01x05 - The Strength of the World

[bunniefuu]

I've been fighting to get it all for awhile

Running towards my dream at mach 50

Whirling winds tear through the sky

and I promise to become better than I was yesterday

The blue sky got twisted up with dark clouds

The wind that I waited for pressed onto my shoulder

and in my hand I grasped onto

The flash from a thunderbolt out of the blue

When I stopped running after so long

and opened these fists that have been thrown so often

Inside of them were traces

of the first step I'd taken to make it here

Tomorrow will take care of itself

Tears will come as the winds continue until morning

And to us as we grew it was like

A thunderbolt out of the blue

Round 5: World Class Strength

I got it!

This is a big one!

Congratulations!

Hey, Ippo,

leave the boat to me and the boss
and focus on your boxing already.

I can't do that!

Yeah, but you're fighting him soon, right?

The world champion!

Ippo-kun!

You've got a world title match coming up?

When is it?

The time's finally come!

Um, no, it's not like that!

Yes, I'm going to be fighting
against the world champion,

but it's just sparring, so...

Oh, so it's not a world title match.

Even so, that's still impressive.

It'll be a good experience for you.

Good luck, Ippo-kun!

Right!

I'll do my best!

So, how strong is this Ricardo guy?

I can't even imagine it.

He's fought 62 matches and is undefeated!

That's unbelievable!

Just the fact that he has fought in


but to not lose at all-

All right, all right, | get it.

I get that the champion is badass.

But if you think about it,

him winning 62 times

means he's got about 5 times as
many wins compared to your 13.

So, it's not like he's 20 or 30 times stronger.

It'd be easier if you thought of it
as fighting against five of yourself.

I never thought of it like that.

So, think of it as fighting against five of myself.

I-If we all punched at once,
I could only hit one of them.

You've got a better imagination than I thought.

The fact that you could hi tone
of the five is what's important.

In other words, if he hits you five times,
then you might be able to hit him once.

It's not that simple!

This is a historic super champ we're talking about!

He'll probably just play around with me!

I don't think so!

You're still the Japanese Champion, right?

Human stamina has a limit, no matter
how hard a person trains himself!

Your punches push people over that limit!

If you can hit him,

even if he's the world champion, he'll still fall!

The world champion...

would fall?

Show the strongest guy in the world

what you're made of.

Yeah.

At the very least, I'll fight him seriously.

I want to see how strong I am right now.

He's so incredible... that it's a little scary,

but I may never get a chance like this again!

I'll go all out!

T-There he is!

Get the camera ready!

Let's see if we can get a comment from him!

Among the entourage is his
trainer and manager, Bill Stewart.

He's a big-shot trainer who's
trained seven world champions.

And behind him...

The historic hero has finally arrived.

The WBA World Featherweight Champion,

Ricardo Martinez.

Hey, Ippo!

So, the time's finally come for you
to fight the world champion, huh?

It's not like it's a real fight.

Nah,

the champion hasn't been in the country for long yet.

You might be able to land one
on him if he's still jet-lagged.

Y-You think I can?

Dumbass!

Have fun getting destroyed!

You look lost in thought.

Don't tell me that you're thinking
you might stand a chance.

N-No, of course not.



but you're up against a famous champion who's already
considered legendary before his career has even ended.

He's not someone that you could
possibly have any hope against.

If you can graze him with even one shot,
you might get a reaction out of him.

Do that much and you'll have my praise.

Just grazing him...

It doesn't sound like much of an accomplishment, but...

the spar is for three rounds, right?

If I throw 200 punches per round,

then in three rounds, I'd be throwing 600 punches.

If I throw at least that many, I'm sure one will graze him!

All right, I'm going to graze him!

The best case scenario...

If the kid can land a proper punch,

even the champion wouldn't escape unscathed.

Forget getting a reaction from him,

there's a good chance he might fall.

Coach Kamogawa, Ippo-kun...

The sparring with the Japanese
rankers has already started.

How is Ricardo Martinez?

Well, he's showing off superior techniques, but...

...to be honest, he's holding back.

I came to gather some intel on him, but at
this rate, I'll have nothing to report to Date.

Coach Nakadai...

For now, just watch closely.

Right!

I really am getting nervous.

The world champion is in there.

The strongest man in the world.

It's really him!

The legendary world champion...

is right in front of me!

The second spar is about to start.

Yes.

P-Pleased to meet you!

I-I'll do my best!

The first one was like that too.

At this rate, there's no way the
champion will ever get in the mood.

I don't blame them.

He's more of a famous hero to them than an enemy.

They probably feel like it's an honor to
be able to stand in the same ring as him.

I know how they feel,

He's in complete control.

I'm hoping you'll be able to force
the champion to take this seriously.

I want to take something back to Date.

He's in the same weight class as me.

He's a little bit taller,

but our builds aren't that different.

He's only human,

Don't be intimidated.

Thank you so much!

Next person, you're up!

Right!

Pleased to meet you!

Kid...

He's wearing his fighting gear?

He's really ready to go.

This guy's the Japanese Champion.

It seems he pushed Eiji Date pretty hard.

Based on the fact that he isn't wearing headgear, he
probably wants to feel the full impact of your power.

You can handle this however you want.

Forcibly put him down, or run circles around him...

Just show him the difference between
where he's at and the world champ.

This kind of excitement is bad for my heart at this age.

My boxer is facing down the world champion.

Even the smallest chance is enough to get me worked up.

Japan's hope against the world champion...

Even though it's just a spar, you could
still sell tickets to something like this.

Seeing him up close like this...

He seems too big to be in the same weight class.

The pressure alone is enough to crush you.

Go for it, Kid!

Make an impression on the champion!

Before I get overwhelmed, I need to start my rhythm!

Go at full blast from the start!

Makunouchi made the first move!

I don't know how far I can take this,

but I'll go as far as I can!

A left!

He's using the speed of his dash!

No, it was a feint!

He made a high feint but came in low!

It's his specialty, the liver blow!

He saw through it!

Regular feints won't work!

It wasn't a bad idea.

Use that speed to keep the champion off balance!

If vertical variations won't work, then horizontal...

I'll mix it up from the sides!

He's started bobbing his head!

It's like he's fighting in a real match.

So he uses the Peek-a-Boo style, weaving
his upper body and then stepping in?

He's similar to Mike Tyson,

and I'm sure he's powerful too.

He might end up being a thrilling partner to spar with.

If I keep punching, I know I'll connect sooner or later!

If I can connect,

I can get into my rhythm!

What was that?

Something nailed me in the middle of my one-two.

The champion hasn't changed his stance.

Was it a left or aright?

Which one was I hit with?

Either way, | have to try and hit him!

I have to start my rhythm!

Calm down...

Calm down...

Just step in under his left like you always do,

and press into his chest!

He was hit again!

He's landing lefts so easily.

It's like his glove got huge all of a sudden!

I can't grasp the timing to step in!

How can it be so easy for him?

Is there some trick to it?

It's no trick.

There's no gimmick or secret behind it at all.

Nothing?

With human reflexes, dodging a punch
after you see it coming is near impossible.

What you gain through experience
and training is the ability...

to predict when the punch comes based on the
movement of your opponent's shoulder or elbow.

However,

the champion's punch flew along
the most direct path possible,

without moving his shoulder and elbow at all.

In other words,

without a signaling motion, it can't be predicted.

There's no trick,

it's more like a left rooted in the
most basic of fundamentals.

It's something that's only possible by checking your form
in a mirror tens of thousands of times, as you practice.

So even his regular left is top-grade material.

H-Hey, is it getting to him?

But Makunouchi's made it this far as
a boxer because of his toughness,

and the champion hasn't used
anything but a left so far!

That left is more effective than you'd think.

Mexican punches are thrown in a way where
they reach farther than you'd think and...

since you've already extended yourself into
a position where you expect to dodge it,

you can't brace yourself to absorb the shock.

If you don't do something soon, Makunouchi-kun...

you're going to be beaten left-handedly.

I can't believe it.

Ippo-kun's being beaten with just a left.

These lefts really cut to the bone.

if | keep getting hit like this, I'll be knocked down!

I'm trying everything I can think of...

but [ can't land anything!

Not even one!

The champion's only using his left,

but I can't do a thing.

The difference is this big?

It's this great?

It's affecting his legs.

This is bad.

He really is going to lose to someone using just a left.

This is pathetic...

So pathetic!

But if loan just...

just land one hit...

A single hit to get a reaction out of him!

He can do it.

The kid has a weapon...

that the champion will have to respond to!

I shouldn't try to evade his punches anymore.

There's noway I can dodge his left!

I have to block each one carefully.

He's blocking them and slowly closing in.

Just a little further...

He's pressed all the way in!

He was waiting to get into his best range!

Now!

There it is!

The Dempsey Roll!

That's it!

There are few people in the world
that can use the Dempsey Roll!

If it's a punch he's never encountered before,
even the champion won't know how to react!

Even if it's the champion, if it lands...

If I keep going at this rate, I should
be able to land at least one.

Go, Kid!

L-Impossible...

He was able to follow the horizontal
movement and still land his left!?

He could still see him even
though he was weaving so fast!?

I-It's incredible.

There are no words for it.

C-Champion,

the spar isn't over yet!

Gentlemen...

Ricardo doesn't intend to crush
the Japanese Champion's pride.

He simply came here today to warm up his left,

and, with that done, there's no need to continue.

Kid, get your clothes on, we're heading back.

Kid...

What are you doing!? It's over, Kid!

We're going home!

Coach?

He was unconscious?

And the champion realized that...

Not knocking the kid down in front of this
huge crowd must've been an act of mercy.

Give your thanks to the champion!



It's over then...

Thank you very much!

This is huge news!

The world champion reigns supreme!

And dominates the Japanese Champion with just his left!

Sounds like you'll be getting a lot of coverage
in the sports pages of tomorrow's papers.

Right...

It's fine.

I didn't expect you to do well
at your current level anyway.

If you were able to grasp the difference
of the world level, then it was worth it.

The world level...

You understand?

To be honest...

I don't.



so it doesn't feel real.

He was too strong,

and there was such a big difference.

I couldn't do anything.

To think that there'd be someone capable of
using the Dempsey Roll in the Pacific Region.

I'll be honest, I was surprised.

He seemed to have plenty of destructive power as well.

Did it worry you for a moment?

A stupid question, I guess...

No matter who your opponent is or what
they do, there's no way it'd surprise you.

You'll have to remind Eiji Date of that again as well,

how high the world summit is.

Hold on, Ippo! What happened to your face!?

Take a look in the mirror! It's a mess.

T-This is terrible!

And it was only one round and just his left too...

This is the world's strongest left.

Can Date-sanwin?

I don't think I can ever see that champion losing.

I can't imagine it.

There it is, splashed all over the page!

"Shut out with just a left"

I don't care how strong your opponent
is, at least make 'em use both arms.

You're the shame of Japan!

Think about the pressure you've put on him now!

I-I'm sorry...

If you're gonna apologize, apologize to the old man.

Go give him your regards.

Yeah,

but what kind of face am I supposed to put on for him?

That busted up one!

This is depressing...

Just by looking at my face,

he can probably see the power
of the champion's punches.

What will I say?

What do I do?

Is it a spar?

Date-san!

He looks cool with a full beard grown out all the way!

Who's his sparring partner?

Most people wouldn't be able to keep

Miyata-kun!?

Yeah, the Oriental Pacific Region Champion
would definitely make a suitable partner!

Miyata-kun's left flies from his shoulder to its
target along the quickest path possible too.

It's a lot like the champion's.

He dodged that left!

And then he fires right back!

He wouldn't be able to do that if
he couldn't follow the punches.

Amazing...

Takamura-san might have sent me
here just to watch this amazing spar.

Miyata-kun is really serious.

This might as well be a match to determine
the strongest featherweight in the nation!

He's not taking any lefts.

At this rate, he might be able to
dodge the champion's left too!

I guess he's a level above
me when it comes to trading lefts.

No time to aim a counter either!

In that case...

He went to fight it out!

What an incredible high-speed battle.

But Miyata-kun is quicker,

so the faster they go...

Thank you, Pacific Champ.

That was a great spar.

It helped me get in the swing of things.

Wait, wait!

I'm still fine!

Date-san!

He beat me.

I'm not under any weight control
and in my best condition...

And he just brushed me off.

He would've definitely knocked me down.

Miyata-kunwas beaten so easily.

I can't believe it!

So strong...

Date-san's like a different person
from when he fought me.

At that rate, he'd be able to
beat the world champion too!

B-But...

the world champion is strong too.

But Date-san was also...

I don't know!

You were watching, weren't you?

U-Um...

Well, that is...

Did you see?

You caught me at a bad time.

N-No, it was an incredible spar!

More like I caught you at a good time.

You've got to be kidding.

Honestly,

he would've knocked me down if we had kept at it.

My head's still spinning.

Me too!

I was almost knocked down by the world champion!

We're the same!

That kind of pisses me off.

But still,

the Japanese Champion and the Pacific Champion.

We've both been able to distinguish ourselves
a little bit, but we've still got a long way to go.

We really learned something.

Yeah...

learned it the hard way.

The world's a big place.

Some night

I can't remember why

We stayed up 'til 4 AM ['til 4 AM]

We talked about nothing
important and then made love

The person can't be close her eyes

The person can't be close your eyes

And now while she calls my name inside her dream

Kisses me so I'll fall asleep

Don't I wish that we could stay right there?

Yeah, yeah, yeah...

You shut the alarm to work to sleep that day

I'd do anything if I could make
this time rewind forever

'til 7:59