Capítulo 48: Chapter 48: The Big Announcement
The next morning, the group packed up their belongings and left the beach behind. Their training camp was over, and though they were exhausted, they all felt stronger. As the train hummed along, Alex leaned back in his seat, staring out at the passing scenery, while Ippo quietly reflected on how far he'd come.
Once they returned home and unpacked, Alex and Ippo headed to the gym the following day. Entering the Kamogawa Boxing Gym, they found Takamura standing shirtless by the scales, grinning confidently.
Yagi was already there, excitement practically radiating off him as he held a poster in his hands. His expression made it clear that he was bursting to share the news.
"You seem hyped, Yagi-san," Alex noted with a smirk.
Yagi chuckled, barely able to contain himself. "You'll see why in a moment!"
Kamogawa, who stood nearby, crossed his arms and nodded knowingly. He had a faint smile on his face—he already knew what was coming, having been the one to negotiate for the opportunity.
Takamura flexed dramatically. "I told you guys something big was coming. Feast your eyes on greatness!"
Yagi spread the poster out for everyone to see. At the top, bold letters announced:
JBC MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE CLASS
YOSHIYAKI YAJIMA VS TAKAMURA MAMORU
Ippo's jaw dropped. "The middleweight champion... Yoshiaki Yajima?! Seven successful title defenses?"
"Exactly!" Yagi exclaimed. "This is his eighth defense. And if Takamura wins—"
"When I win," Takamura interrupted, smirking.
Yagi rolled his eyes but continued, "It'll be a historic moment for Kamogawa Boxing Gym. Takamura-san, you've got to make it count!"
Alex's lips curved into a knowing smile. His memories from his past life might have been hazy, but one thing was crystal clear: Takamura Mamoru was destined for greatness.
Breaking the momentary silence, Takamura puffed out his chest. "Yagi-san, don't forget to prep the celebration. I'm talking a big party—no expenses spared!"
Yagi laughed. "Just make sure you deliver, Takamura. Give us that taste of joy we've missed for decades."
Alex stepped forward. "Coach, since you've already managed to secure this match for Takamura-san, do you think you could reach out to Riku Tanaka's team? See if they'd agree to put our fight on this card. I want to share the spotlight on this historic event."
Kamogawa raised an eyebrow but nodded. "I'll see what I can do. It might not be easy, but having both fights on the same card could make this event even bigger."
Alex nodded, his determination evident. "Thank you, Coach."
Meanwhile, Ippo's eyes wandered down the poster, where another announcement caught his attention:
JAPAN ROOKIE KING TOURNAMENT
FEATHERWEIGHT CLASS
MAKUNOUCHI IPPO VS HAYAMI RYUICHI
(NICKNAME: "SHOTGUN")
Ippo nodded solemnly, already knowing who Kobashi Kenta was and the reputation behind his nickname. "His jabs are fast like a shotgun blast. It's going to be tough, but I've got to be ready for it."
Yagi added, "That speed is his greatest weapon, Ippo. You'll need to find a way to neutralize it."
As the tension in the room settled, Alex's gaze shifted to another section of the poster showing the lightweight rankings:JAPAN LIGHTWEIGHT RANKINGS
Champion: Shinobu Iga (10-1-0, 6 KO)
Ryota Sakamoto (14-3-2, 9 KO)Kenta Hoshino (11-2-1, 7 KO)Daichi Kuroda (12-4-0, 5 KO)Riku Tanaka (8-3-0, 6 KO)Hayato Shimizu (10-4-1, 6 KO)Tetsuya Miyamoto (9-5-1, 3 KO)Hiroshi Yamamoto (8-4-2, 4 KO)Koji Nakamura (6-4-0, 2 KO)Masato Sugihara (7-5-1, 3 KO)Alex Makunouchi (3-0-0, 3 KO)
Ippo glanced at the ranking list, noting the updated standings. "Riku Tanaka moved up to fourth," he said, his voice carrying a mix of awe and respect. "Hayato Shimizu got pushed down to fifth."
Alex observed the list with a calm smile, his confidence radiating. "Riku earned that spot, no doubt. But rankings are just numbers. When we face off, the real difference will show."
This keeps Alex confident without arrogance, showing his focus on the upcoming fight rather than dwelling on his current position.
To be continued...
Estado de energía semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Piedra de
Poder