Ippo practices shadow boxing.

Ippo and his opponent Jason prepare for the first match of the Rookie King Tournament.

Ippos day off. Miyata and Mashiba face off.

Ippo learns how to heal his right fist and gets ready for the All Japan but something happens his powerful right punches!

Gero-michi leaves and has to move away.

While the coach Okita Date and congratulated the champion, Ippo wishes to thank for this game then goes on a stretcher to applause from the audience ... We then see Takeshi Sendo raging against Ippo! He thought that he would win and would give him a match demand, but he realizes that there are now two people above him. Vorg then appeared, both boxers are actually in the same situation, they want to take their revenge on Makunouchi!

Takamura fights a bear.

Ippo happens somehow to join his corner. This end of the second round was very rude for the challenger, the 3rd round starts in exactly the same way as has finished the second. Ippo gets scared, he knows a single shot Sendo could send it to the mat. Distraught, our hero does not know what to do, he took refuge behind his guard and cash titanic blows champion. After an uppercut and a smash Sendo took the full brunt, it makes up for in accuracy and sends a desperate shot ...

Makunouchi Ippo is the new Featherweight champion of Japan and is now ready for his first title defense. His opponent, the former Jr. Featherweight champion and a medical student, Sanada Kazuki. In addition to this feud, Sanada is being coached by Kamogawa's former rival, Hama Dankichi. What makes things worse is that Sanada works at the same hospital where Kumi is a nurse at and everybody at the hospital wants Sanada to win. Not only does Ippo have to defend his title, he has to reclaim his love.