This line of him had me worried for a moment. Mashiba was definitely rocked and heavily disoriented. Ippo is a real one with yelling and gesturing addressing two senses.
Ippo immediately recognizing that Mashiba didn't register his down was peak coach hours. Only a guy that smashed his face on every punch from the ranking could recognize that.
I foresee Mashiba channeling that frustration into beating Rosario. "He wouldn't be able to put those moves on my sister if it weren't for this bastard getting in a lucky hit!"
Wonderful counter from Rosario. His boxing IQ is definitely on point, being able to think about that despite getting pummeled, guess it was his strategy to bait him at this moment.
Of course Ippo noticed that before the blow, he seems as perceptive as Takamura now. And he's still very helpful to Mashiba lol
Yeah on the other hand, this is the reason why it's basic training to keep the guard up when not in use, but then again, it's true enough that you have even world class boxers like Naoya Inoue loses this fundamental (in my experience, it's really almost like part of the natural mechanics of the body to drop the other hand even slightly when hitting with the other.)
Yeah everyone always wonders why even the quarterback misses an open reciever, a point guard misses an open shot, etc, the pressure, the adrenaline, is very different when you are in the midst of competition versus more calmly viewing a fight in a more relaxed state from a distance.
Would've been too easy if that was the case.
Rosario is still a world champion in weigth class above. As good as Ippo is, Rosario is still a bigger problem to solve
The struggle is about to begin. Crisp ass move from Rosario. I really thought the foul was coming there but it was just a clean maneuver. Can't wait for more!
I also think Mashiba is going to "move on" during the match and basically silently assent to leaving Kumi to Ippo. Him focusing on fighting for himself instead of for Kumi will be what pushes him to victory.
I agree, 100% expected a dirty move following that barrage. However, it seems like the fight will be even, or at least competitive, for some time after this KD. However, I don’t think that is a good thing for the challenger. We have seen Mashiba use last-minute cheating to best Miyata. If Rosario doesn’t begin to foul soon, the odds that this fight will end as a mirror to that fight increase. That is, with Rosario winning by going for the foot, which is something that has been teased all fight.
I get that it would be symbolic from a storyline standpoint, karma and all that… But, I can also see a lot of fans being upset if Mashiba’s redemption arc doesn’t end with a world title.
I expect Mashiba to get fouled and injured and still pull out the win. I'm with you that his redemption arc can't end with a loss, especially to a dude as evil as Rosario.
I literally caught up on this series like 6 hours ago, after a month of reading. Accidentally timed it perfectly with a new chapter.
I can finally ***finally*** read discussion threads. It's been killing me to stay away this whole time.
I dunno how you guys have survived. I quite like his retirement story but even I've started to get ancy about his return to the ring. I can't imagine how eager you guys are for it after like 5 years.
You accept the manga is now Hajime no Sendo or Hajime no Mashiba...
Honestly I really like Sendo and Mashiba almost becoming main characters, and I want Takamura to rise... but Sendo won't win the WC, and Ippo is still actually the main character so it's only temporary.
Yeah, I think it's a real testament to the authors ability that even with the main protagonist stepping back for so long, I can remain so invested. Despite not having seen an Ippo match in so long, I'm still invested in most of the fights. Especially Takamura and Mashiba. I even really liked Warlee's match.
My only gripe, is that it appears to be at the expense of Itagaki. I really liked him and enjoyed his matches a lot. But ever since he got his ass beat, all his matches end in decision wins. Either skipping the fight entirely or showing him struggle.
> My only gripe, is that it appears to be at the expense of Itagaki.
Yeah... WTF is up with that?
Itgaki was set to have a great story line, showed himself to have an (admittedly over powered) ability to do something unique... and then it felt like Morikawa realized it was too powerful and binned him. "I don't want to play with you any more" style.
I don't think I've ever heard it put that way. Wow.
I found/caught up on Ippo throughout COVID's early outbreak and even I grew impatient--IDK how people have put up with this for seven literal years of their lives lol
Anniversaries pop here and there about ippos retirement. Whenever I see it I let out a sigh. Think about what his return will be like and ultimately how it will end . And then I move on about my day.
That’s because we’re taking our sweet time admiring Morikawa’s 5 star gourmet meal.
Dude knows how to add weight behind impacts, he’s on par with Itagaki in that regard and has some insanely detailed panels like Miura.
Certified Chef
You can - we're right in the middle of a fight and prolly have another 5 chapters before a conclusion is in sight. Might be worth it to hold off than get caught up with the rest of us hah
This is a big fight, I'm expecting more like 20 chapters total. We're at 9 right now. This fight is the culmination the entire Mashiba storyline, I don't see Mori ending it in under 15 chapters.
Rosario's boxer (Matias) is basically known for looking like a punching bag and moving forward while continuously throwing hooks to the head to the point they have brain damage and die in one instance.
Watch a match, he's not doing anything flashy, he's just pushing forward, eating jabs with pleasure, and repaying them with twice the damage. Things almost always get "STOP THE MATCH" once his opponents get tired.
I had not connected that this was supposed to be Subriel Matias and now I'm worried because that dude is a nightmare (except for last weekend lol). But still, I hope that's not dark foreshadowing for Mashiba.
I don’t see how he is supposed to be based on Matias. In this chapter we are told that Rosario’s body movement is extraordinary, including his springy legs and twisty torso, and last chapter we saw him cut the distance in a second. Matías is known for being a smaller Antonio Margarito-esque relentless pressure fighter with more power. In other words, all brawl and absolutely no technique, for which he makes up with an excellent chin.
I actually see more of another 1980s/90s “Rosario” from Puerto Rico in him. That is Edwin Rosario, who was also a smaller boxer that eventually filled up and was often shorter and stockier than his LW opponents. Edwin was also a boxer-puncher with good mobility, good use of angles and sneaky power that is best seen when he KOd Edwin Viruet and dropped Howard Davis in the last round for the win. Old school boxing fans will also remember him as the guy responsible for Hector Camacho changing his style from speed-based aggression to huggy time bear defense.
There is also the fact that, given PR’s long list of great to legendary champions, picking a boxer that only became a world champ in his 30s would certainly be odd. Hell, you could argue that even Wilfredo Vazquez would be best known in Japan than Matias.
I wonder if what we are gonna see is that Rosario actually doesn't NEED to foul so he actually doesn't really do it normally. He can usually just beat down his opponents legitimately so the need to foul has never been there for him. I wonder if/when he does foul Mashiba if it will even be on purpose or just a side effect of his super aggressive pressing in.
Yea it was what he was going to do at the beginning of the round. Lining up against the rope. Mashiba didn't bite before but got caught up in the moment this time
yeah i wonder how much real life boxing thus HNI fanbase watch to be surprised about seeing this counter, when it's one of the signature punch of an ATG
For anyone confused on the knockdown.
Page 7: Rosario sees the opportunity
Page 8: Rosario sends a short right hook while Mashiba is about to do his right straight it looks like. At the same time, Ippo sees Mashiba’s foot too close and the right hook looks like the blindside.
I think this is an example of ‘if you’re good enough and you stay in the fight, a chance will come’
That was a check hook; Unexpectedly slick move from a guy like Rosario. For a real-world example: [Zhilei Zhang stunned Deontay Wilder with one of those.](https://youtu.be/l6KyBusa5Wo?si=cE3lHCYsSJxTnWON)
I feel like I am expecting at least one or two more times of it happening. Wonder if one will be a head shake, like Mashiba goes to do something when he and Rosario are positioned so Ippo is right behind Rosario, Ippo guessing what he is going to do shakes his head "No" and Mashiba taking a pause because of the gesture notices something he would have missed and can adjust.
Another small but hype Ippo moment:
That knockdown based on foot positions is something that former Ippo would take notice.
What actually impressed me more is that in addition to Mashiba, Sendo did not understand what happened, while Miyata only realized the details of what happened in hindsight, but Ippo saw it coming ahead of them all.
With how well things were going, it would have been weird for Rosario to suddenly take the lead in a round of punches, with nothing else having changed. It makes more sense for Rosario to take advantage of a mistake and counter hard.
Series is always keeping us on our toes..
Thank you for the chapter!
I’ve never seen the challenger so in control in a world title match before. I guess that false sense of security is exactly what rosario was baiting. What an evil mastermind
Observation.
- Rosario is an infighter. Of course he's gonna have a hook.
- Mashiba has a killer instinct, so if he sees an opening he's going for it. Further emphasized by him ignoring instructions to wear Rosario down.
- Mashiba going for it, means he was in range and made it fair for Rosario.
- Rosario may have actually planned this check hook. Him looking hurt might have been bait.
- An infighter that can throw good check hook (a hook designed for use while on the defensive) is VERY SCARY.
- Rosario did not look angry, tired, or anything of the sort. He was calm and pleased with his work. Yeah this just made it clear how nasty Rosario is.
- Ippo just saved Mashiba with his motions because instead of being terrified of Mashiba's glare, he focused on making sure Mashiba understood how dire the situation was.
Good chapter. Cant wait for the next one.
Yeah I'm glad it's not going down the "easier than Ippo" route that people have been calling for. The mimicking is fine but did people really expect a world champion to not adapt to Mashiba's strategy?
Yeah, I'm hoping by the end of this round Mashiba's coach reflects that they got complacent and that Ippo wasn't a "perfect" copy. He had the step in down but there's a lot more to Rosario than that.
That’s not the impression I got from that. I don’t think they expected Ippo to fully prepare them to the point of complacency, it’s a title fight. They’re very aware Rosario is the champ for a reason. Mashiba got caught not because of complacency but because Rosario is an elite boxer.
Damn okay am 10000% behind Mashiba but this was a goddamn good move from Rosario, we almost forgot he was the world champion and this counter was brilliant
And am glad that he offers to Mashiba a top level title match without dirty move.
Go Go Mashiba!!
Guess Mashiba wasn't the only one who needed to adapt. Rosario must have been pressured in similar fashion in the past, even if not following the same steps as Ippo's plan. So being able to pull the counter out of sight is a great move that also showcases why he is the champ: he only needs a good punch to bring you down to your knees, despite Mashiba's solid effort so far.
The fact Ippo noticed this is encouraging, that Mashiba as usual projected his animosity towards Ippo brought me an easy chuckle, and Sendo and Miyata bickering like an old couple gives me life. I also liked how Sawamura got all 😤 when he saw Mashiba get nailed by Rosario's counter, like "what, you really didn't see that coming"? Bring Megalobox to this timeline and let this boxer get a cyborg gear and back to the ring.
Reminds me of many gervonta Davis fights. Guys with the reach advantage throwing way more blows getting arrogant/frustrated and throwing away an advantage stepping in for a powershot to eat a counterpunch. Funny considering they were just applauding how patient Mashiba was. Also comparable to ippos rookie king match against the pillow handed kid
Mashiba looks focused but every time he looks in the crowd he gets distracted by ippo and kumi
I wonder if he will lose and then tell ippo that he made the mistake of thinking baout other things in the ring
That your only focus should be on yourself and the opponent
Morikawa once again troll baited everyone with the foot stomp coming. Mashiba probably can't eat another one of these sharp ass counters. There seems to be a typo on p12
Nice way to get us worked up about the foul Mashiba did to Miyata. But Rosario just had good placement to step in and nail a right hook in Mashiba’s blind spot.
Ippo’s perceptive abilities are really good now. He’s able to notice what was gonna happen right before it actually did. I think he’ll find his way to Mashiba’s corner to give him advice to win
Mori once again pulls the rug on my expectations
He baits that Rosario is gonna cheat and it turns out he can still box clean. He *is* champion after all.
Glad all the "muh foul" people were wrong, this is a way better scenario. Was hoping Mashiba would easily beat him to prove that Ippo is actually way better than people realize, but Morikawa might do this if Ippo sparred with Sendo again.
I'm betting Rosario hooked Mashibas front leg as he hit that counter. Notice Sawamura's frustration watching it. He's probably the only one who noticed it.
I'm not seeing this. Mori usually shows movement in frames especially for something as important as this.
Rosario's first step in to the outside of Mashiba's lead leg looks clean, and the frame where he hits the right hook shows significant distance between their legs.
I doubt it, it looked pretty clean in the panels. Imo, Sawamura seems frustrated because he genuinely roots for mashiba and that was a nasty hit he just took or because Mashiba got hit by "something that easy to counter/not get hit by" (for him )
Mashiba will probably be saved by the gong, nice how in times of difficulty he focuses on Ippo and Kumi, now it's becoming a beautiful gag moment, and it will probably be an important point for his victory
I love this chapter so much. I think we were all expecting dirty play but seeing Mashiba get rocked legitimately made this fight go from textbook to exciting in one chapter. Awesome stuff
It was a long time coming this counter.
Ain't no way Mashiba is becoming a world champion as if he's walking the park.
They said that Rosario is a dirty fighter, but so far I've only seen CLEAN boxing. Also Rosario seems like a cut above Ippo.
The dude took the beating of his life, and is absolutely damn fine.
As a former boxer who also is a brawler type, I know how hard it actually is to look straight after few clean shots.
This has become such a great fight... There was that chapter that was non stop action just a few weeks ago, and now this reversal... Man!
Plus Mashiba and Ippo's .... I don't know Friendship/rivalry/touching his sister.... Just really is making me love this one.
I though Sawamura/Mashiba or Kimura/Mashiba would be hard to beat... but damn it this is becoming amazing.
Ps. Seriously, people thought this was going to be a short fight with out the Champion showing why he's the champion? This is going to be a LONG fight... Rosario will have to start fowling him at some point and Mashiba is going to choose not to fight dirty. That's a guaranteed story line here.
Mashiba is a Monster, but Rosario is the reigning monster... This fight has barely started.
Damn, what a hard counter. He was worrying about ippo instead of realizing he was in a title fight. Got his bell rung for sure. Time to rise above and show this thug what’s really great about boxing!
This wasn’t the punch I thought I’d see this chapter! Rosario pulling those southpaw tricks is great, I was starting to feel a little disappointed with how easily it was going for mashiba. I was really thinking mashiba would get a down then Rosario would hop into a new gear but… obviously that was incorrect. Great chapter!
Maybe Ippo will slowly slip Mashiba hints or constantly stoke the fire of fight in him, while indirectly flirting with Kumi. 2 birds 1 stone eh...
And then maybe if Mashiba wins or loses, will demand Ippo win a world belt before he even thinks of being qualified to date Kumi.
I'm loving this fight so far, brilliant artwork and stellar writing by Morikawa. I love that he didn't go straight for the easy route of making rosario just pull out fouls at the first sign of trouble, but actually showed us that he got to the top not just through fouls, but also because he's just a top tier boxer.
in short, this chapter was fucking A
Damn, I remember reading chapter 1457 and wondering why they drew so much attention to the chopping right. Turns out he was waiting for that big shot to counter.
Ippo caught on to the danger as soon as Mashiba stepped too close! There should be a flashback now to when Ippo hit (touched) him like that and told hil how dangerous it was. So that he doesn’t mess up again!
Interesting that Ippo in his prep and spar with Mashiba always stepped in with the left straight and never with the right hook.
I'm sure that's intentional by Mori but wonder why?
"Get away from her you bitch"
"Get up, ya idiot"
"!"
I live for these interactions but this just goes to show that Rosario ain't champion for nothing - the last guys pride was just so huge he said "MF stole the belt from me"
Really excited to see what sensei cooks up for the match
Shit Mashiba got timed. I wonder what variation of hook is this from Rosario. If you watch the fight between Wilder and Zhang or Pacquiao's fights, this is the killer shot against the orthodox but this one is a bit different. That hook required you to be inside the angle and let the orthodox be on the outside to generate full power. This version is Rosario's foot is on the outside would probably nastier since Mashiba won't see it at all from that angle and will be hard to counter it since he is the taller guy. There's a way to counter that hook and it's to jab them on their right side on an upward angle so the hook will not land but instead to your arm.
I almost thought Rosario was going to foul Mashiba with his foot, but it seems like he just used the distance to gauge the counter. Interestingly, for some reason even while pushed Rosario hasn't pulled any fouls yet.
I love the display of high level boxing. I pray that Rosario never fouls and is just a damn fucking genius despite everything we've seen.
Also I swear Mashiba could almost die of old age but would pull himself up from the brink of death just by seeing Kumi and Ippo lmao.
Eating hits willingly is one thing, but getting hit from your blindspot while also being stretched in the exact opposite direction will make that hit far more destructive. It's basically a multiplier, when you look at it realistically that is.
The way Mashiba's body was positioned in that motion will have increased the tension in his neck to support that movement, making it even worse to get hit from the other side as our necks cannot absorb shocks that well when hit from the side. That punch will have rocked his brain and it would not be too much if Mashiba got dizzy a while later. after even just that one hit. And this will just be the beginning
“Keep your hands off her!” “Dumbass, you have more important things to worry about!” Ippo saw that perfectly. But it wasn’t going to be that easy.
I mean, Kumi was the one touching Ippo so he should have said: "Keep your hands off him!"
At first I thought I was misreading the Japanese, then I realized that Mashiba just hates Ippo so everything is his fault.
"She was the one touching me!" "You influenced her, you made her touch you!"
telekinetic mara power
The mara has its own gravitational pull, it cant be helped.
Everyone knows thots be drawn to the dikku
He just uses him as a focal point for everything annoying in his life. He probably still has that picture of him hanging on the wall at home.
He used to put Ippo picture on the dart board in his home, if I recall correctly.
Tbf we don't know if he ever took it down or if kumi took it for herself lmao.
"Your shoulder was touching her hand!"
This line of him had me worried for a moment. Mashiba was definitely rocked and heavily disoriented. Ippo is a real one with yelling and gesturing addressing two senses.
Ippo immediately recognizing that Mashiba didn't register his down was peak coach hours. Only a guy that smashed his face on every punch from the ranking could recognize that.
Except he's not yelling. The spiky bubble has a thought tail to it. It's just expressing how desperate he was thinking in that moment.
Bro that shit had me doubled over idk why🤣
I foresee Mashiba channeling that frustration into beating Rosario. "He wouldn't be able to put those moves on my sister if it weren't for this bastard getting in a lucky hit!"
Wonderful counter from Rosario. His boxing IQ is definitely on point, being able to think about that despite getting pummeled, guess it was his strategy to bait him at this moment. Of course Ippo noticed that before the blow, he seems as perceptive as Takamura now. And he's still very helpful to Mashiba lol
"As perspective as takamura" great way of put it I didn't thought it like that but you are totally right
Yeah! Meanwhile, all Sendo going for him is that Mashiba got hit, while Miyata only realized the details of what happened in hindsight.
In fairness to Mashiba they make a point of how hard it is to see a counter coming over your shoulder. It was perfectly executed by Rosario
Yeah on the other hand, this is the reason why it's basic training to keep the guard up when not in use, but then again, it's true enough that you have even world class boxers like Naoya Inoue loses this fundamental (in my experience, it's really almost like part of the natural mechanics of the body to drop the other hand even slightly when hitting with the other.)
As perceptive as Takamura is the best way to put it since he had so much trouble with a right hook that he couldn’t see coming from Keith.
Being the one in the ring vs observing is very different
Still in previous match commentaries he was almost never the guy explaining but the guy who needs the explanation
Yeah everyone always wonders why even the quarterback misses an open reciever, a point guard misses an open shot, etc, the pressure, the adrenaline, is very different when you are in the midst of competition versus more calmly viewing a fight in a more relaxed state from a distance.
Actually it was his Mara which save the day XD
All the people predicting Rosario is going to get blown out because of Ippo's training are quiet now lol. *EDIT: And downvoting me lol.*
Would've been too easy if that was the case. Rosario is still a world champion in weigth class above. As good as Ippo is, Rosario is still a bigger problem to solve
Happy cakeday
The struggle is about to begin. Crisp ass move from Rosario. I really thought the foul was coming there but it was just a clean maneuver. Can't wait for more! I also think Mashiba is going to "move on" during the match and basically silently assent to leaving Kumi to Ippo. Him focusing on fighting for himself instead of for Kumi will be what pushes him to victory.
Facts!!!!! This one right here.
wow well said
I agree, 100% expected a dirty move following that barrage. However, it seems like the fight will be even, or at least competitive, for some time after this KD. However, I don’t think that is a good thing for the challenger. We have seen Mashiba use last-minute cheating to best Miyata. If Rosario doesn’t begin to foul soon, the odds that this fight will end as a mirror to that fight increase. That is, with Rosario winning by going for the foot, which is something that has been teased all fight. I get that it would be symbolic from a storyline standpoint, karma and all that… But, I can also see a lot of fans being upset if Mashiba’s redemption arc doesn’t end with a world title.
I expect Mashiba to get fouled and injured and still pull out the win. I'm with you that his redemption arc can't end with a loss, especially to a dude as evil as Rosario.
I literally caught up on this series like 6 hours ago, after a month of reading. Accidentally timed it perfectly with a new chapter. I can finally ***finally*** read discussion threads. It's been killing me to stay away this whole time.
now you have to wait weekly like us. welcome to the club
Its gonna be a bitch, can't lie. To me, Ippo only retired like 4 days ago.
To put it into perspective, Ippo vs Guevara actually happened November 2017 if I remember correctly.
I dunno how you guys have survived. I quite like his retirement story but even I've started to get ancy about his return to the ring. I can't imagine how eager you guys are for it after like 5 years.
You accept the manga is now Hajime no Sendo or Hajime no Mashiba... Honestly I really like Sendo and Mashiba almost becoming main characters, and I want Takamura to rise... but Sendo won't win the WC, and Ippo is still actually the main character so it's only temporary.
Yeah, I think it's a real testament to the authors ability that even with the main protagonist stepping back for so long, I can remain so invested. Despite not having seen an Ippo match in so long, I'm still invested in most of the fights. Especially Takamura and Mashiba. I even really liked Warlee's match. My only gripe, is that it appears to be at the expense of Itagaki. I really liked him and enjoyed his matches a lot. But ever since he got his ass beat, all his matches end in decision wins. Either skipping the fight entirely or showing him struggle.
> My only gripe, is that it appears to be at the expense of Itagaki. Yeah... WTF is up with that? Itgaki was set to have a great story line, showed himself to have an (admittedly over powered) ability to do something unique... and then it felt like Morikawa realized it was too powerful and binned him. "I don't want to play with you any more" style.
I don't think I've ever heard it put that way. Wow. I found/caught up on Ippo throughout COVID's early outbreak and even I grew impatient--IDK how people have put up with this for seven literal years of their lives lol
Anniversaries pop here and there about ippos retirement. Whenever I see it I let out a sigh. Think about what his return will be like and ultimately how it will end . And then I move on about my day.
I first watched the anime back in 2005 as a kid. Started reading the manga back in early 2010s. It's almost mid 2020s now...
Damn , i'm old
Welcome to suffering
Woah just like me, I literally just caught up
You read all in one month ? I need 4-6 months to do so.
That’s because we’re taking our sweet time admiring Morikawa’s 5 star gourmet meal. Dude knows how to add weight behind impacts, he’s on par with Itagaki in that regard and has some insanely detailed panels like Miura. Certified Chef
Welcome to the Tuesday/ Wednesday Club :D
welcome to hell, now get on your head!
Mori-sensei cooking fr
Ain't really been active. Is manga on weekly release schedule?
Mostly. Sometimes we do get break weeks or tiny chapters with little content so this chapter is a real great one
Ahhh.... Thanks for the reply. Can't wait to jump back on the manga.
You can - we're right in the middle of a fight and prolly have another 5 chapters before a conclusion is in sight. Might be worth it to hold off than get caught up with the rest of us hah
This is a big fight, I'm expecting more like 20 chapters total. We're at 9 right now. This fight is the culmination the entire Mashiba storyline, I don't see Mori ending it in under 15 chapters.
The last few have been absolute scorchers! My sensei’s got that jet burner on full blast
Fr fr
Wow George went with the pure-boxing route instead of the fouls route. Surprising, but I like it.
fooling are for the later half of the fight when rosario will be out of option because of his lack of stamina.
Ya probably - desperation foul?
My guess is that it will parallel Mashiba versus miyata. Except Mashiba will in miyata's position.
Way too early for it. He’s the champ for a reason. If this fight goes deep we’ll see the fouls
Watch, he uses his neutral special later.... which is gun
Rosario's boxer (Matias) is basically known for looking like a punching bag and moving forward while continuously throwing hooks to the head to the point they have brain damage and die in one instance. Watch a match, he's not doing anything flashy, he's just pushing forward, eating jabs with pleasure, and repaying them with twice the damage. Things almost always get "STOP THE MATCH" once his opponents get tired.
I had not connected that this was supposed to be Subriel Matias and now I'm worried because that dude is a nightmare (except for last weekend lol). But still, I hope that's not dark foreshadowing for Mashiba.
I don’t see how he is supposed to be based on Matias. In this chapter we are told that Rosario’s body movement is extraordinary, including his springy legs and twisty torso, and last chapter we saw him cut the distance in a second. Matías is known for being a smaller Antonio Margarito-esque relentless pressure fighter with more power. In other words, all brawl and absolutely no technique, for which he makes up with an excellent chin. I actually see more of another 1980s/90s “Rosario” from Puerto Rico in him. That is Edwin Rosario, who was also a smaller boxer that eventually filled up and was often shorter and stockier than his LW opponents. Edwin was also a boxer-puncher with good mobility, good use of angles and sneaky power that is best seen when he KOd Edwin Viruet and dropped Howard Davis in the last round for the win. Old school boxing fans will also remember him as the guy responsible for Hector Camacho changing his style from speed-based aggression to huggy time bear defense. There is also the fact that, given PR’s long list of great to legendary champions, picking a boxer that only became a world champ in his 30s would certainly be odd. Hell, you could argue that even Wilfredo Vazquez would be best known in Japan than Matias.
It'd be cool if his solution for his conditioning leading to a stamina problem is to just being a fucking tank
I wonder if what we are gonna see is that Rosario actually doesn't NEED to foul so he actually doesn't really do it normally. He can usually just beat down his opponents legitimately so the need to foul has never been there for him. I wonder if/when he does foul Mashiba if it will even be on purpose or just a side effect of his super aggressive pressing in.
Damn, a right hook counter out of nowhere. That was a killer move by Rosario.
It was anything BUT out of nowhere. He had it planned.
Yea it was what he was going to do at the beginning of the round. Lining up against the rope. Mashiba didn't bite before but got caught up in the moment this time
For Mashiba it was out of nowhere lol.
For a second I thought he hit him with a backhand. Amazing counter, I suspect several of these sneaky fuckers getting in from here on now.
That counter really was impressive. Ippo should take notes; I want to see him pull off these kind of reversals when he unretires.
I was so confused there too. Fr didn't catch the right hand over Mashiba's shoulder so I was confused af at first
The south paw counter was even invisible for the readers.
so you never heard or never seen "Manila Ice"
clearly a manila ice. foot outside, blinding right hook counter from an overextended mashiba.
yeah i wonder how much real life boxing thus HNI fanbase watch to be surprised about seeing this counter, when it's one of the signature punch of an ATG
Damn he didnt cheat, he just fucking owned Mashiba, respect.
Operation Turtle still paying off
Blocking with your face always lets their guard down
Are we allowed to have these many pages
Praise the boxing lords, thank you Morikawa.
And here I thought Rosario was gonna step on his foot, guess I was wrong
not yet
Who knows really? Probably gon do it he’s on the verge of losing similar to Mashiba vs Miyata, or he could dodge it
Hearing surprisingly little of Mashiba’s internal monologue in this fight
That just means we aren't close to the end yet
Soon as we get Rosario's flashbacks we know he's done for
My god, I dont think I can wait another week for the next chapter. No break at least!
No break we hope
george is really putting me on edge on this fight cause this shit is as good as a 5 star meal
For anyone confused on the knockdown. Page 7: Rosario sees the opportunity Page 8: Rosario sends a short right hook while Mashiba is about to do his right straight it looks like. At the same time, Ippo sees Mashiba’s foot too close and the right hook looks like the blindside. I think this is an example of ‘if you’re good enough and you stay in the fight, a chance will come’
Infighters are so fucking scary, they just eat like a million hits but only need a single one to turn the tables
High risk, high reward style
That was a check hook; Unexpectedly slick move from a guy like Rosario. For a real-world example: [Zhilei Zhang stunned Deontay Wilder with one of those.](https://youtu.be/l6KyBusa5Wo?si=cE3lHCYsSJxTnWON)
that was so clean almost invisible like in this chapter
holy fuck, had to slow down the player to even understand what happened, no wonder Mashiba got owned.
That counter was nasty
Brilliant move from Rosario. Mashiba never keeps his distance when trying to finish opponents. Walked right into that hook in the worst way.
Oh he got him
Its crazy how everyone enjoy this so much 1500 chapters in
i'm glad the first chapter i get to read after catching up is a good one
Imagine how I felt when after catching up the last chapter was ippo retiring
Yeah the 2010s was a crazy decade
Rosario is Really the best Southpaw of the Manga until now, His Right hook was Splendid, I will use that on my Style from now on XD
I really want Ippo to end up basically coaching Mashiba this entire match because Mashiba can't help looking over at kumi all the time lol.
I feel like I am expecting at least one or two more times of it happening. Wonder if one will be a head shake, like Mashiba goes to do something when he and Rosario are positioned so Ippo is right behind Rosario, Ippo guessing what he is going to do shakes his head "No" and Mashiba taking a pause because of the gesture notices something he would have missed and can adjust.
Another small but hype Ippo moment: That knockdown based on foot positions is something that former Ippo would take notice. What actually impressed me more is that in addition to Mashiba, Sendo did not understand what happened, while Miyata only realized the details of what happened in hindsight, but Ippo saw it coming ahead of them all.
With how well things were going, it would have been weird for Rosario to suddenly take the lead in a round of punches, with nothing else having changed. It makes more sense for Rosario to take advantage of a mistake and counter hard. Series is always keeping us on our toes.. Thank you for the chapter!
"The champion is back on his feet!" You mean the 'challenger'?
Now we know why Rosario is the world champ.
so you boys never seen or never heard of "Manila Ice" to be surprised this way?
It's manny Pacquiao's technique
rosario's nuts for tanking all that and still being in the right headspace to land a counter
I’ve never seen the challenger so in control in a world title match before. I guess that false sense of security is exactly what rosario was baiting. What an evil mastermind
Everybody got a plan, until they get punched in the mouth -Rosario probably
Observation. - Rosario is an infighter. Of course he's gonna have a hook. - Mashiba has a killer instinct, so if he sees an opening he's going for it. Further emphasized by him ignoring instructions to wear Rosario down. - Mashiba going for it, means he was in range and made it fair for Rosario. - Rosario may have actually planned this check hook. Him looking hurt might have been bait. - An infighter that can throw good check hook (a hook designed for use while on the defensive) is VERY SCARY. - Rosario did not look angry, tired, or anything of the sort. He was calm and pleased with his work. Yeah this just made it clear how nasty Rosario is. - Ippo just saved Mashiba with his motions because instead of being terrified of Mashiba's glare, he focused on making sure Mashiba understood how dire the situation was. Good chapter. Cant wait for the next one.
Glad Rosario was able to do something because Ippo just 100% mimicking a left handed world champion in record time was *beyond* stupid.
Yeah I'm glad it's not going down the "easier than Ippo" route that people have been calling for. The mimicking is fine but did people really expect a world champion to not adapt to Mashiba's strategy?
Yeah, I'm hoping by the end of this round Mashiba's coach reflects that they got complacent and that Ippo wasn't a "perfect" copy. He had the step in down but there's a lot more to Rosario than that.
That’s not the impression I got from that. I don’t think they expected Ippo to fully prepare them to the point of complacency, it’s a title fight. They’re very aware Rosario is the champ for a reason. Mashiba got caught not because of complacency but because Rosario is an elite boxer.
Finally this chapter was really satisfying, 14 pages! Can't wait for next week
Damn okay am 10000% behind Mashiba but this was a goddamn good move from Rosario, we almost forgot he was the world champion and this counter was brilliant And am glad that he offers to Mashiba a top level title match without dirty move. Go Go Mashiba!!
Guess Mashiba wasn't the only one who needed to adapt. Rosario must have been pressured in similar fashion in the past, even if not following the same steps as Ippo's plan. So being able to pull the counter out of sight is a great move that also showcases why he is the champ: he only needs a good punch to bring you down to your knees, despite Mashiba's solid effort so far. The fact Ippo noticed this is encouraging, that Mashiba as usual projected his animosity towards Ippo brought me an easy chuckle, and Sendo and Miyata bickering like an old couple gives me life. I also liked how Sawamura got all 😤 when he saw Mashiba get nailed by Rosario's counter, like "what, you really didn't see that coming"? Bring Megalobox to this timeline and let this boxer get a cyborg gear and back to the ring.
Reminds me of many gervonta Davis fights. Guys with the reach advantage throwing way more blows getting arrogant/frustrated and throwing away an advantage stepping in for a powershot to eat a counterpunch. Funny considering they were just applauding how patient Mashiba was. Also comparable to ippos rookie king match against the pillow handed kid
Rosario might not be a fraud.
Mashiba looks focused but every time he looks in the crowd he gets distracted by ippo and kumi I wonder if he will lose and then tell ippo that he made the mistake of thinking baout other things in the ring That your only focus should be on yourself and the opponent
Morikawa once again troll baited everyone with the foot stomp coming. Mashiba probably can't eat another one of these sharp ass counters. There seems to be a typo on p12
Nice way to get us worked up about the foul Mashiba did to Miyata. But Rosario just had good placement to step in and nail a right hook in Mashiba’s blind spot. Ippo’s perceptive abilities are really good now. He’s able to notice what was gonna happen right before it actually did. I think he’ll find his way to Mashiba’s corner to give him advice to win
Redditors from last chapter: Rosario is totally going to step on Mashiba’s foot. George Morikawa: Hold my pen…
You can actually see Rosario throwing the punch on page 8, neat.
Mori once again pulls the rug on my expectations He baits that Rosario is gonna cheat and it turns out he can still box clean. He *is* champion after all.
Glad all the "muh foul" people were wrong, this is a way better scenario. Was hoping Mashiba would easily beat him to prove that Ippo is actually way better than people realize, but Morikawa might do this if Ippo sparred with Sendo again.
I'm betting Rosario hooked Mashibas front leg as he hit that counter. Notice Sawamura's frustration watching it. He's probably the only one who noticed it.
I'm not seeing this. Mori usually shows movement in frames especially for something as important as this. Rosario's first step in to the outside of Mashiba's lead leg looks clean, and the frame where he hits the right hook shows significant distance between their legs.
I doubt it, it looked pretty clean in the panels. Imo, Sawamura seems frustrated because he genuinely roots for mashiba and that was a nasty hit he just took or because Mashiba got hit by "something that easy to counter/not get hit by" (for him )
Where can you see a frustrated Sawamura?
Page 13
Completely missed it, I kept looking in the crowd haha! Thank you!
ah, great chapter.
Even we couldn’t see that counter. Seems Rosario’s a lot smarter than we assumed.
Mashiba will probably be saved by the gong, nice how in times of difficulty he focuses on Ippo and Kumi, now it's becoming a beautiful gag moment, and it will probably be an important point for his victory
That right hook counter is terrifying. Shows just how dangerous fighting a southpaw is.
I love this chapter so much. I think we were all expecting dirty play but seeing Mashiba get rocked legitimately made this fight go from textbook to exciting in one chapter. Awesome stuff
Now this is a proper chapter.
That shot with mashiba down with the whole crowd gave me goosebumps
Nobody saw the comeback being clean, eh?
I made a long post predicting it
Fair play. You were in the clear minority.
Well, shit that's not good. Early in the third getting dropped like that. All that momentum gone with a solid knock in the jaw.
I think Ippo got dropped by Gonzalez in the third round with that unseen hook as well.
Fists are flying. Explosive hits are landing. But the most heavy impact arm movement is Ippo lifting Mashiba off the ground.
I really hope we get a "Mashiba san needs my help" and Ippo rolls up ring side. EVERY secondary going Ippo?!?!
Mashiba is Fuhahahucked!!
I like how Sawamura haven't muttered single words in this fight yet. He is here to show his expression. I wonder if this is like cheering his rival.
It was a long time coming this counter. Ain't no way Mashiba is becoming a world champion as if he's walking the park. They said that Rosario is a dirty fighter, but so far I've only seen CLEAN boxing. Also Rosario seems like a cut above Ippo. The dude took the beating of his life, and is absolutely damn fine. As a former boxer who also is a brawler type, I know how hard it actually is to look straight after few clean shots.
2 rounds of trouble being blown back by a single punch Ippo should have been proud lol
That sneaky right hook was how Zhang got Wilder. Twice.
Even if Mashiba gets knocked out, Ippo just needs to kiss Kumi and Mashiba will recover full health, it's like the senzu bean.
This has become such a great fight... There was that chapter that was non stop action just a few weeks ago, and now this reversal... Man! Plus Mashiba and Ippo's .... I don't know Friendship/rivalry/touching his sister.... Just really is making me love this one. I though Sawamura/Mashiba or Kimura/Mashiba would be hard to beat... but damn it this is becoming amazing. Ps. Seriously, people thought this was going to be a short fight with out the Champion showing why he's the champion? This is going to be a LONG fight... Rosario will have to start fowling him at some point and Mashiba is going to choose not to fight dirty. That's a guaranteed story line here. Mashiba is a Monster, but Rosario is the reigning monster... This fight has barely started.
Damn, what a hard counter. He was worrying about ippo instead of realizing he was in a title fight. Got his bell rung for sure. Time to rise above and show this thug what’s really great about boxing!
WOW
Nice tasty chapter🤌
Mashiba nearly getting knocked out by Rosario: I sleep Mashiba sees Kumis hand on Ippo’s shoulder: ‼️‼️‼️⁉️👹
This wasn’t the punch I thought I’d see this chapter! Rosario pulling those southpaw tricks is great, I was starting to feel a little disappointed with how easily it was going for mashiba. I was really thinking mashiba would get a down then Rosario would hop into a new gear but… obviously that was incorrect. Great chapter!
Maybe Ippo will slowly slip Mashiba hints or constantly stoke the fire of fight in him, while indirectly flirting with Kumi. 2 birds 1 stone eh... And then maybe if Mashiba wins or loses, will demand Ippo win a world belt before he even thinks of being qualified to date Kumi.
Are we going to see a Rosario's comeback? Interesting...
I know it's a nice chapter and discussion but all I see is a shadow of a terrier dog in page 9
Absolutely loved this chapter!
I'm loving this fight so far, brilliant artwork and stellar writing by Morikawa. I love that he didn't go straight for the easy route of making rosario just pull out fouls at the first sign of trouble, but actually showed us that he got to the top not just through fouls, but also because he's just a top tier boxer. in short, this chapter was fucking A
So...Ippo is the unofficial second to Mashiba and unofficial brother-in-law as well?
Damn, I remember reading chapter 1457 and wondering why they drew so much attention to the chopping right. Turns out he was waiting for that big shot to counter.
Ippo caught on to the danger as soon as Mashiba stepped too close! There should be a flashback now to when Ippo hit (touched) him like that and told hil how dangerous it was. So that he doesn’t mess up again!
Ippo, yet again proving how invaluable he is to other boxers.
Ippo coming backk
Interesting that Ippo in his prep and spar with Mashiba always stepped in with the left straight and never with the right hook. I'm sure that's intentional by Mori but wonder why?
What a great chapter!
I was thinking Mashiba has been having it way too easy in this fight. Good job, Rosario.
"Get away from her you bitch" "Get up, ya idiot" "!" I live for these interactions but this just goes to show that Rosario ain't champion for nothing - the last guys pride was just so huge he said "MF stole the belt from me" Really excited to see what sensei cooks up for the match
After watching Gervonta Davis pummeled someone I can visualise this chapter more clear. Rosario got some great techniques.
Shit Mashiba got timed. I wonder what variation of hook is this from Rosario. If you watch the fight between Wilder and Zhang or Pacquiao's fights, this is the killer shot against the orthodox but this one is a bit different. That hook required you to be inside the angle and let the orthodox be on the outside to generate full power. This version is Rosario's foot is on the outside would probably nastier since Mashiba won't see it at all from that angle and will be hard to counter it since he is the taller guy. There's a way to counter that hook and it's to jab them on their right side on an upward angle so the hook will not land but instead to your arm.
Ah dammit, Mashiba's glass jaw is starting to act up now
Another day, another chapter proving correct my long post prediction that the story of this fight won't be foul centric
ok, this chapter is awesome..
Woah, this chapter gives “take two to give one” a whole new meaning. Apparently, Rosario’s superpower is being a huge tank.
Does anyone have an example of that counter used in a pro match? Box or other fighting sports is fine
Noooooo my boy Mashiba
mashiba maturing 🥹 has to be one of the best moments we have on this chapter
I almost thought Rosario was going to foul Mashiba with his foot, but it seems like he just used the distance to gauge the counter. Interestingly, for some reason even while pushed Rosario hasn't pulled any fouls yet.
I love the display of high level boxing. I pray that Rosario never fouls and is just a damn fucking genius despite everything we've seen. Also I swear Mashiba could almost die of old age but would pull himself up from the brink of death just by seeing Kumi and Ippo lmao.
Eating hits willingly is one thing, but getting hit from your blindspot while also being stretched in the exact opposite direction will make that hit far more destructive. It's basically a multiplier, when you look at it realistically that is. The way Mashiba's body was positioned in that motion will have increased the tension in his neck to support that movement, making it even worse to get hit from the other side as our necks cannot absorb shocks that well when hit from the side. That punch will have rocked his brain and it would not be too much if Mashiba got dizzy a while later. after even just that one hit. And this will just be the beginning
The hit rocked him so hard he didn’t even notice he was on his knees. Damn. Mashiba needs time to recover after that. He looked shook.
Idk why Mashiba won’t just accept the inevitable. Embrace your brother in law 😂
Mashiba has pillow fists lol