Mutombo also attracted many teams, such as the Hawks and Bulls.
The Hawks offered Mutombo a five-year, $56 million contract, which immediately attracted the attention of the African continent.
But at this time, Bulls general manager Jerry Krause contacted his agent, which made him hesitate again.
However, the Bulls were unable to offer the Hawks a big contract, and only offered a five-year, $35 million contract with an annual salary of $7 million.
The old contract ended, and Jordan entered a new contract with three years of US$72 million and an annual salary of US$24 million. However, his annual salary last season was only US$3.82 million, so he only occupies less than US$6 million in salary space this season, which is about the same as Zhou Quan. .
For this, the Bulls still need to free up 5 million in space first, and they have to trade Kevin Willis and another important rotation player to make up for the space.
It was $21 million less, but the championship was also very attractive, and Mutombo couldn't decide for a while.
Michael Jordan didn't wait for his big dream, and his expectations for Mutombo became intense, so he put pressure on Jerry Krause.
After repeated consideration, Jerry Krause offered a contract again, worth 45 million in five years, which would free up 7 million in space.
Mutombo also thought for a long time and agreed to the Bulls' contract.
Then Krause began clearing his contract to prepare salary space for signings.
Kevin Willis, Luke Longley, and Randy Brown were put on the shelf, and the three of them combined had exactly $7 million in space.
Fortunately, the Bulls still have Bill Wennington as a backup center, and Randy Brown is only a marginal player, so they have not excessively weakened the lineup.
In New York, David Stern received the trade request and hesitated.
If the Bulls get Mutombo, the difficulty of the Sonics' three-peat dynasty will increase exponentially, and he knows this very well.
The question he considered was whether this deal was conducive to the development of the league. The situation in the last finals was actually a bit one-sided. The Bulls only won one game. If the Bulls fans hadn't caused trouble, they might have been swept. This was not conducive to balance, so Eventually he decided to go through with the deal.
On the afternoon of the 20th, the transaction was completed and the Bulls officially announced the signing of Mutombo.
This free signing immediately shocked the entire league.
Lakers general manager Jerry West was interviewed by a Los Angeles TV station and said when talking about the deal:
"The Bulls' lineup is so strong that it's frightening. It's detrimental to the development of the league. It will trigger vicious competition and lead to superstars at their peak joining together. Mutombo joining the Bulls this time is even worse than Barkley being traded to Mosaic. .”
"This is a hug, this is an absolute hug."
After Whitsitt learned the news, he immediately contacted an acquaintance reporter and expressed his views to the media.
After many people expressed concerns, Bulls general manager Jerry Krause stood up and explained: "Our transactions are within the league rules, and there is nothing illegal in introducing Mutombo from the free market. Holding together is just normal reinforcement.
And everyone knows that Dikembe is weak in offense and strong in defense. We mainly strengthen the interior defense. The offensive end has not been strengthened, and has even been weakened. "
But no matter how the Bulls management explained it, the Bulls' strong lineup made the entire league uneasy, and even suppressed their fear of the SuperSonics.
The Sonics have won two consecutive championships, and now they are trying to win three consecutive championships. They are the public enemy of the league. The entire league wants to stop it, but now the Bulls' deal has attracted firepower for the Sonics.
On this day, Whitshit contacted Zhou Quan, who was doing all his best in boxing training, and said: "Iron Fist, the Bulls' lineup is much stronger than last season, especially the inside defense. With Mutombo as a gate, It will be much more difficult for us to fight in."
Zhou Quan read: "Mutombo, Toni Kukoc, Pippen, Jordan, Ron Harper, this defense, that is, Kukoc is worse, the other four, the Bulls have created a cast iron lineup! "
"Yeah, now we are a little passive. There is no room to introduce players. It is difficult for better role players." Whitsitt said awkwardly.
Zhou Quan said: "Bob, we must find a better center, and a center with a mid-range shot. We have to find a way to pull Mutombo out of the basket, otherwise we will not be able to play against the Bulls."
Whitsitt said: "Mutombo sits under the basket and is too much of a threat to our breakthrough, but Rodman can't be pulled out. How can we bring him out?"
Zhou Quan smiled and said: "This depends on tactical movement, which can still be adjusted. Rodman does not attack, Mutombo cannot guard him. What he is best at is protecting the basket. Who has the strongest offense inside?" , he will focus on who he is guarding, and as long as the person he is guarding moves out of the penalty area, he can only follow him out, and there are very few opportunities to switch defenses."
Whitsitt smiled bitterly and said: "So, you want to find a center like Sam Perkins before?"
Zhou Quan smiled and said: "About that. You have to have a good mid-range shot. Of course it's better to have a long-range shot. But Sam Perkins's efficiency is too low. We need to find a center who is more accurate in the mid-range shot and is good at shooting open shots. He can't shoot well." It’s too slow. As long as Mutombo doesn’t follow up or is too slow to follow up, my ball will reach his hands.”
"Okay, I'll discuss it with George Karl again," Whitsitt said.
At this time, Dawson contacted the Postman's agent and also sent a trade offer to the Jazz, exchanging Barkley for Karl Malone.
The postman was a little moved when he learned that Mosaic wanted to trade him.
He teamed up with Dameng. Such an inside combination was definitely the best in the league. However, the outside line was so bad that it couldn't be seen. Even with a glider, it was swept by the Supersonics. He and Dameng were not sure.
After Jerry Sloan received the offer, he was unmoved and rejected it directly.
Barkley was no longer good, but the postman was at his peak. Their values were completely different. How could he agree?
Then he called the postman and said clearly: "Karl, Mosaic has no chips to trade you. Barkley is dead, unless they use Big Dream as chips, but in that case, the transaction will be meaningless."
The postman fell silent, and then Jerry Sloan continued: "Carl, you still have three years of contract, and you will play for another three years. If it doesn't work, I will let you leave for free, okay?"
"Three years?"
The postman smiled bitterly. He is already 33 years old. He will be 34 next season and will be 37 after playing for three more years.
Jerry Sloan said very forcefully: "In short, I can't trade you for Barkley. If you leave, this lineup that has been polished for many years will be useless."
The postman said angrily: "Then let the boss increase investment. We still have a middle-class regulation. We have no reinforcements. How can we fight the SuperSonics? Do we still want to be swept away by the Iron Fist?"
Jerry Sloan was silent for a while. The football market in Salt Lake City was so big that it was impossible for the boss to increase investment. It would be good if he didn't withdraw money.
…
At 9 o'clock in the morning on August 25, the NBA announced the list of the top 50 superstars, and Zhou Quan was among them.
The league also announced that it will hold an awards ceremony for the top 50 superstars during the 1997 All-Star Weekend.
On August 28, Zhou Quan and Holyfield jointly held a press conference, which was regarded as a warm-up before the title defense battle.
"Don King has been contacting us this week. He hopes to arrange for you to fight Michael Tyson. By the way, you will defend the title against Holyfield on the 1st, and he will challenge the current WBA leader Bruce Sale on the 7th. Den, if he wins, he will have the world boxing title again." After the press conference, Philip said.
"If I lose to Holyfield this time and lose the title, will he still fight me? Would it be better to fight Holyfield then?" Zhou Quan asked.
"He said that no matter whether you win or lose, he hopes to fight you. Zhou, even if you lose this title defense and you don't have the title, your popularity is still there. I don't think it will drop. He That’s what Mr. Arum and Mr. Dewar think too,” Philip said.
Zhou Quan thought about it for a moment. Tyson's popularity is indeed very high now. He won't suffer from a fight. It would be better if he could beat him, so he nodded and said: "I only have one request, and I can't give in. I don't want Tang Jin to lose." Suck blood from my body."
"Of course. Your current popularity is definitely no worse than Tyson. How can we give in?" Phillip nodded.
From this day on, major gambling companies set odds for this boxing match.
In terms of odds, there is no big gap. It is obvious that the major gambling companies are generally optimistic about this boxing match and believe that the two people are of equal strength and both have a chance to win.
Overall, more gambling companies give Holyfield lower odds.
In other words, most gambling companies believe that Holyfield has a greater chance of winning.
But a gambling company in Las Vegas unexpectedly did not offer a handicap for this boxing match. Instead, it offered a surprising handicap.
Iron Fist is hit hard once, twice, three times, and more than three times, and the odds are 1.15, 1.09, 1.06, and 1.03 respectively.
As soon as this handicap came out, it unexpectedly received a lot of follow-up from gamblers and became the most popular handicap.
Suddenly, other gambling companies followed suit and offered similar odds.
For example, one company offered a bet on Zhou Quan's ability to defend the title without injury. There are specific standards for this invulnerability, and he must not be effectively hit once.
One company offered a bet on how many punches Zhou Quan could dodge in one wave.
This type of handicap is more attractive for betting than the regular handicap.
Zhou Quan himself couldn't help but spend tens of thousands of dollars to defend his title without injury.
On the 29th, Barkley couldn't help but call Jordan and asked: "Michael, are you going to watch the Iron Fist guy defend his title?"
"NO."
Jordan said it firmly and authentically.
Now whenever he thinks about losing two million US dollars last year, he feels heartbroken and has long since sworn not to watch Zhou Quan's boxing matches again.
"Hakeem isn't going either. I'll ask the postman, Larry Johnson, Oakley and the others." Buckley muttered.
He wanted to go and see how Zhou Quan would lose. He felt Holyfield was stronger.
"Hey Postman, want to go to Las Vegas?"
"Flying Pig, what do you want from me?"
"What do you want me to ask you?"
"If you don't go, what am I going to do there? I need to take care of my farm."
"Don't you want to see how Iron Fist loses in his title defense?"
"No, it has nothing to do with me whether he wins or loses."
"Damn it, you've had your bones broken by him off the court and beaten violently by him in the ring. Have you forgotten?"
"Shut up! It's been a long time since that happened off the field. I've hurt other people too. What's happening in the ring is not a grudge, it's a competition.
In fact, the professional boxing match with him ended our feud. It was just that I lost, but our feud was over. "
"You guys are actually afraid of him?"
"It's not fear. I have the guts to get into the boxing ring with him. Do you have the guts to go up and have a fight with him? You and Dameng are both cowards."
"You bastard!"
Buckley was furious, cursed and hung up the phone.
He was so angry at the postman that he didn't want to call anyone else or go to Las Vegas, but when he thought of the postman, he felt a little complicated.
In fact, when it comes to grievances, there is no grievance between him and Iron Fist at all. In the beginning, they had a good start.
But later he supported Jordan in person, ignored Iron Fist, and did not take a neutral stance, which caused the relationship between the two to quickly deteriorate.
Of course, he didn't think it was his fault. He and Jordan were good friends. At that time, he and Iron Fist were just casual acquaintances. There was no friendship at all. There was nothing wrong with supporting Jordan.
Thinking of his wife's words to persuade him, he couldn't help but have an idea. In the future, he would have less contact with Iron Fist. The postman could let go of his feud with Iron Fist. He, a person who had no feud with him, had no need to maintain a sworn enemy relationship with Iron Fist.
…
From the 31st to the 1st, a large number of private jets arrived at various airports in Las Vegas, more than 200 of them, and they were all wealthy people from all over the United States and even the world.
Many of these people are bringing their families and girlfriends, planning to vacation here, and can watch two world boxing title defenses in a row within a week.
September 1, 1996, Las Vegas, MGM Hotel Arena, WBC World Boxing Championship Defending Challenge.
The stadium with 20,000 people was packed to the brim, and seats were added wherever seats could be added. The average ticket price reached US$6,200. The lowest mountain top ticket was as high as US$800, and the scalper price of front row tickets was as high as 100,000 US dollars. Far more than the price of the NBA Finals.
Not counting PPV revenue, the box office revenue of this boxing match alone was as high as 12.4 billion U.S. dollars, and with on-site advertising and sponsorship revenue, it was as high as 200 million U.S. dollars.
Because of the popularity, the promoter sold 20 million US dollars in just three back-up matches.
There were more than 300 media outlets present, and at least two-thirds of the camera operators had to set up their cameras in the aisles or even on the top of the mountain. There was not such a big space under the ring.
Half of the front row were top and first-line celebrities, and the other half were the world's richest people. There were also many NBA stars present, but none of them grabbed the front row.
(End of chapter)
