Sagasou Kotae wo kikanaide
Mitsuketai Girigiri no shobu de
GET LIFE Jikan wa sonna ni naize
Sorega START WAY
I WANT THIS ONLY
Sagashi motomeru
Ano giniro no hikari no naka de
Dareka wo kizutsukete
Jibun mo kizutsuite
Dakedo owarazu ni
Tada oimotome
Nani mo miete naikeredo... WHY?
Kitto konomama
NO PAIN TRANCE CONTINUE
NAKADAI Boxing Gym
Okay, that's enough.
Those were good moves. Your fine-tuning is perfect.
No, it's still not enough.
It'll take better punches than that to knock him down.
I'm going running for a bit.
Date...
If Makunouchi was still the same as when I first met him...
my current condition would be more than sufficient.
But now he's different.
He won't fall that easily.
He's an entirely different boxer than he was a year ago.
So... a year has already passed.
I first saw Makunouchi...
Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium I first saw Makunouchi...
Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium in the final match for...
Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium Rookie of the Year versus Sendo.
We've been waiting for this, Sendo!
Pulverize him!
It was East versus West for Rookie of the Year...
both with no losses.
Sendo was known as the Tiger of Naniwa.
And his opponent, the man who climbed the ladder...
of the Eastern Japan Rookie of the Year tournament...
through multiple turnaround KOs, Makunouchi.
It was a clash of fighting spirits...
in the match between notorious hard punchers.
It evolved into something superb.
Sendo charged in to deliver a smash...
and Makunouchi fought back with a short uppercut.
It was a riveting development.
Take that!
It doesn't hurt! It doesn't hurt!
I'm not done yet!
The match evolved into a terrific free-for-all...
using deadly attacks from each man's repertoire.
And then...
Huh?
What on earth has happened?
The referee suddenly signaled that the match is over!
The match ended in victory for Makunouchi.
However, it was a match either could have won without question.
Apparently, Sendo is unconscious!
Naturally, Makunouchi was still imperfect...
in many ways back then...
and I never saw him as a real threat.
However, after watching that match...
Makunouchi's name was indelibly etched into my memory.
And roughly one month after the final...
I finally met Makunouchi face-to-face for the first time.
Oops, I forgot you can't use your right hand.
Uh...
Th-Thank you.
Oh, yeah. Old guy!
A little while ago, you called this guy cute, didn't you?
The punches he throws aren't so cute.
D-Don't say stuff like that, Takamura-san.
Being Rookie of the Year puts you in 10th place ranking.
If you rise in the ranks without a hitch...
it's possible we could fight.
I know! I wanted to do my fine-tuning with someone...
who would test my mettle before my next title match!
Y-Yes?
Once your right fist heals, drop by my gym to see me.
Later!
I nominated Makunouchi to be my sparring partner...
in preparation for my next defense match.
There was the fine-tuning, but needless to say...
I had a definite interest in Makunouchi himself.
He's fast!
I can't miss his movement even for a second!
Left!
I got it backwards! A right is coming!
I controlled it! Return a left!
He shook it off by force!
I have to lash out! He's within striking distance!
I have to lash out!
As I had predicted, Makunouchi was a good boxer.
Although the power of his single blow...
and the speed of his dart-and-dash were both unrefined...
I sensed they had huge potential.
However, the thing that impressed me the most...
was his spirit of mind, his fighting spirit!
Corkscrew?!
A Heart Break shot utilizing the corkscrew.
Though he took a few too many hits in sparring...
he still got back on his feet.
What an incredible guy!
The bell rang.
Th-Thank you for the fight.
After seeing this guy get back on his feet again and again...
I had a premonition that I would someday have to fight this man.
And that this fight would definitely not come easy.
Ippo Makunouchi...
Japan Featherweight class ranked 10th.
10th, huh?
Makunouchi next fought Okita, who's from the same gym as me.
The fight between this and last year's Rookies of the Year...
clearly showed the difference in their attitudes.
Left!
His right guard is wide open!
He fell for it!
The left was a feint to bring Makunouchi around to the right.
Okita's aiming for...
That was the difference between Okita...
who was trying to catch up to me...
and Makunouchi, who wanted to defeat and overtake me.
There was only a slight difference in power...
between Okita, who had learned the corkscrew, and Makunouchi.
However, that attitude...
that difference in emotion determined the winner.
Makunouchi won the match.
It was the period of time I defended the Japan title many times...
in the process of setting my sights on the World title.
I even considered returning the Japan title.
However, I didn't like the idea of proceeding to the World title...
without having a match against him.
Now, Suzuki charges forward...
with the tenacity of a second-place contender!
A right from the champion!
What's wrong, Suzuki? You're not moving!
He throws a left without hesitation!
Three knockdowns! The match is over!
The champion flatly denies...
the second-rank challenger his position!
His strength is that of a titan!
H-He's strong.
And now for an interview with the victor.
Champion, congratulations. You seemed to win with ease.
There's been talk of you returning the title within the year...
and re-challenging the World title.
Has this paved the way to that objective?
I will not return the title.
I still have some unfinished business within the country.
I will settle that first.
The world can wait until afterwards!
Huh?
U-Um, Ch-Champion?
And then, as if to respond to my challenge...
Makunouchi was entered in the A-Class Boxer Tournament.
It is a high-level tournament for only the highest ranking boxers.
Those who come out on top...
are given priority challenging rights towards the Japan title.
That's right. The right to challenge ME!
Makunouchi's first match in the tournament...
was against Saeki...
who had gained renown as "The Speed Star."
I'm surprised!
Saeki attacked with precise footwork...
and his quick hit-and-away.
He definitely has amazing punches.
However, that's only IF they hit.
Not again!
Makunouchi also had the handicap of a period with no training...
and was baffled and tormented by Saeki's speed.
One punch...
Just one punch...
Makunouchi was completely powerless...
against Saeki who was overwhelmingly dominant.
Even if I can't see him...
he will be there!
But Makunouchi took advantage of Saeki's perfectly-timed footwork...
and finally landed one punch.
One single punch.
I see you!
However, that one punch was enough...
to strike terror into Saeki's mind.
Saeki's footwork began to fall apart.
This is ridiculous! How is he hitting me?!
It was a perfect turnaround victory by Makunouchi.
The Featherweight second match will commence shortly.
And thus, Makunouchi advanced to the A-Class Tournament final.
One more win...
and he'd be given the right to challenge the Japan title.
D-Date-san! Did you watch me?!
That was a totally ridiculous match.
Uh, no...
Oh, well. You're still not the opponent at hand...
so I guess I'll congratulate you.
Thank you, sir.
Come on, it's about to start.
That is, the match starring YOUR opponent at hand.
And barring his way was the boxer from Russia, Volg Zangief.
An elite among elite boxers with 400 amateur victories, no losses.
This is powerful!
Suzuki's forward progress has been halted!
Was that a jab?!
Speed, power, balance. They're all flawless.
I'm going to win, if you don't mind!
Oh, my! Volg is hit!
Has Suzuki gained control of the pace...
with his human cannonball moves?!
That's a terrific way to put on pressure.
It has more effect because he throws appearance to the wind.
Still, I don't like it.
His cornerman hasn't budged an inch at this stage in the game.
A simultaneous hit!
That's right.
Volg wasn't confined to amateur techniques.
Rough fighting couldn't dent his close range combat power.
And he had the primal fighting instinct of a wolf.
Clean hit!
Stop it!
Please stop it!
Volg, it's the towel!
Stop!
Round 1 1 min. 20 sec. Remaining
I can't believe he defeated him faster than Date-san did!
Technique, combat ability...
I couldn't see a blind spot in Volg in either aspect.
Makunouchi began training for the match...
with Kamogawa, who's well known as a great trainer.
But as powerful as he was...
he barely had any chance of defeating Volg.
Even I believed this was the case.
We've been waiting for this, Makunouchi!
Give him a punch for us!
The match began as a slugfest.
Makunouchi managed to keep up...
with Volg's speed somehow...
but he was overwhelmed by technique at every turn.
Makunouchi throws left! Left, left!
He's getting nowhere. What's wrong?
However, surprisingly enough, Volg was the first to go down.
He was in trouble for a minute...
but he immediately pulled himself together.
I already saw you use this punch.
This time it's your turn to watch!
The knockdown triggered an attack on Makunouchi...
from Volg's carnivorous fangs.
The hunt has begun. The hunt of the wolf.
They attack in packs...
rip off the skin, tear through flesh, and break the bone.
Kid!
And ultimately...
they bring down their prey.
It's coming from below!
I can't stop it!
The White Fang. A super-fast combination blow...
attacking from above and below simultaneously.
This extremely powerful counterattack was delivered...
after completely freezing out Makunouchi's Gazelle Punch.
The overwhelming technical difference...
was made painfully clear to him...
while also preventing his deadly punch.
Makunouchi no longer had a weapon to combat Volg with.
That's what everyone thought.
However, he didn't give up.
It was an extremely dangerous...
and presumably hopeless battle of fists...
with an opponent he couldn't possibly beat.
It's an exchange of blows!
He hammers a barrage, guard be damned!
His momentum is so great, one successful punch will fell him!
The dangerous rope-side offensive-defensive battle continues.
There it is! It's finally here!
Kid, clench your fists!
If you have the strength to clench them...
take it and throw them into him!
However, Chief Kamogawa foresaw an even greater development.
Even a boxer like Volg with an overwhelming amateur career...
would become exhausted in the professional boxing ring.
Makunouchi's punches assailed Volg as he lost his stamina...
and could no longer move his legs.
Makunouchi whales into him! It's his usual reversal pattern!
Also, this rush is Makunouchi's pattern of certain victory!
Ah, Volg sinks to the mat!
He's down!
Makunouchi has finally turned the match on its ear!
For all that, Volg still got back on his feet.
Mom, I'm...
I'm strong now, aren't I?
The fighters were waging a death match...
that exhausted them to their limits. And...
I don't think that's a stance for attacking.
That's to brace the legs.
In other words, a stance to prevent them from falling over.
He's starting to run out of oxygen. Persevere, Kid!
The win will be determined by...
who has the superior cardiopulmonary functions.
Keep going, Volg!
I'm...
suffocating...
A right! It's a hit to Makunouchi's face!
And he goes into the motions of the White Fang!
This is the last of my strength!
The lightning-fast combination...
is a mere shadow of its former glory!
It's no good.
I can't hold my breath any longer!
Gazelle Punch!
H-He's down!
The Gazelle Punch explodes! Volg is down!
One!
Now the countdown begins! Will this decide the match?!
Two!
- Volg sits motionless on one knee! - Three!
Four!
I can't fight anymore.
Five!
- Six! - He's up!
If I raise my hands, I can still fight the match.
- Seven! - I don't want it to end.
Eight!
Nine!
Ten!
Ten count! The match is over!
I... I did it!
Kid!
Chief... I did it! I did it!
Makunouchi was the winner.
He had finally earned the right to challenge the Japan title.
NAKADAI Boxing Gym
Date.
Okita!
I want to spar. Help me out.
R-Right!
Makunouchi has appeared in front of me.
Undoubtedly as my most powerful challenger ever.
But I will never give him the champion belt.
Date...
He's ready.
I will defeat him!
That will prove that I am the champion!
Nani wo yattemo onaji yoni
Nando to naku machigai wo kurikaesu
Nani ga honto ni hitsuyo na mono?
Ashimoto kinishite
Shitabakari miteshimau
Sonna toki wa, hora
Ue wo muite miru
Tooku wo mite miru
Itsumo towa chigau kakudo mitsukete
Semai torimichi kao wo agetanara
360do hirogaru sekai
Comeback. The act of a boxer who retired for any reason...
to resume active boxing.
It is tough to combat age, reclaim the title...
and catch up to the competition, maintaining peak strength.
But he came back!
All I can do is use everything I have!
I made it my goal to fight this man!
The next episode is, "So That I Can Be Myself."