Fighting Spirit (はじめの一歩)

It's peaceful, isn't it?

Yeah.

Neither of us have caught any yet.

Whoever catches one first wins!

I've had a few bites already,

but I shouldn't catch any.

I have to let Takamura-kun win.

But on a fine day like this,

I can't help but get excited.

Since I'm here, I'd like to catch at least one.

I just need to lose in the end.

I'll start reeling them in after Takamura-kun does.

Hurry up, Takamura-kun.

I want to catch some too!

Got one!

Congratulations!

Oh! It just took the bait!

Well, that happens.

Got you!

What? Not again.

Swallow the hook, damn it.

Did you say something?

Uh, no…

It's biting!

Come on! Hook it now!

There!

Damn! It got away again!

The fish here are so sneaky!

No, you just suck at this!

What is it?

N-Nothing.

Don't rush!

I shouldn't catch any.

I have to let Takamura-kun win.

Looks like Yagi's out of luck today.

I've got to catch one first!

I shouldn't catch any!

Come on! Bite!

-I shouldn't! -Bite!

FISHING POND CARP PARADISE

They should be here.

Yeah, this is it.

The sign says "No Yagi allowed."

What the heck did that old man do?

There's a newer sign over there.

It says…

NO TAKAMURA ALLOWED

What on earth did he do?!

Stop it!

I don't even want to imagine it!

-Takamura-san! -Takamura-san!

Huh?

Yo! Welcome back!

-Huh? -Huh?

What's with the surprised looks?

He's in high spirits.

Don't tell me he actually won.

It was a draw.

-A draw? -A draw?

They each caught three apiece.

Neither managed to catch any more,

so they had to call it a tie.

Takamura-san put up a good fight.

His training paid off.

What a relief.

But Yagi-san only caught three?

That's not like him.

As soon as Yagi-chan caught three,

Takamura jumped into the pond and grabbed three of his own.

Then they got kicked out.

So he used his hands?

That explains the sign.

It's all good as long as Takamura-san's happy!

That's a weight off my shoulders!

Don't feel relieved just yet.

-Huh? -Huh?

We've booked your opponents for your upcoming bouts.

In addition to Takamura-kun and Miyata-kun,

we've also received your opponents' info.

Right on!

Knowing who my opponent is will give me a boost.

Are our opponents tough?

They are.

They're champions in Indonesia and the Philippines, respectively.

Wow! You're fighting champions?

I ain't scared.

We've fought title matches before.

Kimura-kun, your opponent

is the Filipino junior lightweight champ.

His name is Eleki Battery.

What kind of name is that?! Is he an electrician?

Who cares about his name?!

Aoki-kun, your opponent…

is the Indonesian lightweight champ.

His name is Papaya Dachiu.

KAMOGAWA BOXING GYM

Who cares about his name?!

I do! Big time!

"Papaya," huh? Sounds like a tough guy!

Don't laugh, Itagaki-kun.

Yeah, but…

Laugh all you want!

But you won't be laughing during my bout.

I'm gonna split that papaya in two!

You shouldn't underestimate him.

Despite his name, he's still a national champ.

Look at this guy's face!

There's no way I'm gonna lose to such a ridiculous guy!

You won't lose?

Never!

You mean it?

Of course!

In that case,

if you don't win, you have to get this guy's haircut.

What?

Don't mess with me!

I just need to win, right?

All right. It's a deal!

Be careful. They say he packs a heavy punch.

Huh?

His right punch is called the "Coconut Punch."

His opponents claimed

that it felt like getting hit with a coconut.

A coconut?

Does that hurt?

Hell if I know!

I've never been hit with one before, obviously!

S-Sempai, I can't take it anymore…

M-Me too. My sides are killing me.

Are you sure you should be laughing?

Huh?

If you don't win,

you get this haircut!

What?

Bring it on, damn it!

No way I'm gonna lose!

But you know,

you didn't beat Yagi-san either.

What did you say?

I heard you cheated too.

Don't talk all high and mighty.

Bastard! Let's see you try to beat Yagi in fishing!

Sure. And what if I do?

If I beat Yagi-san in fishing, the deal's off the table!

I'm not getting Papaya's haircut!

Aoki doesn't think he can beat Papaya, does he?

One more month until my bout.

I'd rather die than get this goofy haircut.

Aoki managed to strike a good deal with Takamura-san.

He seems to be training hard for it too.

I'll go check on him later.

No way!

Your current hairstyle suits you best, Masaru!

Right?

I'd rather die than get that goofy haircut.

Don't worry. Look how much you've caught!

I think I might have a knack for fishing.

You're a genius at everything you do!

You think so?

I know so!

Tomiko!

I guess the fishing match won't be happening.

That leaves us with one option.

Aoki and I both have to win our bouts!

Still, that idiot…

What on earth did he do?

NO AOKI ALLOWED NO TAKAMURA ALLOWED

They're all doing great.

Especially Takamura.

He's full of spirit and training diligently.

He's gone up a weight class and returned to middleweight,

but weight control remains a challenge.

Shaving off weight is a battle against yourself.

Takamura's fight has already begun!

-Let's keep going! -Yeah!

Do you think he can conquer two weight classes?

It's hard to say.

No one in Japanese boxing history has conquered

both the junior middleweight and middleweight titles.

He's about to step into uncharted territory

that no other Japanese boxer before him has ever seen.

KAMOGAWA BOXING GYM

The poster came out great!

Yeah!

"A Passing Point." In other words, a checkpoint.

It's Takamura-kun's catchphrase.

He's someone who calls his second world title a "checkpoint."

We're lucky to know him!

We might even witness him make history.

I'm sure we will!

Takamura-san will do it!

-He has to! -Huh?

David Eagle is a celebrity in the U.S.

We paid a fortune to bring him to Japan.

Takamura-kun has to win the title and become a star,

or else we'll drown in red ink!

-Well, that just got real. -Yeah.

-Don't sweat it! -Oh.

Hi, everyone.

Welcome back.