For the next few rounds, the fight remains rather uneventful, much like most of Mercer's previous outings.
He continues to play it safe, throwing only one or two punches at a time while maintaining his distance and circling the ring. Some of his fans would still call it fighting smart, but the approach does little to make the contest exciting.
For a while, Marcus Vane remains patient with Mercer's tactics. He understands that being overly aggressive against a fighter like Shimamura carries considerable risks.
However, his patience finally wears thin by the sixth round. Even without relying on his trademark Drunken Boxing, Shimamura is putting together clean performances. In Vane's assessment, Mercer is already falling behind on the scorecards.
"Enough, Mercer!" Marcus slaps the apron, his expression growing impatient. "Stop holding back for your opponent's sake and show the world what you've become!"
The commotion in the red corner catches Kurogane's attention.
