Inside the venue, as the red kangaroo Li Gang made its dazzling appearance, the audience was shocked, while the contestants had already begun silently praying.
They prayed not to be matched with such a behemoth during the upcoming draw.
Even Xu Ming, a current boxing champion who had won multiple golden belts, was no exception.
He knew very well that although he would have an advantage in terms of technique, that was only under conditions of equal weight and class.
When facing someone of Li Gang's physique and build, all of that would be useless.
However, what one fears the most often comes to pass.
As his face filled with terror, the host, through a draw, revealed the matchups for the first round.
"First match, Ren Liang vs. Chen Chong."
"Second match, Cai Wen vs. Li Xiaohu."
"Third match, Xu Ming vs. Li Gang."
...
"The winner advances to the next round, the loser will be directly eliminated."
"Alright, let us all look forward to the upcoming matches."
As the host's voice faded, the expressions of everyone in the audience became varied.
Some were excited, some were expectant.
The contestants present felt the same, especially those who had not drawn Li Gang.
They were as happy as if it were New Year.
On the other hand, Xu Ming looked as if he had been forced to swallow a lump of excrement.
If the matches proceeded according to this list, he, the former boxing champion who was most likely to win, might be eliminated in the very first round.
Just then, the host walked up to him with a microphone.
"Xu Ming, as a multiple golden belt winner, I'd like to interview you before the match. What are your thoughts on the upcoming competition?"
Hearing the host's question, Xu Ming's expression grew even more grim.
He even suspected that the host was doing this intentionally.
But soon, a hint of relief appeared on his face.
"Actually, I didn't come to this competition to win any prizes. I came for my daughter."
Upon hearing Xu Ming's words, everyone assumed he had some deeply touching story.
However, his next answer made them unable to suppress their laughter.
"My daughter is also a fan of those animals. She couldn't get tickets to the Xihong Zoo before.
"This time, I signed up so I could bring my daughter to see those cute animals.
"Also, I'd like to ask the organizers if they can give me an extra mascot after the competition, because I have a younger one at home."
Xu Ming's sincere answer made everyone present burst into laughter.
They hadn't expected the boxing champion to be such a doting father, which explained why he would participate in this competition.
Just as everyone was moved by Xu Ming's words, he suddenly added a sentence.
"Director Yang, if you're watching, please tell your kangaroo to go easy on me. I have some pride to maintain."
As soon as he finished speaking, the mobile camera at the venue focused on Yang Lin, who was sitting nearby.
Seeing this, Yang Lin responded cooperatively.
"Don't worry, our Gangzi just looks big. He hasn't had professional training and is still lacking in technique."
But just as he finished speaking, the red kangaroo Li Gang, standing by the ring, began its warm-up.
It hopped back and forth with its powerful hind legs, occasionally performing an exceptionally standard dodge.
Its two forelimbs, equipped with gloves, swung rhythmically, throwing punches: jabs, hooks, uppercuts, and straight punches. The speed of its strikes was so fast that ordinary eyes could barely follow.
Seeing this, everyone's gaze towards Yang Lin changed.
"I can see that Director Yang is not being honest.
"This is what he calls 'unprofessional'?"
"If this is unprofessional, then I, who studied Sanda for five years, am practically a nobody."
"The child's talent is extraordinary. Send him to the national team, don't waste it."
"This kangaroo is a Dragon Country citizen now, right? I won't watch the next Olympics without it."
"Is there any explicit rule in the Olympics stating that athletes must be human?"
"I don't think so."
...
Amidst the murmurs of the crowd, this boxing match, whose outcome already seemed determined, officially began.
Although the preceding two human matches were also exciting, and the contestants performed exceptionally well, the audience remained somewhat distracted.
It wasn't until the host announced the start of the third match that the venue erupted in thunderous cheers.
The next moment, under the expectant gaze of the audience, Xu Ming, representing the human side, and Li Gang, representing the animal side, slowly appeared from opposite sides of the ring.
Before them stood a one-meter-high square stage.
As Xu Ming climbed up obediently, Li Gang performed a stylish leap followed by a front flip, clearing the one-meter-high railing and landing steadily on the ground.
"Damn it! A cheat. Another cheat."
"Are kangaroos really that bouncy?"
"What's this? Kangaroos can normally jump over four meters high and 13 meters in a long jump."
"So, high jump and long jump are the kangaroo's true strengths?"
"Director Yang miscalculated this time, pitting such a powerful athlete in high jump and long jump into boxing."
"I think Xihong Zoo must have other more formidable contestants in those events."
...
With Li Gang's brief display, the atmosphere in the venue instantly reached a fever pitch.
Next came the highly anticipated man-vs-kangaroo showdown.
And the man and the kangaroo did not disappoint. Xu Ming showcased the superb technique and exceptional physical fitness of a boxing champion, maneuvering skillfully and trading blows with Li Gang.
Li Gang was equally impressive, blocking, defending, and attacking with each posture executed perfectly, rivaling that of human boxers who trained for years.
But as they watched, a sense of unease began to creep in.
Given Li Gang's previous display of physique and skill, the fight shouldn't have lasted this long.
This led the onlookers to a rather improbable speculation.
"Isn't Li Gang deliberately holding back against Xu Ming?"
"I feel like it too."
"Although I don't understand boxing, I can clearly sense that Li Gang isn't giving his all."
"I remember that before the match started, Director Yang secretly whispered something into Li Gang's ear."
"Holy cow, this big kangaroo not only knows boxing, but also understands human relationships."
"It must have known Xu Ming's daughter was watching the match, so it didn't want Xu Ming to lose too badly."
"If that's true, then it has truly become sentient."
...
As the audience vaguely guessed this, a sense of warmth radiated from the large kangaroo.
When the match reached fifteen minutes, the stalemate between the man and the kangaroo was finally broken.
Li Gang, the red kangaroo from Xihong Zoo, won by a narrow margin.
As the referee announced the result, the venue erupted in passionate applause.
Simultaneously, a cute little girl, who had been waiting by the sidelines for a long time, proudly rushed into Xu Ming's arms.
Seeing this, the red kangaroo Li Gang once again bared its row of clean, white teeth.