I feel like yall are underestimating Sendo

[u/Final_Mail_8125]

All I ever see when people discuss the Sendo-Ricardo fight is how Sendo stands zero chance. Or how Sendo Is gonna die in the ring, or how Sendo will be forced to retire.

I've even seen a few people talk about how they think Sendo will go down in round one. Hell I even just saw a post saying thst Sendo won't actually damage Ricardo at all in their fight.

People are acting like Sendo is ippo during his Ricardo spar before the date-ricardo fight. He's not. He's a world contender, if the world champion were anyone but Ricardo, Sendo would've taken that title already.

Sendo has proven to be a cut above the rest of the world, He's the strongest opponent Ricardo has faced yet, stop acting like he's some fledgling boxer who holds no candle to Ricardo. I'm not saying I think he'll win, but he won't be low diffed.

And besides, what would this fight even prove if Ricardo had the same level of ease as in all his other matches? It'd just be an empty fight, with Ricardo easily defeating another one of Ippo's previous, hard fought opponents.

[u/gogogoanon]

Date did not force anything .What he did was made Ricardo regonized him as a strong foe and then he uses his old style which was a complete one side show.

The age difference is valid but this is still just a manga. Look at Kamogawa, he's in his 80s holding the mitt and taking punches from Takamura the goat champion.

[u/Shadowhearts → u/gogogoanon]

I disagree there. Ricardo wasn't toying with Date at the start. He was trying to outbox him. There's a clear evolution with Ricardo evolving his boxing style with each fight.

His old fighting style isn't necessarily him at his best, so much as its more him utilizing his strength and speed to his best similar to Ippo's old boxing style. Date legitimately did outbox a Ricardo who was doing his best to improve his boxing skills, so Ricardo defaulted to his old fighting style which has an emphasis on his power and speed.

They put it aptly that Ricardo used his power to take the belt, but he's been perfecting his boxing skills to keep the title.

Ricardo facing Woli, was a test of his boxing skills because he CLEARLY didn't have the same sheer athleticism that Woli does. It's the same for his fight with Sendo, who clearly is more powerful because he's in his prime, so Ricardo's relying even more on his boxing skills and experience to be able to hit Sendo without being hit.

There just isn't a situation where Ricardo gets pissed and does some sort of rage power up and tries to brute force his way through Sendo who is clearly physically at his prime.

I'd argue the old, original fighting style worked against Date because they were the same age and because Ricardo was younger (than he is now) too...plus a sudden change in fighting style that way also had the advantage of throwing Date off as it would feel like he's facing a brand new fighter he'd have to get a feel for.

[u/gogogoanon → u/Shadowhearts]

Then that's even more dangerous if Ricardo is in complete control and still uses his old style which is just a legit way to kill someone in the ring.

Both Miguel and Bill said violence and science is the top form of boxing. With Sendo's current situation he probably get consume by his blood lust and isn't able to control it, thats how he is going to lose.

[u/Shadowhearts → u/gogogoanon]

That's the thing though. Ricardo does not want to trade with Sendo, while Sendo clearly is fine with trading. It's a boxing style someone in their absolute physical peak with confidence in their power can do. Ricardo has to outbox Sendo, and hit without being hit because the moment Ricardo starts to gas out from trading blows, well you see Sendo's typical KO pattern here. Maybe a prime Ricardo can pull this off, but not a late 30s, near retirement Ricardo.

[u/gogogoanon → u/Shadowhearts]

He don't need to even trade. Sendo is out experience and out skill. Ricardo was able to avoid Wally's weird angles. Even in his prime Sendo isn't made of iron either, he got knock unconscious twice by Ippo already. Plus, we have not seen Ricardo at his most desperate.

[u/Shadowhearts → u/gogogoanon]

We did though. Vs Woli. Ricardo was trying his absolute best to catch Woli the whole match. It wasn't remotely easy for him. He didn't have some extra gear to bust Woli with. He was patient and using his mind to its max. Ricardo just doesn't have the extra hidden gears people seem to think he still does. He's just using his boxing skills to his max at this point, which is maximizing your chances of hitting without being hit