DING!
The opening bell rang through Kōrakuen Hall like a gunshot, cutting through the electric atmosphere. The crowd's anticipation was palpable as two contrasting fighters began their dance in the center of the ring.
Kobashi moved immediately to establish his game plan, stepping forward with his left arm extended in the cross-arm block stance. His boxing shoes squeaked against the canvas as he positioned himself.
SQUEAK! SQUEAK!
"Control the distance," Kobashi thought, settling into position with calculated precision. "Score points, avoid the big shots."
But as Ippo approached, his footwork cutting sharp angles across the ring, the sound of his movement was different—more purposeful, more predatory.
TAP-TAP-TAP!
Each step echoed with intent as Ippo methodically closed the distance.
Kobashi threw his first jab, aiming to establish range.
The punch cut through the air cleanly.
PAH!
It landed flush on Ippo's face, but the shorter fighter's reaction was unsettling. His head barely moved, and instead of backing away, he actually stepped forward through the punch.
THUD-THUD!
Ippo's advancing footsteps seemed to shake the ring itself.
From the crowd, veteran boxing fan Hiroshi Tanaka leaned forward in his seat. "Look at that chin," he muttered to his son. "The kid's walking through jabs like they're nothing."
PAH! PAH!
Two more jabs from Kobashi, but Ippo absorbed them without concern, his pressure relentless.
"LOOK AT THAT PRESSURE!" someone shouted from the audience.
When Ippo stepped into range, he threw his first real punch—a straight right that cut through the air like a piston.
WHOOOOSH!
The wind displacement was audible as the punch traveled toward its target.
Kobashi managed to block it with his cross-arm defense, but the impact was tremendous.
THUD!
The force traveled up both his arms like a shockwave, rattling his entire defensive structure.
"Jesus Christ!" Kobashi's eyes widened. "That felt like getting hit by a nuke, and I blocked it!"
In the Kamogawa corner, the old coach watched with satisfaction. "Perfect pressure boxing," he said quietly to Yagi. "He's implementing everything we've worked on."
Meanwhile, in the mid-level seats, Kumi Mashima watched with fascination as this polite boy from the bakery transformed into something entirely different in the ring. "He looks so... dangerous," she thought, surprised by her own reaction.
Desperate to break Ippo's rhythm, Kobashi decided to take a risk. He waited for Ippo to commit to a combination, then tried to counter between the punches.
Ippo threw a jab-cross combination, the punches whistling through the air.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
Kobashi saw his opening. As the cross extended, he slipped to the side and fired a counter right hand.
WHOOSH!
The counter punch flew toward Ippo's exposed jaw.
But what happened next would end the fight in devastating fashion.
Ippo had read the counter perfectly. As Kobashi's punch approached, he simply leaned back slightly, the punch missing by mere millimeters.
WHOOSH!
The sound of the near-miss was like wind through a tunnel.
Then, in the same fluid motion, Ippo planted his left foot with tremendous force.
STOMP!
The sound of his boxing shoe hitting the canvas exploded through the arena like a gunshot. The crowd immediately recognized that something devastating was about to happen.
"What the hell was that sound?" Hiroshi Tanaka grabbed his son's arm.
Kobashi's eyes widened in horror as he watched Ippo's body begin to coil like a massive spring. His torso rotated with mechanical precision, every muscle contributing to the technique being loaded.
The air itself seemed to compress around Ippo's rotating frame as he shifted his weight backward just before release.
WHOOOM!
Then Ippo released.
WHIP!
The sound of the Frazier Torque being unleashed was like a whip cracking through the air. The hook came from an impossible angle, cutting through the atmosphere with a sharp whistle.
WHIIIIIST!
Kobashi tried desperately to get his guard up, but the punch was too fast, too perfectly timed.
CRACK!
The hook caught him flush on the side of the head with devastating precision. The impact echoed through the arena like a gunshot.
"OH MY GOD!" Kumi gasped, covering her mouth as she watched the devastating technique connect.
Kamogawa leaned forward, his experienced eyes analyzing every detail. "Perfect execution," he thought with rare satisfaction. "That's championship-level technique."
But Ippo wasn't finished. With lightning speed, he stepped in close, his shoes squeaking against the canvas.
SQUEAK!
He drove upward with a devastating uppercut, the punch cutting through the air with a sharp whistle.
WHIIIST!
CRACK!
The uppercut connected with the sound of thunder, snapping Kobashi's head back violently as the one-two combination overwhelmed his nervous system completely.
His legs gave out with a soft thud as his knees hit the canvas, followed by the heavier impact of his unconscious body.
THUD!
The arena fell silent for a moment, the only sound being the settling of Kobashi's motionless form on the canvas.
"IT'S OVER!" the referee immediately announced, not even bothering with a count as he waved his arms frantically. "KNOCKOUT! WINNER BY KNOCKOUT IN ROUND ONE... IPPO 'THE HERO' MAKUNOUCHI!"
The crowd erupted in deafening cheers, the roar washing over the arena like a tsunami of sound.
"INCREDIBLE!"
"ONE ROUND! HE FINISHED IT IN ONE ROUND!"
"THAT COMBINATION WAS NUTS!"
Ippo stood over his fallen opponent for a moment, his breathing barely elevated despite the explosive finish. Then, feeling the surge of triumph, he walked to the nearest set of ropes.
His boxing shoes squeaked against the canvas as he approached the corner.
SQUEAK! SQUEAK!
He climbed up, grabbing the top rope with both hands, and raised his arms high above his head in triumphant celebration.
The crowd's roar intensified, the sound reverberating through the arena like rolling thunder.
"Look at that confidence!" Hiroshi Tanaka shouted to his son over the noise. "That's not just a rookie—that's a future champion!"
From her seat, Kumi watched in amazement as this gentle boy she knew from casual conversations commanded the respect and adoration of thousands. "This is what real strength looks like," she thought, finally understanding what he'd meant enjoying boxing.
In his corner, Kamogawa allowed himself a rare smile as he watched his protégé bask in the well-deserved praise. "The techniques are there, the power is devastating, and the ring IQ is developing rapidly," he thought. "This boy is ready to take on Japan."
As medical personnel attended to the slowly awakening Kobashi, Ippo remained on the ropes, arms raised high, the sound of his name being chanted by thousands filling the arena.
"IP-PO! IP-PO! IP-PO!"