Takamura and Ippo's next matches are finalized. Itagaki has a jarring introduction to the world of pro boxing when he fights a boxer desperate enough to cheat, and Kimura's Dragon Fish Blow can't seem to get the job done. To top it all off, Takamura has botched his weight management due to Aoki's revenge and is in no shape to fight! Can Takamura defeat the Filipino Middleweight Champion?

When Miyata confronts Ippo about their promise, it is revealed that Miyata has risen far above Ippo's level due to his over-reliance on the Dempsey Roll. When Ippo's next challenger, Shimabukuro Iwao, declares that he will destroy the Dempsey Roll, Ippo decides to train his Dempsey Roll so that it has no weaknesses. The coach decides to help Ippo, even if it means fighting against modern boxing itself!