Gan Guoyang and Bobby Berman’s arrival drew the attention of cameras on site.
This globally watched boxing match is just as high-profile as the Jazz vs. Bulls finals.
This is the second fight between the two; in their first encounter in November 1996, Mike Tyson lost to Evander Holyfield.
Ever since being sentenced to prison for rape, Tyson has wasted quite a bit of time, and upon his comeback, things have changed.
Although he quickly won two boxing titles, he seemed helpless in the match against Holyfield.
This resonated with Gan Guoyang, who returned to the NBA after a two-year hiatus. Although his form remained unbeatable, the NBA no longer felt like his domain.
He lost in the Western Conference finals for the fourth time in his career, watching John Stockton excitedly advance to the finals.
He wished John well, but the Jazz team wasn’t a match for the Bulls and Jordan in the finals — the Bulls lineup stifled the Jazz.
In six games, the Bulls ended the Jazz team, and Jordan claimed his third championship — nearly half as many as Gan Guoyang.
Yet, Gan Guoyang emerged from the shadow of failure faster than before; the day after the West Finals ended, he began training at the gym and executing a new fitness plan.
This time, he came to Las Vegas at Old Tang’s invitation, to add to the atmosphere of the match. There were quite a few celebrities and socialites on site tonight.
Aside from Gan Guoyang, the basketball world also saw the presence of Hakeem Olajuwon on site, who received a lot of camera attention as well.
During Mike Tyson’s time in prison, he claimed that he converted to Islam to seek peace of mind.
In 1994, the now-renamed Olajuwon visited Tyson in prison, and they talked for an hour and a half, becoming good friends.
Soon after, in 1995, Tyson was released, returned to boxing, and in that same year, Olajuwon achieved his long-desired championship.
By 1997, the situation was different again.
The Heat made it to the Eastern Conference finals once more, but they were decisively eliminated by the Bulls 4-1, with their big four no match against the Bulls.
Soon after the season ended, Olajuwon announced he wouldn’t re-sign with the Miami Heat; he might go to a new place, a new team, or perhaps he wants to return to Houston and once again become a Rockets player.
Charles Barkley and Drexler felt disappointed by Olajuwon’s decision.
Drexler might retire, while Charles Barkley still hopes to vie for a championship.
As for the Trail Blazers, PJ Brown similarly didn’t succeed in negotiating with the team; changes in personnel awaited the Trail Blazers.
Overall, this summer is bound to be exciting.
"Who do you favor to win, Sonny? Want to place a bet?"
Before the match began, Bobby Berman asked Gan Guoyang, who looked in good spirits.
Three days ago, he came to Las Vegas for heavy gambling; leaving the Lakers behind and ending his second marriage, he was letting himself indulge.
Although he longed for the Boston Celtics job, regarding the interview, how to develop Duncan, how to untangle the complex and tangled Celtics relationships, Berman had no clue.
With only two days until the interview, he was completely unprepared; his mind focused entirely on gambling.
Gan Guoyang’s visit to the gambling city for the boxing match gave Berman a chance to seek help; he really wanted to hear Gan Guoyang’s opinion.
"I favor Holyfield. Although I like Mike, he won’t be a match for Holyfield," Gan Guoyang asserted.
In terms of age, Holyfield is actually four years older than Tyson. Tyson wasted many years, but Holyfield also experienced a prolonged low point in life.
At 34, Holyfield returned to the peak of the boxing world, and his story similarly inspired Gan Guoyang.
Gan Guoyang’s longing to return to the highest stage was unprecedentedly strong; each failure felt like a thorn in his heart, keeping him awake at night.
Coming to MGM to watch the boxing match was a release; it also allowed him to change mindset and strategize for Berman, knowing Berman had a chance to coach Duncan.
Unexpectedly, the Celtics got the top draft pick, suggesting David Stern and other owners weren’t as deeply antagonistic toward Auerbach.
Also, the Eastern Conference indeed needed a strong contender to balance the power between the two divisions.
Though the NBA has always boasted fairness, openness, and justice in the lottery, when it comes to commercial interests, team fate, and the League’s dramatic top picks, it’s hard to say there isn’t internal manipulation.
After a lengthy and somewhat dull preliminary match, tonight’s MGM Hotel finally reached a climax with the arrival of Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield.
The duo’s showdown has been hyped for many years, and this rematch is the time to lay things to rest.
"The situation within the Celtics is very complex, even more so than I imagined. Auerbach’s authority is supreme; although he chose to retire in 1990, underwent heart surgery in 1993, and stopped involving himself in basketball affairs, his influence pervades everywhere. Whether it’s players, coaches, or general managers, they’re always affected by him, and I don’t like such a coaching environment."
"Dave Gavitt, you know him, he’s an amazing guy; he organized the Big East Conference at the NCAA level, bringing Georgetown, Providence, Syracuse, and Villanova together — he’s incredible. The Celtics hired him, entrusting him with everything, but you know the outcome: his first decision was opposed by Auerbach. Gavitt wanted to hire Coach K as head coach, but Auerbach only wanted to give the position to Chris Ford, someone from within."