Ava found himself momentarily overwhelmed and retreated.
The boxing ring felt considerably more confining than the expansive Octagon he was accustomed to.
As a result, Ava was soon pushed directly into the corner, where the ropes formed an indomitable barrier.
Ye Chen advanced decisively and without hesitation.
Ava, sensing the urgency, immediately ducked to evade the impending attack.
In a fervent attempt, Ye Chen threw a punch from a considerable distance, aiming to seal off Ava's escape route. Yet, with considerable experience, Ava deftly ducked his head and evaded the strike.
Just like that, he maneuvered out from the confines of the corner.
To his surprise, he nearly outsmarted Ye Chen.
Fortunately, the other fighter didn't seem entirely at his best.
After a brief, ferocious exchange, he aimed to push Ava back towards the corner. However, Ye Chen miscalculated and swung past him.
Seeing Ava miss his opportunity, Ye Chen surged forward. But rather than resist, Ava chose to retreat, creating distance to regroup and recalibrate.
Ye Chen maintained his composure; there was no need for hasty advances at this point. Both fighters had endured significant blows moments earlier.
In the absence of a clear advantage, neither was willing to risk further engagement.
Both were deeply aware that the stakes were high, and neither wished to gamble on a hasty decision.
Ava felt a wave of disbelief wash over him. Never before had he imagined that he would find himself locked in such a tense duel with Ye Chen.
Inside, he muttered a silent question, "What kind of monster am I up against?"
His skills, honed through years of relentless study and training, alongside his extraordinary talent, were key to his successes thus far.
Yet, the question remained: how had Ye Chen, a practitioner of mixed martial arts, developed such formidable capabilities?
Ava struggled to reconcile this reality.
He suddenly recalled what Golovkin had stated during a press conference via video link.
Could it truly be possible for Ye Chen to emerge victorious?
Ava quickly pushed the thought away.
No, this could not be. As long as he played to his true abilities, exercising caution and strategy, victory was still within his reach.
He reaffirmed this belief within himself.
Concurrently, Ye Chen danced away from two jab attempts, pulling back slightly and recalibrating his approach.
Indeed, Ava too began implementing a wrap step, signaling a shift in his tactics.
The strength Ye Chen exhibited had risen beyond both Ava's expectations and those of his coaching team. If he failed to adjust his strategy, he risked being overwhelmed.
This adaptability was the hallmark of a top-tier athlete.
Ye Chen noted the adaptation as well, feeling a quiet sigh escape his lips.
Ava, in his previous mindset, would have been significantly easier to defeat than the focused opponent he now faced.
With Ava unwilling to take the initiative, Ye Chen decided to step into the fray himself.
However, Ava's defensive counterattacks were nothing short of world-class.
Sticking to his routine, Ye Chen took advantage of his long reach from mid-range to long-range.
He believed that as long as he kept applying pressure, Ava would eventually falter under the strain.
Moreover, with his current state of being, charging recklessly could lead to devastating consequences.
Despite Ye Chen's rapid punch speed, Ava's reactions remained astonishingly quick.
He effortlessly swatted away two of Ye Chen's rapid jabs.
Interestingly, it was visibly apparent that Ava had begun to ease his stance.
This relaxation referred to him finding a balance rather than becoming complacent.
Had his mindset truly stabilized?
That realization sent a jolt of concern through Ye Chen.
If that were the case, it would serve as a challenge for him.
As Ye Chen processed this, he felt the weight of pressure increase tenfold.
Another jab found its way through, though technically, it didn't fully connect.
In a dance of agility, Ava sidestepped, leaving Ye Chen feeling as though he only grazed the surface of Ava's cheek with his punch.
Then, in a surprising twist, the opponent suddenly shifted forward.
Ye Chen hesitated mid-swing as he retracted his backhand.
But this was merely a feint, as Ava swiftly circled back.
"Are you trying to play mind games?" Ye Chen pondered.
This kind of psychological maneuvering was typically characteristic of Ava's fighting style.
Ava would frequently initiate feints, then abruptly stop, causing opponents to misjudge his intentions.
Letting competitors assume that Ava might be wavering or afraid had lured others into traps in the past.
Numerous opponents had suffered serious setbacks by underestimating him.
Once an adversary began to perceive fear in Ava or assumed he seemed less capable, they were completely mistaken. If one dared to pursue him recklessly, they would likely find that their ambition would swiftly lead to punishment.
After Ava found his rhythm again, his footwork became noticeably lighter and more fluid.
Soon after, he executed the same tactics once more.
However, this time, he aimed a precise strike at Ye Chen's abdomen.
Even after receiving a jab from Ye Chen, he paused, absorbed the impact, and then smoothly retreated.
Many spectators present were left in stunned silence.
What was happening? Was Ava genuinely scared?
This perplexity was especially evident among the local audience.
Tickets for attendance were exorbitantly priced, primarily drawing die-hard boxing enthusiasts.
Yet, many had come to witness the champion Ye Chen in action.
Some had never even watched boxing prior, and only gained interest after viewing a few of Ye Chen's matches.
At that moment, the live chat was overflowing with commentary.
[Is this really the level of a four-time boxing champion?]
[Haha, it seemed like Ava was clearly intimidated by our Brother Chen just now.]
[Brother Chen is phenomenal! He has decisively taken control against this opponent!]
[To the boxing novices from before: You must not have seen Ye Chen compete! We're only in the second round. Don't underestimate Ava's capabilities.]
[Is this fighter bowing before our champion? Wasn't he the aggressive one earlier? Why is he hesitant to engage now?]
[Honestly, I am surprised at how strong Brother Chen's boxing skills are. But let's not downplay Ava here; he's undeniably formidable.]
[Everyone, let's refrain from bickering. Instead, let's rally behind Brother Chen. Don't idolize him when he wins, nor disparage him in defeat.]
[True, if we lose, it shouldn't be that embarrassing. A win against Ava in this cross-discipline fight would be remarkable. Should he conquer Ava, Chen Ge's legacy would surpass even Pacquiao's, solidifying his position as the top athlete in Asia.]
[That's right... but let's keep our heads on straight. Let's not raise expectations too high; we could do without that added pressure on Brother Chen.]
In the arena, Ava began stepping forward once again...