chris Eubank Sr. and Jr., and one of today's heavyweight "big three," Anthony Joshua. The country's star power was dazzling. Yet in recent years, there seemed to be a gap in emerging talent, making every bout featuring Charlison, hailed as Britain's "next big star," a national focal point.
At the weigh-in, the venue was packed with reporters. When Jason Luo and Charlison posed for photos, the Brit didn't pull any over-the-top stunts. Instead, he simply gave a dismissive smirk, then blew a kiss toward his girlfriend in the crowd...
Since Charlison didn't provoke him, Jason Luo saw no reason to start anything either. Once the photos were done, both men took questions from the media.
Naturally, the British reporters favored Charlison, throwing out all kinds of playful questions.
"Are you planning to dedicate an easy victory to your lover, to show her your bravery?"
"Haha, no, no, no—she already knows how brave I am… in every way."
Laughter rippled through the crowd.
Jason Luo thought to himself, even press conferences could get this lively...
"Oh, Charlison, if you win this fight, will you go on to challenge for the title in your division?"
"Yes. I promised Runa that once I win the gold belt, I'll propose to her."
The crowd erupted in applause—as if that championship belt was already sitting on order for him at some shop!
Sitting there, Jason Luo found himself completely ignored by the media. The feeling wasn't pleasant at all.
Just then, a reporter stood up. "Hello, Jason Luo. I'm a sports reporter from Phoenix TV. May I ask—in which round do you plan to defeat your opponent?"
The room instantly fell silent. The reporters turned to her, surprised by the question. But she stood tall and calm, waiting for Jason Luo's answer without hesitation.
Jason hadn't expected anyone to challenge the atmosphere so directly. He couldn't back down now. After all, talking big was free—he had to keep his momentum!
"Thank you for the question. Since I dared to accept this challenge, I'm confident in victory. I'd say I can end it within three rounds."
"What?"
Charlison, who had been basking in his own bragging moments earlier, froze—then burst into anger. "Kid, you think you can drop me in three rounds? Keep dreaming! I'll have you searching the floor for your mouthguard in the first!"
Jason Luo snapped back. "I was answering a reporter—who asked you to interrupt? You're the one dreaming! Win the gold belt before proposing? Try in your next life!"
That hit home. For Charlison, who was deep in love, that jab went straight to the heart. Rage overtook reason, and their exchange quickly devolved into a full-blown shouting match—complete with curses flying across the stage.
Their words grew sharper, back and forth, until Jason Luo's verbal jabs finally pushed Charlison over the edge. Furious, Charlison kicked over the table and lunged toward him, but security had already sensed trouble and jumped in to separate them before things got physical.
The scene descended into chaos, while the reporters trembled with excitement, their cameras flashing nonstop...
With things in disarray, the press conference couldn't possibly continue. Yet everyone knew—it had just become the most successful one yet!
...
After things wrapped up hastily, Rod took Jason Luo back to the hotel, full of praise. "Excellent, Jason! You were perfect today. Boxing's a sport of passion—it needs that fire. The more drama before the match, the more people tune in. That's how stars are made!"
Jason gave a wry smile. Guess boxing really is a sport made for hotheads.
Brown came over laughing. "You've really set Charlison off. He's probably fuming right now. Expect him to come at you with everything he's got."
Jason lifted his chin. "Let him come! I'll fight him head-on!"
Raul nodded. "Exactly. Go out there and show what you're made of."
Brown quickly motioned for calm. "Alright, alright, enough fire. Trash talk's fine, but stay cool in the ring. Remember, losing your temper is the biggest sin in boxing. Keep your head clear. Rage might boost your power for a moment, but it'll also leave you wide open."
"Right now, it's good that you've provoked him. Even if he cools down later, the seed of rivalry's already planted. Use that to your advantage."
Rod's eyes gleamed. "And we can do our part—add a bit more fuel, make the atmosphere burn."
Raul frowned. "How?"
Rod just smiled mysteriously. "You'll see soon enough."
...
In the days that followed, Jason Luo and Brown focused on targeted training, while Rod worked every angle he could—media, promotions, publicity—to build Jason's fanbase.
The overseas community in the UK was large, and many who heard about the fight through pubs or newspapers grew eager to see how this newcomer would fare against the British favorite.
Five days later, Rod organized a fan meet-and-greet, bringing in several American media outlets for extra buzz—and even inviting the Phoenix TV reporter from before.
There were autograph sessions, free memorabilia, group photos, and another Q&A. Finally, Rod stood up on Jason's behalf to issue an official "challenge letter"—which sounded more like a battle oath.
It proclaimed Jason Luo's guaranteed victory, listing all the reasons why—Charlison's decline since his last draw, his lack of motivation, and how he'd wasted his energy on romance instead of training.
Rod even produced "evidence"—Charlison's own words from earlier interviews.
Savage!
Jason could easily picture Charlison's fury when he saw those reports.
Turns out Rod had planned this dirty trick from the start—devious, yes, but incredibly satisfying.
...
After the meet-and-greet, Rod introduced Jason to the reporter. She extended her right hand with a confident smile.
"Hello, Jason Luo. I'm Yang Fan. Pleased to meet you."
Jason smiled back. "Impressive—you really have the spirit of a true fighter. I admire that."
Yang Fan chuckled. "Careful—you've made Charlison furious. He might come at you and bite your ear!"
Jason laughed. "Then maybe boxing rules will have to change—make ear guards mandatory!"
The two of them burst into laughter, while Rod, standing nearby, looked puzzled, not catching a word of their exchange.