Down!
- One! - It looks hopeless for Sendo!
- Two! - It looks hopeless for Sendo!
Three!
Four!
Five!
Six!
I saw that.
My body blows are hurting, right?
You're bluffing, right?
My boxing is working on the amateur world champ.
If I keep lying down like this...
it would be a waste.
He's up! What horrifying tenacity!
He's up on his feet from a presumably conclusive knockdown!
Yeah, but he's barely standing.
Seven seconds remain in Round Six.
That's plenty of time to finish the job.
Box!
His legs are moving slow! The body blows are affecting him!
This will finish it!
I can't move!
Oh, no. I'll fall!
He dodges it!
And there's the bell ending Round Six!
Sendo cheats fate by the skin of his teeth!
Incredible!
He dodged the White Fang by sinking back on the rope!
It was a fluke.
The rope happened to catch his fall, that's all.
Did you see how I defeated the White Fang?!
Just be quiet. You have to recoup from the damages.
I hate to say it, but he has you way outclassed technically.
If you go in head-on, it won't work.
Don't stand directly in front of him.
Throw in some feints and take it steady.
Screw that.
What?
I'm going to take him in a head-on battle.
Otherwise, it's meaningless!
Those hits to the body are really taking their toll.
Don't worry. It was foreseen.
I can't defeat a hard puncher of his caliber unscathed.
He's astoundingly calm...
for a guy who has the entire stadium against him.
His old soft spot is now gone.
He's turned into a strong boxer.
Sometimes boxers buoyed by mass cheering...
can be revived quickly in a pinch.
I want you to watch out for that only.
Yes, sir!
Now, it's Round Seven! Both fighters have gone to the front!
It was like this the last time, too.
Everyone was calling out my name.
They're all looking forward to me winning!
I can't betray their cheers for the second time!
He can still throw punches this powerful!
I get it. These voices have been giving him a boost.
I don't hear my name...
but I'm not fighting to hear people cheer for me.
I love boxing.
That's all I need to fight anywhere!
Volg has gone on an all-out attack! Sendo is in trouble!
No matter how bad his situation is, they keep calling for Sendo-san.
I'm amazed Volg-san can bear this kind of loneliness.
Nationality, never mind loneliness, has nothing to do with boxing.
I know how you feel, Volg.
I've gotta put up with it.
Look at that. Volg's started to lose his sidestep.
The body-blows are hurting too much to move sideways.
You're almost there. Just come forward a little more.
There!
A body-blow from Sendo!
Why, you!
Volg hits back with a left!
It's turned into an up-down smash-up!
A test of perseverance! Who will be first to fall?!
Neither can back off!
The one who backs off loses.
Sendo smashes!
Now! I challenge you!
Quick shift?!
He switched to Southpaw!
My word! A right smash!
In Round Seven, the teeth of the Tiger have sunk in deep!
A smash using his writing hand.
What destructive power!
He was saving it for last.
Victory is certain! He raises his arms up high!
A real awesome one connected!
Don't bother with the countdown!
It's hopeless! He can't get up after that.
If he was an ordinary guy.
Volg, can you hear me?! Volg!
If you give up, it's all over!
Do you want it to end in a place like this?
Keep fighting, Volg!
I... I can't let it end.
I can't let it end!
Volg-san!
He... He rises to his feet!
Volg barely manages to stand!
Amazing.
Can you keep going?
Box!
You piece of... I can't move my legs, either!
All right, go for it! Finish him off!
Volg goes into a clinch! He prevents the finishing move!
- Hey, that's dirty! - That's unsportsmanlike!
Appearances are irrelevant. I cannot afford to lose!
Damn it, let go of me!
And there's the bell!
Volg takes it to Round Eight through sheer tenacity of will!
That was incredibly close. He was almost there!
Yeah, but he'll win in the next round! One hit will knock him down!
Rooting for the home team should only be taken so far.
It's no easy task to show this much fighting spirit in enemy territory.
Can't you give him a single round of applause?
What's with the daydreaming?
Uh, nothing...
It's all so amazing I'm at a loss for words.
And I feel kind of upset somehow.
That I'm only watching it from so far away.
I want to fight these guys again.
I want to train and re-train and fight them again!
Now for Round Ten! This is the final round!
Sendo! Sendo!
I guess the entire stadium is against me.
But on the other hand...
I'm sure the pressure he's feeling is more than I can imagine.
I can put out 120% of my power in this atmosphere.
Also, he took my best shot and endured for the full rounds.
I have to win no matter what.
That's the one vow that has kept me going.
Perhaps I'm the lucky one...
to have been able to box with a guy like this.
You're an amazing guy.
I really respect you.
I'm losing by points!
I'll settle it once and for all by KO!
The point difference is slim.
I have to knock him down and settle it!
I don't want either of them to lose anymore!
That wasn't an impact knockdown. He slipped.
Damn, my foot slipped.
- Down! - What?!
To your neutral corner!
Ridiculous! Where are your eyes?!
It's obvious he slipped!
Three!
I didn't get punched! I only slipped!
Four!
It appeared to be a slip, but it's been pronounced a knockdown!
Volg suffers a painful two point loss at this late juncture!
D-Did that hit?
Was it a slight graze? Boy, what a harsh call.
Please move!
Yeah, come on!
Box!
Volg's expression is desperate!
He attacks like crazy to reclaim the lost points!
However, there is no more time!
Damn it! Damn it!
And the match is over!
The final decision has been carried over to the judges!
That was ten full rounds of hard impact combat!
Kudos to both contenders for the gutsy fight!
The score cards are being collected.
The decision should be out soon.
Who will the Japan Featherweight championship belt go to?
Sendo? Or Volg?!
The winner is...
Sendo, in the Red corner!
It's Sendo!
What a disappointment for Volg!
At this moment the Japan Featherweight belt...
is delivered into Sendo's hands!
The Tiger of Naniwa shone brilliantly as Japan champion...
in his hometown of Osaka!
Sendo's the new champion!
Volg-san?
Way to go, Sendo! You won!
Go on, raise your arms and respond to the spectators!
What's wrong? Raise your arms.
Sendo?
This is a mockery!
Where were the judges looking?! He had a three-point lead!
This judgment is unacceptable!
I demand it be retracted! It's unacceptable! Retract it!
Volg...
Hold it.
I don't feel like a winner after being beaten up so badly.
I will temporarily hold on to the belt.
I'll make any challenge from you my first priority.
The next time I'll settle it to my satisfaction!
What next time?
According to my tally, Volg was in the lead...
but there's no use complaining...
because the damage is already done.
Anyway, it was a good fight.
Yeah. It's too bad about Volg-san...
but this is also a part of boxing.
Sendo! Sendo! Sendo!
Being in the ring sure is attractive.
I want to stand in the ring soon, too.
I want to box! Immediately, if possible!
Huh? M-Miyata-kun?
Oh, boy.
He always shows up and disappears in a flash.
Whenever I think I'm closer, they distance themselves again.
I couldn't keep up with them even if I fought for dear life.
The world of boxing is packed with incredible people.
I'll take it stage by stage.
And then someday I will catch up to Date-san and Miyata-kun.
I need to start with the Japan title.
My first goal is the Featherweight champion.
That's Sendo-san!
Kamogawa Boxing Gym
Kid!
You have a phone call.
R-Right.
Hello?
Hi, Ippo-kun. It's been a long time.
Fujii-san!
That Featherweight title face-off was amazing, wasn't it?
Yes! It got me totally pumped up!
Both Sendo-san and Volg-san were so incredible.
Yeah, I'd like to get your comment on that later at leisure...
but there's no time, so I'll just get to the point.
This news is just in.
Otowa Gym has severed its contract to manage Volg Zangeif.
Sounds like he'll be sent back to Russia as early as this evening.
What?
You mean instead of going back on his own, he's being sent back?!
Why does he have to?
I thought I should tell you. Well, talk to you later.
Volg-san is being sent back?
Gyms have their own reasons.
Positions offered to high-level foreign boxers...
promote the revitalization of the gym...
as well as the advancement of Japan's boxing.
However, they can't keep giving a paycheck...
to a boxer who doesn't attract the fans.
But how could he not please the fans?
With Volg-san's talent and ability...
He failed twice in succession.
He's already lost market value.
But he's only lost twice!
It's too much! He hasn't even recuperated from the fight.
Volg had to know it was coming.
He's only fought as a pro five times...
but it's likely everything was staked on those fights.
That is precisely why Volg's fighting stood out.
He knew it all along.
Volg-san is not good at taking a beating.
He got up in the middle of taking those smashes.
Coach Ramuda protested the decision fiercely.
It was all because they knew it would come to this all along.
You might think it's heartless...
but this is also a part of professional boxing.
Did he say this evening?
If you rocket a taxi all the way to Narita, you'll make it in time.
Go on. You don't want him to leave like this, do you?
Thank you so much!
I guess there are some nice things about you.
I had a basic idea of what he was thinking.
Thanks to that, I'm in the poorhouse.
H-Hey, that's not funny! That's MY wallet!
When did you pick my pocket?!
What? Naturally, I found it inside my pocket.
I thought it was strange for you to be that flush!
Give it back!
Shut up! What is yours is mine!
What is mine is mine!
What the heck does that mean?!
Anyway, I have to see him.
I want to see him and say something, anything!
Damn it, I've never been in an airport before...
so I don't know where to go!
Excuse me, I need to have someone paged!
Um, he's heading to Russia...
Volg-san!
Makunouchi.
You came.
Yeah. Uh, listen...
It's... This happened so suddenly.
And... I don't know what to say.
It can't be helped. Results are everything in this world.
I didn't work out as a professional. That's all.
That's not true. That's not true!
You were really powerful!
In every match, you were powerful and brilliant!
To be honest, I do have a regret.
I came to this country with a dream...
and I couldn't do anything. I'm very disappointed.
Volg-san.
But I don't need sympathy.
It's not like I'm returning to my homeland empty-handed.
I learned the severity of the professional boxing ring.
I also learned its enjoyment.
I learned the meaning of boxing.
I am grateful to you.
What, me?
When I return to my homeland...
I want to teach what you have taught me to my juniors.
And be proud...
that I fought a strong boxer in Japan.
That I fought a great fighter...
named Ippo Makunouchi.
I don't deserve that.
By then I want you to be a champion.
Not of Japan, but on a larger scale.
Not of Japan?
You don't have to swear to it... for now.
Volg!
It's time. I have to go.
They've gotten old, but...
I want you to have these.
I intended to stay a long time...
so I studied Japanese very hard.
When I return to my homeland, I probably won't use it again.
So this is my last Japanese word.
Makunouchi...
Sayonara. (Good-bye)
I won't forget you, either.
I won't forget...
that I fought you.
I swear...
I won't ever forget.
I get up again
With my wounded body
Tomorrow's the only way to go
If that's the fate of the human race
I will grab tomorrow with my only hands
Even if I can't deal
With my long, long life
I don't want to mistake the place to live
With the place to die
I can't help myself
Dreaming the same dream
Weaving. A defensive movement...
that involves moving the upper body side to side.
As long as there is a limit to human stamina...
there is a need to refine defense.
But I have a feeling that isn't enough.
I want to grasp the gist in order to win!
In order to catch up to everyone as soon as possible...
I don't want to lose anymore!
The next episode is, "Comeback Anxiety."