Ch.152Finally

Ding ding ding!

The bell signaling the end of the first round rang.

The spectators were in shock.

“…What? The first round is over?”

“Alexei pressured Kim Donghu all the way and took the first round.”

It was something no one had imagined.

Everyone had naturally assumed this would be another one-sided victory for Kim Donghu.

What on earth had happened in the short span of just a few days?

Alexei had outmaneuvered Kim Donghu with his incredible physical abilities.

“Was he hiding his strength?”

While everyone was surprised by the suddenly improved skills, the Olympic athletes vaguely noticed what had changed.

Especially the boxing athletes who instinctively sensed something off.

“It’s drugs.”

“Did they bribe everyone? How did he not get caught?”

“They must have bribed them. It already happened once in Sochi.”

Knowing this didn’t change anything.

The judges and commentators had probably all been bought off already.

“Strength, speed, stamina—he’s not lacking in anything. Looks like he used every drug available.”

“No one knows better than the athletes themselves, but… he doesn’t seem to have any intention of giving up.”

The athletes shifted their gaze to the corner of the ring where Kim Donghu was sitting and resting.

His eyes were bright with determination, showing no thought of defeat.

However, his slightly labored breathing.

It didn’t seem like a problem caused by lack of stamina.

It looked more like pressure from a body enhanced by drugs.

“All the guarded areas are swollen. His triceps have turned bright red.”

“Meanwhile, Alexei looks fine. Look how his gaze is fixed on Kim Donghu.”

“He must be confident. He’s excited, like he already knows he’s won.”

“If it goes to points, he’ll definitely win. So the only option is a KO….”

Could a KO be possible against a drugged athlete?

Just as this question arose.

Ding!

The one-minute break ended, and the two fighters touched gloves again.

“Box!”

With the referee’s signal.

“Alexei is charging in again!”

“He’s going for an all-out brawl!”

“Does he plan to end it with a knockdown? His momentum is too strong! He needs to dodge!”

Contrary to expectations that Kim Donghu would be pushed back again.

BANG!

“Huh?”

In the blink of an eye, Alexei was down.

It wasn’t a KO.

But Alexei’s confused expression, as if he didn’t even know what hit him, was caught on camera.

Before the count reached ten.

After resting for nine seconds, he got back up.

“Box!”

The match continued.

With a bewildered expression, Alexei charged in again.

BANG!

Just as the match was about to progress, he went down again.

The second knockdown.

Olympic boxing doesn’t apply the three-knockdown rule, but

it was extremely disadvantageous in terms of scoring.

‘And beyond that, it’s a dangerous sign that he could be knocked out.’

What on earth was happening?

While the audience was in shock,

the match continued.

++++++

Right after taking the second knockdown,

Alexei felt the suppressed fear creeping back to the surface.

‘What the hell is going on!’

The guy who had struggled to counter in the first round

was suddenly doing this—what had he eaten?

According to KO regulations, he could rest for a maximum of 9 seconds after being knocked down.

While catching his breath, Alexei looked up at Kim Donghu.

‘Those eyes….’

They were eyes that made him wonder if this man had actually killed someone before.

‘Why did I go down?’

Alexei tried to recall where he’d been hit to cause the knockdown.

But he couldn’t remember anything.

All he remembered was finding himself on the ground when he came to his senses.

“7! 8! 9!”

“He’s up, he’s up.”

“Can you continue? Are you alright?”

As soon as he stood up when time was up, the referee immediately gave him additional rest time.

His drug-enhanced body recovered quickly during that time.

“Okay, okay, I’m good.”

Pretending to have communication difficulties with deliberately broken English,

he bought a little more time.

Then belatedly took a fighting stance to show he could continue.

“Box!”

The match resumed.

Alexei forgot about the two knockdowns.

He could make up the points from now on anyway.

‘I’ll corner him against the ropes and beat him.’

As he was planning this and about to move his body.

With a BANG! the guard he believed was solid broke.

A short lead hook followed by a rear hook.

With those two hits, his arms couldn’t withstand the pain and rose above his head.

And then Kim Donghu’s signature combo followed instantly.

Temple hook, short uppercut, liver shot.

“Kuhuk…!”

The impact sent his mouthpiece flying out.

The third knockdown followed the unbearable destructive power.

Alexei hurriedly put his mouthpiece back in.

‘How much time is left? What’s happening?’

He checked the remaining time.

“….”

Just one minute had passed.

He had taken three knockdowns in just one minute.

‘There are still two minutes left?’

He was supposed to win using drugs.

Why had he become the one who needed to survive for two minutes?

At this rate, it wouldn’t make any difference if he hadn’t used drugs at all.

Alexei got up again, recognizing the unbelievable reality.

His body somewhat numbed to pain, his endurance, strength, and speed.

All of these should have given him the advantage, so why was he being pushed back?

‘Did he use drugs too?’

He wanted to believe that, but there were no signs of it from his opponent.

‘No, no. I’ll win, I will win. I have to win.’

Losing after using drugs should never happen.

“Can you continue, are you okay?”

Nod.

Knowing that stalling for time was now meaningless, Alexei took his stance.

‘I just need to make it to the decision.’

Play defensively now and then push hard in the third round.

Then the decision would be his, so he had to win.

With this determination for victory, Alexei tightened his guard again.

Although his guard had been broken earlier, he was certain he could withstand it if he was aware.

“Okay, box!”

The match resumed.

Two minutes remained.

Once again, Kim Donghu moved first.

While gauging with his lead hand and checking his opponent’s reaction.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

He threw body jabs in between, creating cracks in Alexei’s guard.

‘I’ll end it in this round. I must end it.’

The determination to never lose something precious again.

That determination awakened Kim Donghu’s potential.

The moments of effort, never resting for a single moment,

not settling for easily obtained talent, bore fruit,

Crack.

And hatched from its shell.

Thump!

Thinking he had finished analyzing the jab, Alexei prepared for a counter.

Planning to attack as soon as Kim Donghu withdrew his lead hand.

But at that moment, Kim Donghu’s foot position changed instantly.

A switch position he had never shown before.

‘He’s becoming a southpaw?!’

As he switched feet, his body position also changed rapidly.

Whoosh!

The counter punch thrown at where Kim Donghu should have been sliced through empty air.

BANG!

Kim Donghu’s jab transformed into a straight punch and landed squarely on Alexei’s face.

His face lifted, and his body fell backward without resistance.

However, Alexei’s falling body caught on the ropes, avoiding a knockdown.

‘I’ll use the rope’s rebound to escape!’

Alexei had that thought in his confusion, but

Kim Donghu’s fist moved faster than his thoughts.

An uppercut and hook following the straight.

Normally, a KO should have been declared at this point, but.

‘What should I do? Should I stop it?’

The bribed referee was confused.

It was a situation where anyone could see defeat was certain, but he hadn’t gone down yet.

The referee thought maybe he should let him go down and regain consciousness.

In that brief moment of hesitation, Kim Donghu’s fists kept moving.

‘I’ll finish him completely. He can’t regain consciousness, I have to end it here.’

He knew that going down would be advantageous for his opponent.

If that was the case, he would just keep hitting him without letting him go down.

From a lowered stance, extending his fist,

keeping his opponent’s body from collapsing.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

He unleashed a barrage of hooks.

And just before delivering the final straight punch.

“Stop! Stop! Halt!”

The referee urgently intervened and declared a KO.

Round 2, 2 minutes and 13 seconds, KO.

It was the moment when the gold medal around Kim Donghu’s neck became certain.

+++++

The award ceremony quickly followed right after the final match.

The national anthem proudly played for the heavyweight division, considered the crown jewel of boxing.

The Korean flag descended from the highest position, adorning above Kim Donghu.

Afterward, the Uzbek and Kazakh fighters received silver and bronze medals respectively.

Originally, the Russian fighter Alexei should have received the silver medal, but

drug traces were detected during his treatment after being carried out on a stretcher.

He was immediately stripped of both his silver medal and athlete qualification.

And finally, to conclude.

With the gold medal placed around Kim Donghu’s neck, the boxing events ended.

But while boxing had ended,

the news stories were just beginning.

“Russian Athlete Caught Using Drugs! Kim Donghu Defeats Drugs!”

“Rewriting Korean Boxing History, Boxing Gold Medalist Kim Donghu!”

“Korean Boxing Association: ‘With International Achievements, Military Service Exemption Certainly Possible, Will Actively Accommodate His Acting Career'”

“Asian Games Gold Medal Already in the Bag?!”

“Complete Analysis of Kim Donghu’s Match! Fists Blessed by God!”

Starting with the Russian athlete’s drug detection,

from the heartwarming story of Kim Donghu arranging accommodations for fellow national boxing team members,

to praise from foreign media, acclaim from domestic journalists, and calls from celebrities.

While everyone was rejoicing in Korea’s unprecedented boxing boom.

-[You have achieved a feat that will change your fate.]

-[You will be recorded in history, and your postponed death has completely disappeared.]

-[Your family is safe. Congratulations.]

-[Now enjoy your daily life with peace of mind.]

‘…It’s done, it’s done.’

Kim Donghu quietly wept in his room while reading the message from Sims.

Finally.

Finally, he could protect them.

All the pressure was released.

The guilt that his momentary mistake could cause his family’s death.

The sorrow of having lost his parents so meaninglessly in his previous life.

And the fear that it could happen again.

All of these were now melting away like snow.

With the relief that he could now live happily with his family.

“Now… now it’s really done.”

The tears wouldn’t stop.