In boxing, fame is supposed to be the prize. But somewhere along the way, it becomes the price.
Every punch now lands on camera, every bruise is worth a few more clicks, and every reporter smiles like a man selling tickets to a funeral. The sport has stopped being about fists and started being about followers.
Ryoma and Ayano are next in line, two fighters who think they are chasing an A-license. What they don't know is that the real contest has already begun: a popularity war.
Yes, popularity.
It's the most fragile currency in the world. But it's also the only currency that buys you a shot at the big game.
The JBC knew that. That's why they turn Ryoma vs. Ayano into a spectacle, move it from the hall to the gym, light it like a festival, sell it like popcorn.
***
"Nakahara-san! Is Ryoma available for a quick comment?"
"Please, Coach! Just two minutes, that's all…"
"Can you tell us how he's feeling before the A-license match?"
