The week following their return from the beach training camp passed in a blur of intense preparation. Ippo threw himself into refining his techniques with renewed focus, the lessons from Takamura still fresh in his mind. His special moves were becoming more integrated into his natural boxing flow, and his confidence was steady and assured.
It was during one of these training sessions that an unexpected encounter would provide valuable insight into his upcoming opponent.
"Ippo!" Aoki called out from near the gym entrance. "Someone sent you juice!"
Curious, Ippo walked over to find a delivery box with several bottles of sports drinks and a note that simply read: "Good luck in your next fight."
"Who's it from?" Kimura asked, peering over Ippo's shoulder.
"Doesn't say," Ippo replied, though the gesture warmed him. "That's really thoughtful of someone."
As he headed out to buy some additional drinks for the gym, Ippo noticed a figure lurking near the windows, apparently watching the training session inside. The person quickly turned away when he spotted Ippo approaching.
"Excuse me," Ippo called out with his characteristic friendliness. "Are you interested in boxing? You can come inside if you'd like to watch."
The stranger—a young man about Ippo's age with nervous eyes—immediately began walking away quickly. But in his haste, he dropped a notebook.
"Wait!" Ippo jogged after him, notebook in hand. "You dropped this!"
The young man stopped, his face flushing with embarrassment as he turned around. "I... thank you."
"No problem," Ippo said with a warm smile, extending the notebook. "I'm Ippo Makunouchi, by the way."
"Kenta Kobashi," the young man replied quietly, then his eyes widened as he realized what he'd just revealed. "You... you're my next opponent."
Ippo's expression brightened with genuine interest. "Really? That's great! I was hoping I'd get to meet you before our match."
Kobashi looked confused by the positive response. "You're not... angry that I was watching your training?"
"Why would I be angry?" Ippo asked, genuinely puzzled. "Boxing is about learning and improving. I'd probably want to study my opponent too if I had the chance."
The honest, straightforward response seemed to catch Kobashi off guard. He'd clearly expected hostility or accusation.
"I..." Kobashi struggled with what to say. "I know I'm not as strong as you. Everyone's seen your knockouts. But I still think I can find a way to win."
Instead of taking offense, Ippo's eyes showed genuine respect. "That's the attitude of a real fighter! I'm looking forward to seeing what strategy you've developed."
Kobashi stared at him for a moment, clearly not used to such sportsmanlike responses from opponents.
"Despite my lack of power," Kobashi said, his voice growing more confident, "I can still find a way to win."
"I believe you," Ippo replied with simple sincerity. "That's what makes boxing so interesting—there are many ways to be successful if you're smart about it."
"Well," Kobashi said finally, seeming more at ease, "may the best fighter win."
"Absolutely," Ippo agreed with enthusiasm. "I'll make sure to give you the best fight I can!"
---
That evening at the Kamogawa Gym, Ippo related the encounter to his training partners.
"You met Kobashi?" Takamura asked with interest. "What was your impression?"
"He seems really dedicated," Ippo replied thoughtfully. "He was studying our training seriously, and he's clearly put a lot of thought into developing his strategy. I respect that kind of preparation."
"That's all you got from it?" Aoki asked. "The guy was basically spying on us!"
"It's not spying if it's just observing," Ippo said with his typical generous interpretation. "Besides, I would probably do the same thing if I had the opportunity."
Kamogawa listened to the exchange with interest. "What did you think of his attitude?"
"Confident but not arrogant," Ippo said after considering the question. "He knows he doesn't have knockout power, but he's found a way to work within his limitations. That's actually pretty impressive."
"Good analysis," Kamogawa said approvingly. "But remember—understanding your opponent's mentality is just as important as understanding his technique. Use this information wisely."
"I've been thinking about his fighting style," Ippo continued. "From what we saw on tape, he's all about controlling distance and accumulating points. The key will be finding a way to get inside his game plan."
"And how do you plan to do that?" the coach asked.
Ippo's expression grew more focused. "Constant pressure. If I can make him fight my fight instead of his fight, his point-scoring strategy won't be as effective. I need to take away his ability to control the distance."
----
Meanwhile, at the Ōtaki Gym across town, Kobashi was dealing with his own preparation challenges. The sparring session had been going for two rounds, and his partner was growing increasingly frustrated with his elusive style.
"Come on, Kobashi!" his sparring partner shouted, throwing a wild hook that missed by inches. "Stand still and fight like a man!"
Kobashi circled smoothly, staying just out of range while flicking out light jabs that scored points without doing any real damage. "Fighting smart is still fighting," he replied calmly.
"Your punches feel like mosquito bites!" the partner complained, pressing forward aggressively. "How are you going to win anything with pillow hands like those?"
"Like this," Kobashi said, demonstrating by landing three quick jabs in succession, each one clean and precise but lacking any real power. "Points add up. Knockouts are flashy, but decisions win championships too."
His partner, now thoroughly frustrated, wound up for a massive overhand right. "Let me show you what a real punch looks like!"
Kobashi saw the telegraph from a mile away and simply stepped to the side, letting the punch whistle harmlessly past his ear. As his opponent stumbled forward off-balance, Kobashi tapped him lightly on the side of the head with a picture-perfect counter.
"See?" Kobashi said with quiet satisfaction. "Power without control is just wasted energy. And anger makes fighters predictable."
"You think you're so smart," his partner snapped, his face red with embarrassment and frustration.
"I think I'm realistic about my abilities," Kobashi replied, maintaining his calm demeanor. "I'm not going to try to be something I'm not."
The heated exchange drew the attention of their coach, who called for the end of the sparring session.
In the gym's office afterward, Kobashi sat with his coach, reviewing footage of Ippo's previous fights.
"Makunouchi's power is legitimate," his coach said, pausing the video on a frame showing Ippo's devastating uppercut against Ozuma. "One clean shot from him could end this fight immediately."
"I know," Kobashi replied, studying the screen intently. "But look at his approach pattern. He relies heavily on pressure boxing, which means he has to close distance to be effective."
"And that's where your strategy comes in," the coach agreed. "Your job is to make sure he never gets that distance."
They watched more footage, analyzing Ippo's footwork and timing. Kobashi took notes in a small notebook, the same one he'd dropped earlier outside the Kamogawa Gym.
"His combinations are powerful, but they're also predictable," Kobashi observed. "He tends to set up his big shots with the same patterns. If I can recognize those patterns early..."
"You can tie him up before he can complete them," his coach finished. "But remember, this isn't just about defense. You need to be scoring points consistently while you're neutralizing his offense."
"I understand," Kobashi said confidently. "My jab is fast enough to tag him between his combinations, and my footwork should keep me out of range of his counters."
The coach studied his fighter's face, noting the calm determination there. "You're not intimidated by his reputation?"
"Respectful, but not intimidated," Kobashi replied. "Power punchers all have the same weakness—they depend on landing big shots. Take that away from them, and they become ordinary fighters."
"And if he adapts? If he changes his strategy mid-fight?"
Kobashi smiled slightly. "Then I'll adapt too. That's what separates smart fighters from one-dimensional ones."
The coach nodded approvingly. "Good mindset. Remember, you've already proven you can beat favored opponents. Yoshida was supposed to run through you, and look how that turned out."
"This will be different," Kobashi acknowledged. "Makunouchi is more dangerous than Yoshida ever was. But dangerous doesn't mean unbeatable."
They spent the next hour going over specific tactical scenarios, preparing responses for various situations that might arise during the fight. Kobashi's confidence never wavered, but his respect for Ippo's abilities was clear.
"One more thing," the coach said as they wrapped up their session. "The crowd will be against you. Makunouchi's the local favorite, and your style isn't flashy enough to win over casual fans."
"I'm not fighting the crowd," Kobashi replied simply. "I'm fighting one opponent, and I've prepared for him specifically."
The days leading up to the fight passed quickly, with both fighters fine-tuning their preparations. At the official weigh-in, they encountered each other again in a more formal setting.
----
The weigh-in took place at Kōrakuen Hall, with both fighters, their teams, and various media representatives present. When Ippo stepped onto the scale, the official announced his weight.
"124.2 pounds for Makunouchi."
When Kobashi took his turn, his weight was called out at 125.8 pounds—close to the featherweight limit but within the acceptable range.
"Ready for tomorrow?" Ippo asked as they posed for the traditional pre-fight photographs.
"As ready as I can be," Kobashi replied. "I've studied everything I could about your style."
"Same here," Ippo said with that sunny smile that had become his trademark. "It's going to be an interesting technical challenge."
"You're not what I expected," Kobashi admitted as they shook hands for the cameras. "Most power punchers are more... intimidating in person."
"Boxing's about competing, not about trying to scare people," Ippo replied with simple honesty. "Tomorrow we'll both do our best, and whoever executes their game plan better will win."
The sportsmanship between them was notable enough that several observers commented on it.
"Nice to see fighters who respect each other," one official noted to a colleague.
"Don't worry," the colleague replied with a knowing smile. "That'll change once they start throwing punches."
That evening, both fighters went through their final preparations in their respective locations.
At the Kamogawa Gym, the atmosphere was focused and professional. Ippo went through a light training session, working mainly on visualization and timing drills.
"Remember," Kamogawa said as they wrapped up, "Kobashi's style is designed to frustrate power punchers. He wants you to get impatient and start making mistakes. Stay calm, stick to your game plan, and wait for your opportunities."
"I understand, Coach," Ippo replied. "I've got strategies ready for his tactics."
"Good. And don't forget—you've improved tremendously since your last fight. Trust in your abilities and the work you've put in."
----
The atmosphere at Kōrakuen Hall was electric with anticipation. Word had spread about the contrast in fighting styles, and the crowd was eager to see how the tactical battle would unfold.
In the locker room, Ippo went through his pre-fight routine with the calm focus that had become his hallmark. His hands were wrapped with precision, his warm-up was thorough but not exhausting, and his mental preparation was complete.
"How do you feel?" Kamogawa asked as they prepared to head to the ring.
"Excited," Ippo replied honestly. "I've been looking forward to this challenge."
"Good. That's the attitude of a fighter who's ready for anything."
When it was time for the ring walk, Ippo made his way through the corridor with his team. The crowd's reaction was enthusiastic, with many fans calling out encouragement and support.
As he climbed through the ropes and into the ring, Ippo took a moment to absorb the atmosphere. The bright lights, the energy of the crowd, the anticipation in the air—this was what he'd been working toward.
Across the ring, Kobashi made his own entrance with quiet determination. He looked focused and ready, showing no signs of nervousness despite the hostile crowd reaction.
When both fighters met in the center of the ring for the referee's final instructions, the contrast in their approaches was evident. Ippo radiated confident energy, while Kobashi displayed calm calculation.
"I want a clean fight," the referee said. "Protect yourselves at all times and obey my commands. Touch gloves and come out fighting."
The two fighters bumped gloves with mutual respect, each knowing that despite their friendly interactions outside the ring, they were about to engage in serious combat.
As they returned to their corners, Ippo felt the familiar surge of anticipation that came before every fight. All the preparation, all the training, all the strategic planning came down to these next twelve minutes.
"Remember your game plan," Kamogawa said quietly. "But be ready to adapt if the situation changes."
"I'm ready, Coach," Ippo replied, his voice steady and confident.
The referee checked with both corners, then raised his hand.
"Fighters ready?"
Both boxers nodded.
The hand came down.
DING!