Wh—
One!
What?
Two!
I didn't go down!
I got tapped and I just fell on my ass!
That's what they call a down!
You made me go down?
You little...
He made me go down?
He connected a counter while I was moving fast.
Can he move faster than me?
Takamura! Heads up!
Faster than me?
No way in hell!
Another in-fight!
It's a high speed battle, faster than our eyes can follow!
This is awesome to watch.
They're both going way faster than their weight class' limit.
Oh?
Is the balance of power starting to tip?
The champion's punches are starting to hit the challenger!
Why only Hawk's punches?
Is he faster than Takamura?
Takamura is continuing to speed up.
Actually, he's probably moving faster than Hawk.
But I can watch without worrying.
Coach!
There's no difference in their speed.
But Hawk is coming out ahead in each move.
It's because of familiarity.
Because Hawk got to the top using his speed and power, he's used to this kind of battle.
Conversely, Takamura is facing an opponent as good as himself for the first time.
It's like walking in unknown territory in the dark.
In this tiny island nation where it's hard to even find a sparring partner for mid- to heavyweight classes,
you've probably never seen a boxer who's as good, or better, than yourself.
It was unfortunate for you that you were born in Japan
when you have such talent, Takamura.
The challenger is caught next to the ropes!
The champion rushes!
He's taking the match to the end!
You...
He's down!
He suffers a down!
And the champion raises his fists next to Takamura!
The damage from this one must be serious!
Crap! He got hit right when he lost consciousness!
It's worse than not being able to stand!
Takamura-san!
One!
T-Takamura...
Two!
Takamura!
Takamura! Wake up!
Takamura!
Takamura...
Takamura-san...
Takamura.
Takamura!
Get up, Takamura!
Takamura!
Takamura! Takamura!
Calls for Takamura quickly surge!
Three!
The crowd is desperately calling for him!
Four!
Can the challenger hear this call?!
Five!
Six!
He moved!
Takamura!
He reacted!
He's getting up!
Seven!
Eight!
He's up!
And he thrusts his fists up to show that he's fine!
Coach! He got up!
But there's still a whole forty seconds left.
What toughness.
But can you survive for forty more seconds?
How annoying.
Box!
Is he still unconscious?!
He's still out!
He only responded to the call and got up!
Watch out behind you! Watch out!
Takamura! Behind you!
So noisy.
What's behind me?
What the hell?
Why am I getting attacked so suddenly?
And what's up with that over-happy face?
Wanna die?!
Huh?
My legs aren't responding to me.
What's going on?
He doesn't realize that he took a down!
Thirty seconds left!
I don't know what's going on, but I'm faltering and losing balance.
I can't punch hard!
What now?!
WBC doesn't use the three-knockdown rule.
But the next down will still be fatal.
Still dodging...
You won't see the next round!
He shouldered Takamura into a corner!
The challenger has no place to run!
Crap!
This is the end!
He pried him off!
But he punched over that!
Can it be that the champion is better at forcing his way in?
Those are textbook jabs.
But they won't hit. No modern boxing or common sense will work when facing Hawk.
Takamura!
Jabs like that will never hit me.
Everyone in the past tried the same kind of jabs—
It connected!
Did I misjudge the distance?
Now double left jabs!
Hawk loses balance!
Each time the opponent sways back, he's stepping in as well!
It's a series of textbook steady jabs while moving forward!
My body remembered the move.
My body moved before I could think.
It's the punch I repeated thousands upon thousands of times!
That's...
the jab I taught him!
Down!
The champion is down!
Takamura's not just surviving, he knocked the opponent back!
What a turnaround!
What a challenger!
Kokugikan is now going wild with joy!
I felt weak, so I used the easiest punch.
You said what we constantly build upon will come alive in a pinch,
and it's true, Old Man!
Seven!
He's up!
He had no problems getting back on his feet!
He got up!
Didn't he take any damage?
And he stood up like a bastard too!
He got up after getting hit by Takamura-san!
It was because he didn't go down due to damage.
Hawk went down 'cause Takamura just pushed him over when he was leaning back.
But this is still a great turnaround.
Can you continue?
My neck hurts.
Box!
Now the match resumes.
And that's the gong!
The second round is over!
The champion wins two downs, but then the challenger wins one back!
Power and speed!
We can't take our eyes off them even for a second!
This is turning out to be an incredible match, appropriate for a battle to decide the world's best!
Damn it!
I didn't hit him enough?
No need to talk.
Catch your breath.
Damn, I was so worried when you went down the second time.
I went down twice?!
You didn't know?!
So the second down was really serious.
It's no wonder.
Such power is uncharted territory, even for him.
It's also my first time to see him take a down due to damage.
What?
You have concern written all over your face.
Raise your chin!
I showed you!
Your boxing can stand up against the world.
Takamura!
And after these two rounds, I'm starting to see what I must go after: his weak point.
His weak point?!
He'll fall big one more time if all goes well.
Seconds out!
They said out.
The left shot that took you down wasn't a lucky punch, Hawk.
Be careful.
Come on, get out.
Hawk!
Be careful?
I'm fucking pissed right now!
You're shaming me!
Here goes the third round!
He's making bigger moves than earlier!
It won't be easy keeping up with that.
The champion's flexible!
The way he dodges, flexing his upper body, is enough to make a show of its own!
Making big moves as always.
I was taken aback at first...
but that's your...
weak point!
Down!
He knocked him down again!
It's the same pattern as last time!
That's what he meant!
That's your fault, Hawk.
Takamura realized your weak point.
Your sway-backs, where you lean back to your limit, give you a lot of room to dodge.
However, because you're at your limit, if the opponent steps in, you take the blow in the worst possible position.
And Takamura is a boxer who can do that intentionally.
Three!
Wow, he got up quickly!
Is he not feeling any damage?!
I knew you would get up.
It looks like a big down, but I only pushed you slightly.
It wasn't damaging at all.
He'll get up again no matter how many times I repeat this.
It doesn't count as a down.
And besides, it doesn't satisfy me!
Hawk, take a fighting stance.
I won't be satisfied unless I give you a huge Takamura punch that'll knock you out cold!
Takamura!
Old Man, you saw it, right?
You saw that your boxing can take the champion down, right?
Box!
Takamura!
I'm just as pissed.
I know you've been trying to pick one since the first round.
I'll accept!
It's a brawl from this point on, damn it!
He didn't take any damage! Go carefully!
Counter when he dashes in!
Finish him with a rush!
Take this!
I'll take you down with this one!
Their knuckles collide in the middle of the ring!
An incredible boom echoes around the hall!
Wow! Takamura lowers his guard too!
Is he going to force his way in?
I thought he was going to use jabs and proceed carefully.
That's Takamura-san's primary style.
Coach, maybe he can't inflict any damage with jabs, but he was winning the points!
Should we really be changing tactics?
This might be a bold move.
What?
Hawk is a very keen athlete.
I don't think the same tactic will work a third time.
B-But this is too dangerous!
I know it's dangerous,
but there is something I want to see.
I want to see it before I die...
Coach...
The pattern up to now was an easy one, where he always used jabs.
To use a counter against that to take him down...
I could envision that scene all the way to the end.
But things are turning out a little different.
He wants to take me head on?
He's pissing me off even more.
Shaming you won't be enough!
How should I treat you?!
I'm damn pissed too!
Both are virtually unguarded!
They stare at each other within reaching distance!
The atmosphere is intensifying.
Will those murderous punches be thrown at this distance?
A sudden right!
It's an incredible swing! But it strikes air!
It's a big swing!
Hit him before he pulls back! That'll end up being a counter!
Even after a big swing, he can pull his arm back so fast.
We can't match a counter like that!
The champion's right hits the challenger's shoulder!
The power is incredible, blowing such a big man back!
Now the challenger's uppercut!
You thought a big punch would scare Hawk off?
Be careful at the end of your punch!
He's coming after that!
The challenger's left connects over the guard!
His power is also hard to describe!
Takamura,
it's now your turn.
Simultaneous!
You proved to me that my boxing is good enough for the world.
Now it's your turn!
Let these old eyes see...
that your power...
is good enough for the world!
Go, Takamura!
His overpowered punch stabs the mat!
It shook the whole ring!
Left!
Did it graze him?!
Even a graze does that!
It'll end if one connects!
Hit him!
He retaliates from that stance!
Did he dodge?! Or did it hit?!
They're both using full swings, not caring about missing the target!
It's a very high-level brawl.
An uppercut!
He throws one from a squatting position!
The champion's right!
Neither is stepping back!
Retaliation after retaliation!
None of the hits are killing each other.
Rather, they're hitting each other back!
Their power is incredible,
but their toughness is outrageous too.
Simultaneous again!
And it's the gong!
End of the third round!
What a furious punching match this last round was!
It was an even match!
How's that, Old Man?!
Looking good!
You're keeping up with the champion!
You're actually overpowering him.
Yeah!
I've never lost a brawl!
I guess he stopped stinging me with jabs.
It took me by surprise.
Takamura's moves are getting more energetic.
This is probably his primary fighting style.
Now, remember...
the city where you grew up.
The streets of New York City.
My hometown...
I guess he accepted the brawl you offered,
but show him he'll pay the price for it.
Seconds out!
Go, Takamura!
Kill him! You're doing good!
Round Four!
Keep going!
Takamura!
Keep pushing!
It's fine that you're excited now, but you'll soon face reality.
To face Hawk, who lived on the streets of New York, with a street fighting style...
A left!
It lands hard on the champion!
What?!
The challenger is unstoppable!
He's totally on the go!
Coach! Takamura-kun completely took control of the match!
Yeah.
But how?
He couldn't keep up with the irregular moves at first.
For one, he's getting used to the moves after fighting for three rounds.
Moreover, there's the rhythm.
By choosing a street fighting style, he can use his speed at the distance he's best at.
He was already strong without any training.
I only taught him boxing so he wouldn't get knocked around by skillful boxers.
Even I haven't seen him
free of all shackles and restraints!
Takamura-san's moves look so energetic!
Hell, of course!
He's good at this style!
He won't lose any brawls!
The way you looked so confident...
You've probably never lost a brawl before, huh?
But that's because I wasn't in America!
Too easy!
That was huge!
And there's the gong!
The fourth round ends with the challenger keeping his advantage!
So close!
He could have finished him if there were ten more seconds!
Good job, Takamura!
The next round! He can do it then!
Hey, it's really looking good now!
He can really do it!
The hall is getting quiet.
Takamura-san is a genius at knowing when to take the match to the end.
In the next round, he'll go all out.
And everyone knows he will!
Seconds out!
And besides,
he always lives up to our expectations.
Round Five!
He thrusts up his fists!
He's appealing to the hall to follow him!
He's declaring a KO!