It's a chance for the challenger!
But it's a mere tap!
Does he not have the power left to fight back?
That's not it!
He measured the distance!
A twisting shot?
Is it a corkscrew blow?
The champion is guarding his head!
His heart is wide open!
The setup is perfect!
Go!
"Heart Break" shot!
Elbow block!
Huh? Date screamed for some reason?
Eiji!
This sucks!
I don't know if he read ahead or if it was just a coincidence,
but he evaded the trump card!
On top of that, Date-san threw a corkscrew punch hard against a solid and angular body part!
Old Man's fist is most likely shattered.
He can't make any more right-handed blows, let alone another "Heart Break" shot!
I'm surprised you had such power left,
but it's too bad.
You revealed your trump card, and even that didn't work.
You have nothing left.
The champion storms in!
Will he end this?!
He's damn strong...
Is this it?
Does he not stand a chance anymore?
Is the obstacle to the world so huge that even Date-san can't surpass it?
My mouth is full of blood.
Did he break my teeth?
No, my tongue isn't touching anything.
My jaw must be broken.
Ribs are gone too.
And my wrist is also broken.
I've lost all the necessities for winning.
Or maybe I never had what was needed.
So I still can't win against him...
No matter how many times I try,
I...
Stop!
I ended up just surviving again.
But...
what did I survive for?
I'm left with no weapons to fight him.
I... I don't...
Eiji...
Haven't you had enough?
There's nobody who could take the match any further.
Haven't you done enough?
Enough?
Right.
I have no weapons left.
I can't see a reason to continue.
If I can't win... If I have no chance left...
Then I should...
Please wash this.
Y-Yes.
Dear! You're almost there!
You only have three rounds left!
We will watch you fight until the end!
Yes, until the end!
Hey.
C-Coach!
Don't say it!
You haven't had enough yet, Eiji?
I will...
Huh? I can't hear you.
win.
I'll win.
If you can talk that tough, that's enough for me.
Coach!
He'll keep fighting as long as he can move even a finger.
We've been at this together for a long time.
Go and do it, Eiji!
Is he still going to continue?
Or rather, are the seconds still going to let him continue?
Any further fighting will be futile.
Bill,
this is boxing.
We never know what'll happen from one moment to the next.
There is always a chance for a miracle as long as the opponent is standing.
Seconds out!
My duty is to erase that possibility.
Even if that means bringing an unfortunate accident upon Eiji Date as a result.
Mom, how's Daddy? Is he all right?
Watch him until the end.
Y-Yeah.
I was planning to stop him.
I was hoping that he would stop.
But after seeing his eyes, I couldn't help but say that.
Had the match ended there, he'd be back where he was seven years ago.
He's fighting this match to regain his old self.
All we can do is watch.
And wait...
for him to return to his old self.
The tenth round of the match now begins.
Does the challenger have any strength left to win?
Both fighters are emerging from their corners.
Keep your spirit up, Date-san!
You only have three rounds to go!
Ippo! Stop being quiet!
Right, all I can do now is
cheer him on!
Date-san! Give it all you have left!
The champion's tired too!
Yeah, Date!
We believe in you!
We came here to watch you become the champion!
Date! Date! Date! Date!
The cheer for Date is shaking up Kokugikan!
The challenger is going on the offensive, responding to the cheer!
Left! Left!
The challenger takes the lead in this round!
He still has some speed!
Nice lefts!
His right fist is broken.
Left punches are all he has!
The champion knows it too.
He's not watching out for a right at all.
I know that his right fist is shattered.
It's easy to dodge blows if they're all coming from his left.
I'll counter against this left,
and finish this.
Right!
What the hell?!
H-He threw his right!
The champion looks more surprised than hurt!
He stops his attack!
The challenger advances!
And the crowd roars!
The challenger attacks fiercely!
His right fist must be shattered;
how can he punch with it?
Now I remember the reason I'm standing here,
The reason why I'm fighting!
Mr. Date, congratulations on your Japanese championship title!
How do you feel now?
Any plans for the future?
Don't you have to stay with that girl over there?
Oh, Aiko's just hanging around with us.
So, her name is Aiko?
Did you see it?
Wasn't the match great today?
I-I don't know.
I still find boxing scary to watch.
Listen to this!
I've got big news! Check this out!
The world!
The world title match has been finalized!
Finally!
I can finally show you me being the world's best!
I swear I'll show you!
It looks like it's too early to tell you my news.
Did you say something?
No.
Good luck, Eiji-san.
Yeah, I wanted to show Aiko how cool I am!
To show off to the woman I fell head over heels for...
That may be a cheap dream,
but to me, it's more important than anything else!
Because that's what it means to be me!
He's still not going down?
I want to win!
Let me be cool!
I can't let this end pathetically!
I felt the bone breaking.
Going any further will be bad.
An unfortunate accident will really happen.
Ricardo! Stop hesitating!
He's still standing!
Left!
The champion is blown backward!
He readied his right!
He'll do it!
"Heart Break" shot!
I'll give you all my bones!
But...
give me...
your life!
Perfect!
"Heart Break" shot!
The trump card has finally been played!
Ricardo!
The champion's time...
will stop!
Now follow up with a left!
No doubt it'll hit!
Go, Eiji!
He won't be able to dodge this left!
It'll hit!
Date-san will win!
Aiko, are you watching this?
I have myself back!
This is me,
Date Eiji!
H-How?!
Aiko, are you watching this?
I have myself back!
This is me,
Date Eiji!
H-How?!
Too bad for you, Eiji Date.
Both the speed and the timing were perfect.
Had the power been there too,
you would have taken my time away.
If only your right wrist wasn't shattered,
you could have landed a shot on me.
If I'm asked who I admire as a boxer,
I will answer without hesitation,
"He is a samurai from a small country in the Orient."
The champion's right!
We will probably never face each other in the ring again,
but I'll never forget your name.
Dodge that, Date-san!
Damn... it...
Goodbye,
Eiji Date.
The match is over!
The referee stopped the match the moment Date fell.
The WBA World Featherweight Title Match is over: the title stays with Martinez!
Two minutes and fourteen seconds into the tenth round, Date of Japan falls to the legendary fighter!
Come on! Bring a stretcher!
Hey, he's not moving.
The way he fell looked bad.
Date!
The Mexican flag waves silently in the quiet Kokugikan.
D-Date-san...
The champion was truly strong!
But we'd like to give a round of applause to the man who faced the champion with such courage!
Thank you!
Thank you, Date Eiji!
Good job, Date!
It was great!
"I had never before seen a boxer as brave and as determined as him."
"Eiji Date was a magnificent challenger."
That's just flattery.
Did you see the champion's face after the match?
He took no damage.
I can't believe Date-san suffered such a shocking loss.
Several broken ribs,
compound fracture of the jaw,
and multi-fragmentary fracture of the right fist.
It's a miracle enough that he was still fighting.
It was so close too.
If only his right fist had been okay!
Enough.
It's already been decided.
He did well.
He showed his talent as the strongest challenger
and still ended up like this.
The WBA Featherweight title will never change hands
as long as Ricardo Martinez doesn't retire.
I wonder what Date-san will do now?
He took so much damage.
And even if he recovers completely, considering his age...
He might reti—
Please.
Say no more.
Ippo...
Good, you're all here.
Date regained consciousness.
Fortunately, there was no damage to his brain.
He won't suffer from any aftereffects.
Good!
We were concerned 'cause of how he fell.
What a relief.
Is he in any shape to talk?
I heard that he talked with his family, so maybe briefly.
Go.
B-But...
I'm at a loss for words.
Even if I go, I don't know what to tell him...
or what to ask him.
You should still go.
It means the most for you to be there.
Let's go. I'll drive you there.
I'll go change.
I actually realized...
that your nose stopped hurting after that match against Makunouchi-san.
Yes,
you already had your old self back.
I couldn't tell you then,
but I was happy to see you full of confidence.
I was proud of you.
Now, I can finally tell you,
"Welcome home, Eiji-san."
Excuse me.
Um, I heard that he regained consciousness.
Dear, Makunouchi-san is here.
Can you see?
Makuno...
D-Date-san!
I-It's okay, don't force yourself to talk.
I'm only here for a minute.
Makunouchi,
your hand...
Take this...
Wh-What's this?
What's with your hand?
Hold it?
But it's broken...
Passing the torch.
It's now your turn.
Makunouchi-san, I'd like to have him rest now.
Right, thank you.
Please take care.
Onii-chan!
You're the Japanese champion, right?
You'll challenge that man next, right?
You'll avenge Daddy, right?
I'm sorry.
I can't do it.
Ricardo Martinez is too strong.
I don't stand a chance yet.
He's a chicken!
A wimp!
If I was... If I was bigger now...
Yuuji,
didn't you hear what he said?
He said...
He said, "yet."