Monthly Boxing Fan
Takamura's defense fight and Makunouchi's rematch for the title.
It's becoming harder to take my eyes off Kamogawa Gym.
It looks like there's more to it. Here's a newswire.
What's this?
Editor-in-Chief, I'm cancelling today's meeting.
Please carry on without me.
What? What brought that on?!
I need to go to Kamogawa Gym for an interview.
Kamogawa Gym?
KAMOGAWA Boxing Gym
It feels like we haven't been here in ages!
It's only been a week, you know.
That's why I said "feels like."
You're dismissed for the day. Good work at camp, everyone.
Go rest up and we'll train hard again starting tomorrow.
In particular, Takamura and the kid have matches coming up, so...
You're dismissed? That's a shame. I stopped in today...
because I was told you'd be in, Kamogawa-san.
Oh, yes. You're from Shin-Nihon Gym.
Hey, isn't that guy?
Actually, I need a favor from you.
What is it?
I was wondering if I could ask for a sparring bout...
between Shigeta here and Makunouchi.
Sparring? Right now?
I know it's a lot to ask at the moment...
but he has this title match against Takeshi Sendo next month.
I wanted to fine-tune him.
I thought so.
It's Shigeta-san, ranked fourth in Japan Featherweight.
Sendo-san's next opponent.
I thought he would gain confidence...
if he sparred with your Makunouchi.
Oh?
Gain confidence from sparring with Ippo?
That's fine by me...
though I can't ensure he'll gain confidence.
- Kid! - Yes, sir!
- Get ready. - Yes, sir!
Your opponent is raring to fight.
Blast him right from the get-go.
Yes, sir.
I intend to.
I'm interested in what kind of opponent Sendo-san will be fighting.
What are you doing, Ippo?
You're getting hit nonstop!
That's strange. I can't establish a rhythm.
It happened again.
My timing and sense of distance are shot!
All right! Go on, Shigeta!
Something's strange.
I may be tired, but it's never been this awkward.
Damn! Whenever I try to go in, I'm stopped by a right jab.
Right jab?!
He's stopped! Let him have it!
Argh, this is irritating!
What are you doing?!
Don't you guys get it yet?
Huh?
Take a good look at Shigeta's posture.
If he's using a right jab...
His right leg is in front! I knew it!
He IS a Southpaw!
He's left-handed!
His right and left are merely reversed...
but that makes the going real tough.
Isn't this Ippo's first time with a left-handed boxer?
The positioning of his legs and everything else is different.
Of course he's taken off-guard without background info.
On the other hand, left-handed guys...
are used to fighting right-handers, so they have it easy.
He took a good one!
Takamura-san, please tell him how to counter a Southpaw.
I've never fought a Southpaw!
Actually, neither have I.
I did once.
All right, get in there and advise him!
Right on! Hey, Ippo! Listen to me closely!
What's wrong? Advise him already.
I lost in 30 seconds so I don't remember it that clearly.
What advice were you planning to give him, you idiot?!
Thank you for sparring with me.
Good work.
It looks like I caught you in poor condition.
Uh... well...
That's too bad. The next time we fight...
let's make it a real match when we're both at our best.
Uh, sure. I'd like that.
He says the next time it'll be for real.
He talks like he's already beaten Sendo.
I'd say you gave him plenty of confidence.
I'm sorry.
But I had no idea it would be so hard against a Southpaw.
Right now you are at peak exhaustion.
I knew that no matter who you sparred with...
it wouldn't come out well.
However, there is a possibility...
that your title match opponent could change to Shigeta.
So, for now, there's no harm in learning something about him.
Now, dismissed!
My title match opponent could change?
I never considered that.
But he wasn't difficult to fight simply because he's a Southpaw.
He has huge talent.
It didn't feel like he was going all-out.
I'm sure Sendo-san has never fought a left-handed boxer, either.
Fishing Boat Rental MAKUNOUCHI
And they do say that boxing is unpredictable.
Fishing Boat Rental MAKUNOUCHI
I'm home!
Welcome back.
Hey, Ippo!
Umezawa-kun, thank you for covering my work for me while I was gone.
Never mind that.
By the way, is this true?
BEAR-KILLER (Middleweight Champion) TAKAMURA. The bear. The bear stew.
What an over-the-top article.
Come on, is it a true story?
Yeah, apparently so.
God, that guy's amazing.
He's finally become super-human.
That's funny. I was with Takamura-san until minutes ago...
so no reporters could have gotten to him.
As Told By Mr. Nekota, Owner of the Lodge
I felt sorry for him being lonely...
and this is what he does?
Ippo, phone call!
Coming!
Who is it?
Actually, the caller sounds too excited for me to tell who it is.
Um, Makunouchi speaking.
It's me!
Me?
Yeah, ME!
Is this Sendo-san?
Yeah. It's me, Sendo.
H-Hello, it's been a long time.
Skip the hellos! Anyway, I saw the evening edition.
Is this true?
The evening edition? Um... Do you mean the bear killing?
It's a useless tabloid rag that prints nothing but lies...
so I can't trust it. However, if this is true, it's big news!
I didn't witness it...
but it's definitely true that a bear died.
So it is true!
What an incredible dude that Takamura-san is!
So, what did you call about?
That's all.
The thing about the bear was driving me mad with curiosity. Sorry.
Never mind the bear, how is your condition?
Well, I'm in good condition.
If I ran into a bear right now, he wouldn't scare me.
I really don't care about the bear, actually.
I could fight you right now if you want.
That's how great my condition is.
Never mind me, you have an actual opponent at hand.
The fourth ranker named Shigeta.
I do? He doesn't interest me so I forgot about him.
Hey, you have to be very careful around him!
Anyway, he's really hard to fight!
Hard to fight?
You sound awfully well-informed.
Have you fought Shigeta?
Y-Yes. I didn't want to tell you because I'd sound like an informant...
but I fought him for three rounds.
Really. If you found him hard to fight...
he must be a Southpaw.
Do you think I would sit around doing nothing...
while you were off camping in the mountains?
I... I should have figured that! He is your opponent, after all.
So, you do have a plan of counterattack.
Unnecessary.
I told you he doesn't interest me.
I knew, but I haven't formulated an attack plan. Instead...
I've been training only to defeat Ippo Makunouchi.
What's that sound?
I don't know what's so great about this Shigeta guy...
but if you're that worried, I'll send you a ticket to my title match.
You can see how I've advanced.
Please send me a ticket. Thank you!
He's advanced even more since then?
What kind of training has he been doing?!
Wait, Makunouchi!
Uh... yes?
Incidentally...
How much are you willing to pay for your ticket?
How much?
The 10,000 yen Red Corner tickets are a real bargain.
So, it wasn't for free?
Huh? There are an awful lot of reporters here.
Good afternoon!
Hey, Ippo. I need you to spar with me, please.
We're fed up with this.
Fed up?
Just look at him.
Dense forest to my back, I had nowhere to run.
That's when the bear puffed up this big came charging at me!
Naturally it freaked me out a little, but it was a do-or-die situation, you see.
- How did the bear fall? - What punch did the job?
A counter to the brow!
The bear fell with a huge thud!
At the time I was startled by its enormous force!
Then I realized all over again just how powerful I am!
The one-man show's been going on for an hour and a half.
That is something to be fed up with.
You've had enough, haven't you?!
We need to start training! You guys have to leave now!
Uh, sure. Thanks.
Aw, are you leaving? I was just getting to the good part.
You stupid old geezer.
Quit your griping and train!
Your opponent is a human being who thinks with his head...
NOT a bear! He's researched you by now.
All right, all right.
Hey! I didn't realize you were still here, Fujii-chan.
You never change, do you?
That stingy old man is the one who doesn't change.
Why is he so damn fussy?
Anyone would get nervous...
if talk of a world title fight started to materialize.
World title fight? Whose?
What are you talking about? Yours, of course.
You mean Takamura-san has a...
World title fight?!
You spilled it, ya fool!
It was a secret?
Chief!
Is this true?
When is it?
Old man!
Tsk. I guess the cat's out of the bag.
It's not finalized yet, but they tested our waters...
to match you up with the world second-ranking junior middle...
as a preliminary skirmish to the world title.
You are currently ranked 16th in World middleweight.
They probably want to use you as a handy match to fine-tune with...
but if you knock HIM down, you'll be second in the world...
and you will receive challenge rights to the world title!
Incredible!
It's finally happening.
I told you it's not final yet!
For now, lose all distractions...
and focus on the next match. Understood?
Hey, can you hear me?!
I hear you!
Loud and clear.
I'm so sorry. I had no idea it was a secret.
It's all right. Perhaps it was for the best.
It's been a long time...
since we saw the big guy looking that intense.
The enthusiasm becomes totally different when a goal is real.
He's tough when he's like that. Too tough to handle.
If it does come through...
it'll be Kamogawa Gym's first world title match.
And just maybe...
the birth of a world champion!
Whoa, I'm getting goose bumps!
I can't stand still! I need a piece of his enthusiasm!
Looks like he's suddenly energized.
We'll carry on at our own pace.
We have our own hurdles to clear.
I see. Well, it's a good opportunity...
so I'll introduce you.
This lady insists on writing boxing articles despite her gender.
A woman?
That's unusual.
Actually, she's so cocky...
she tagged along without my permission.
If you don't want to introduce me, that's fine.
I'll introduce myself.
I'm Mari Iimura. Pleased to meet you.
If she's that cute, you can put up with a little cockiness, can't you?
You sure?
If you ever want an interview, don't hesitate.
I'm always extra nice to ladies.
Don't worry, please be yourself around me.
Pardon?
Unless you act naturally, I can't write the truth.
And I don't want special favors just because I'm female.
I can't get proper feedback that way, right?
What's important is whether I can write a good article or not.
See? Isn't she cocky?
Well, a little is permissible, isn't it?
It's within my tolerance level.
Really?
So, what kind of boxers do you like?
You want to write about boxing, so you know a lot about it, right?
Well, the boxers I can think of offhand...
are Hearns, Leonard, and Duran.
Ooh, she came up with the biggies.
Okay, how about within the country?
Unfortunately, I have no favorites in Japan.
Come on. You're not trying to compare us to Leonard, are you?
Those guys are legendary boxers.
I went to Las Vegas and Mexico many times to see them.
But over there, it's no exaggeration to compare...
Japan's champion class to their 4 to 6 round match class.
The boxing standard is so different...
even their lowest level is far more solid than that of Japan.
After observing that fact...
it's hard to feel any attraction towards Japanese boxers.
Oh...
Vegas and Mexico, eh?
Why did you bring her here?!
You said she was within your tolerance level.
Besides, she followed me here.
The Japan Middleweight champion Mamoru Takamura.
Hey, lady.
Yes?
You're not gonna say that Takamura-san...
is also 4 or 6 round class over there, too, are you?
Good point. Back muscle determines the pivoting power of combinations...
as well as the destructive power of the punches.
His is solid and natural, and his balance is also good.
I have also seen him fight. He is an exception.
In spite of being Japanese, I believe he has the potential...
to aim for the top position in the world.
S-So, you do have eyes.
Well, at least she's quite knowledgeable.
He's definitely the one and only man in middleweight...
who can challenge the world.
But the small boxer beside him interests me.
I know him. He's the featherweight Ippo Makunouchi.
But he has a different build from when he lost to Eiji Date.
No, he's in the middle of a transformation.
I may have encountered interesting subject matter.
She was your type, wasn't she?
Too cocky for me, thanks.
Still, doesn't it surprise you?
What?
Takamura-san. A woman waltzed into the gym...
but he was too focused on training to notice.
Now that you mention it...
I guess the words "world title fight"...
are too heavy even for the pervert champion.
That's a good attitude.
I wish he'd run with it and take it all the way.
Worst case scenario, if the talks fall through...
and he continues to win, he will someday have his chance.
Yes.
That's true.
But you know...
that wouldn't be good for us.
We don't want it to fall through.
We're too pumped up about it!
He'll definitely come home with it.
He'll return to Kamogawa Gym!
With the world championship belt!
Yeah!
Wow, the world title, huh? That's amazing.
He's so excited. You should see him train!
I guess the gym is buzzing with talk about it, huh?
Actually, no one there dares to speak the word "world."
Huh?
Takamura-san himself has gone completely silent.
It's so bad, I hesitate before talking to him.
I guess even that guy can feel pressure.
Yeah, but I've never seen him like that before.
He'll definitely do something.
I hear the tickets are sold out!
That's 'cause the bear killer news hit all the talk shows!
A semi-final in a packed stadium!
We can't afford to lose this!
Those two are really worked up, too.
They'd better do their best.
'Cause once my match starts...
the spectators will forget everything else!
We'll put up a fight they'll remember, too.
We'll show off the camp results and storm the main event!
Sorry, but not this time.
In front of the overpowering light that is ME...
you'll be no more than fleeting shadows.
This time, my entrance alone will rock the hall.
That's how powerful my impact will be.
He's clearly different from the norm.
It's like he's gotten more intense.
Yes, I felt a chill.
He'll do something.
Knowing him, he'll do something big.
EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED!
Mamoru TAKAMURA vs. Takaaki ITO
Whoa, incredible!
They're lined up for miles in front of the hall!
I guess they're all here to see Takamura-san.
He's always been a popular boxer.
And he's a really hot topic, especially this time. Still...
I wonder what's strong enough to rock the hall?
What the...?
Hey, someone's being mauled by a large dog!
Hey, Hachi! Wow, it's been ages!
If you're here, that means...
What are you talking about?! Hachi is like family to me!
Please don't give me too much trouble.
Nekota-san!
Oh, Makunouchi!
Do you know him, Makunouchi?
I'm having a bit of a hard time with him.
It's nothing like that! He says that Hachi can't go inside.
I told you, dogs are prohibited by law.
Hachi is my family! He's not a dog!
I'm sorry, Hachi. Wait here for a while, okay?
Alley-oop!
What exactly is this?
It's something Takamura asked me to deliver.
Takamura-san asked you?
"Expect the unexpected." That's for sure.
Huh?
I'm sorry I forced you to come with me.
It's all right. I had lots of spare time today.
Oh, I'm so worried! I wonder if Masaru will win?
He'll do just fine.
Let's cheer for him with everything we've got!
Apparently Takamura has announced...
he will fight a match so shocking, it will rock the hall.
He was awfully enthusiastic about it.
Room A
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
Middleweight.
The competition is fierce on a worldwide scale.
Speed, technique, strength.
The class is advanced in all these aspects.
To aim for its peak...
he must display boxing based not only on strength, but technique.
A method of fighting ready for the world.
This is the match of someone who is walking far ahead of me!
The next episode is, "The Chief's Peril."