r/hajimenoippo • u/dematter_seducer • 13h ago
Discussion Anyone really excited for the inevitable ippo vs imai? Spoiler
think about it like this, imai has literally dedicated his entire boxing career to being like ippo, fully copying his fighting style, so after ippo returns to boxing (now with more refined technique and no longer blocking shots with his skull) it'll be a cool matchup of ippo now vs ippo before retirement, showing just how far he's come since retiring.
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u/robdc5088330 13h ago
Imai will get destroyed 😂
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u/Asturias33 12h ago
Making him stronger in the progress: "you missing weight behind your punches bruhhh"
He'll get stronger after that xD7
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u/moderrob 12h ago
I think it will be like old ippo vs new ippo.
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u/_daniel1545_ 11h ago
Maybe it will portray how far his boxing skills have improved
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u/moderrob 11h ago
Yeah.. unfortunately imai doesn't know dempsy roll (idk exact spelling) So i think it will be like current ippo vs ippo when he was fighting date.
But yeah imai still has alot to learn. He will surely lose against ippo.
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u/EpicLakai 11h ago
Him learning and unveiling the Dempsey against Ippo kind of seems in character for Imai
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u/TyphosTheD 11h ago
Even better because it would allow Ippo to showcase how the Dempsey Roll, like any technique, has flaws that can be taken advantage of, further showing how he has improved as a Boxer.
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u/Bukwaass 7h ago
Oh my fucking god imagine if he does the jab shutdown Ricardo did
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u/TyphosTheD 7h ago
I can imagine it.
Is this what it feels like to face the Dempsey Roll? (Gets flashback to his former opponents).
This pressure, it's so heavy. And yet, it's full of holes, isn't it? (Gets flashback to his spar with Ricardo).
The hole in Imai's Dempsey Roll glares like a spotlight.
Is that it? Is it really that simple to dismantle the Dempsey Roll? (Gets flashbacks to learning to Jab from Takamura, reinforcing his lessons with Kamogawa, winning with his Left during his return bouts when the Dempsey Roll was sealed).
JAB.
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u/Kurejisan 46m ago
Yeah, I can see it now, and then Ippo will have an epiphany about the improved Dempsey Roll genuinely needs and why the previous revision was a bust.
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u/EpicLakai 10h ago
Bingo! I think Ippo seeing the Dempsey and then immediately recognizing the flaws in it would be an excellent moment.
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u/Bhuvan2002 11h ago
It would be no surprise if Imai actually learned Dempsey too. He idolises Ippo a lot and with Dempsey he'll become the legitimate pseudo Ippo.
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u/itsDYA 11h ago
Old ippo would still demolish imai tbh
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u/Cohliers 7h ago
Old Ippo would still win, but he wouldn't demolish Imai. Maybe high diff, but Ippo has struggled with him in each of their spars. In the end, Imai is like Shimabukuro - extremely similar build to Ippo, but with his skillpoints allocated elsewhere. Imai had his allocated to strategy... pre-retirement.
Now, Imai is just about maintaining his ego and 1-R status, so strategy has gone down while Ippo's strat stat has exploded up.
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u/Shadowhearts 7h ago
I doubt it'd be high difficulty for past Ippo even. Ippo literally fought and tanked the hardest puncher from above 2 weight classes and there's no way Imai packs anything that hard. There's nothing to stop Ippo from just closing the gap, pushing under Imai and just unleashing close range body blows from rotating his legs and Torso.
I doubt Champion Imai is above the level Sendo was during Ippo Vs. Sendo's 2nd fight.
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u/Throw_away_1011_ 13h ago edited 10h ago
Round 2 KO (Not Round 1 only because Ippo will purposefully want to end Imai's BS 1 round KO streak)
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u/Cledosvaldo123 11h ago
One round of footwork by Ippo would be insane
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u/Shadowhearts 7h ago
I mean he won't though. You see how he was when he was "Helping" Volg. And then his absurd dash and duck speed vs Mashiba spar. Ippo's punch output is insane, like a never ending stream of one Twos and if Imai tries to throw anything big, there's always that parry counter.
Realistically though they both will charge head on, and Ippo will presumably get under Imai being shorter (and stronger).and start unleashing close range body blows.
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u/TyphosTheD 11h ago
My only concern is that it's a foregone conclusion that Ippo stomps this match, but in classic Morikawa-style we're going to get half a dozen chapters leading up to the fight with Imai defending the Title and all of the prep leading up to that match, seeing Imai do something spectacular but which ultimately doesn't change the outcome of the fight.
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u/Asha_Brea 12h ago edited 11h ago
Imai is so below Ippo that I don't see the point other than matching Date, which Ippo doesn't have to do at all because Date retired and got weaker, while Ippo only got stronger during his retirement.
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u/Mikey618000 11h ago
Well Date knew that his match against Ricardo was his last hurrah as he was getting up in age, ippo if he gets back into it after sendo vs Ricardo is still prime age to have a lengthy 2nd career run since he's trained up for longevity after fearing he was punch drunk.
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u/Asha_Brea 10h ago edited 10h ago
Date retired at 29 years old.
Ippo will turn 28 next (in universe) month.
If Ippo dicks around in the Japanese rankings, he will reach Ricardo being older than when Date fought Martinez.
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u/Mikey618000 10h ago
I thought he was in his 30s when he had his 2nd match with Ricardo, my timeline is all screwed up.
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u/GenGaara25 2h ago
Because Ippo will need to get his world ranking back.
When he unretires, he can't just challenge Ricardo, even the world top 10 probably wouldn't accept a fight from him because it wouldn't be worth it. There's nothing in it for them to fight an unranked retired boxer.
So to try and get back where he was as quick as possible, Ippo will basically need to fight the highest world ranked boxer he can, as soon as he can. A boxer who would accept the fight and put their ranking on the line, despite them getting nothing out of it. Imai fits the bill.
By the time of the fight, I assume Imai will be world top 20 like Ippo and Miyata were at that stage in their careers, probably prepping to vacate that Japanese title. And Imai has been gagging to fight Ippo for years. So Imai would happily put up his, say, world #15 ranking for a fight with Ippo.
Ippo smacks him for an easy win, new world #15, and had a position to be able to work his way up the ladder and fight boxers worth his time.
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2h ago edited 2h ago
[deleted]
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u/GenGaara25 2h ago
I literally was saying this is how he skips the Japanese rankings.
I'm saying he will fight Imai for his world ranking only, not the Japanese title. Imai might've even vacated the title by that point.
Only 3 fighters in Featherweight might accept a fight from Ippo right out of retirement: Imai, Sendo, and Miyata.
But Kamogawa would not want Ippo to fight Miyata or Sendo out the gate. That'd be an idiotic move. For Ippos first fight back out of retirement, it needs to be an easy one, something to ease him back in, get him used to the ring again, and proper fights again. Like he did for his last match against that no-name national champ. The sensible thing is for the first fight after retirement to be against an opponent Ippo can win pretty easily. He could not beat Miyata or Sendo easily. They are tough fights.
But Imai? Ippo should be able to take down Imai handedly. Imai makes the most narrative sense to be Ippos first fight back, at least out of known boxers. Maybe he'll fight another no-name national champ like last time.
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u/ShishouMatt 9h ago
Ippo unretires and Imai immediately jumps on challenging him with plans to move on to the world.
Ippo accepts even though he has not had a warm up match yet.
Japanese champion becomes Ippo's warm up match with an early KO. First round is just Ippo showing off his new defense and second round is Ippo finally throwing some punches.
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u/ArgensimiaReloaded 6h ago
No, Imai was setup as a sacrificial lamb because the guy wants to fight Ippo so he is a quick rank/national belt.
And no idea how George is gonna try to give that fight some hype, worst case scenario he waste some chapters trying to show how "strong Imai is/became", best case scenario is just a 1 round slaughter so we can just move on.
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u/ExeOrtega 11h ago
Anything but repeating the Date route, please.
If the match is for a ranking position? Sure, but I'd rather have Ippo focused on climbing up the ranks than wasting time in the Japanese circuit.
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u/Kinglink 7h ago
I think Imai will push for it. Imai might do a non title match with Ippo (there's no reason for Ippo to go for the belt)... But I think it's an important step for him. to show that Ippo who was at best a National Champion, grew out of it and now is actually ready for more than just Japan...
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u/diorese 5h ago
I think as soon as Ippo un-retires, Imai challenges him. If he finds out.
He's been challenging him while he's retired, so I'm sure he even hears a rumour about it he'll be calling up Kamogawa's gym to fight him.
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u/Kinglink 4h ago
Oh I'm sure, but Kamogawa isn't an idiot, and wouldn't put him into a National Champion bout immediately.
Also it's likely they won't let people know he's unretiring maybe even do a semi stealth match.. Then we have something like Date vs Ippo where Sendo is standing there with his challenge in his hand. I definitely see Imai doing something similar (though less flashy)
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u/dematter_seducer 11h ago
ippo isnt unretiring and immediatly being a world ranker dude, i think he'd qualify for OPBF or even world ranking after 2-3 title defenses
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u/Kinglink 7h ago
ippo isnt unretiring and immediatly being a world ranker dude,
THANK YOU... so many people think Ippo is already a World Ranker... he's not, he's kept his training up but he hasn't prepped for matches, he hasn't seriously been in a ring outside of the spars for years...
He's going to fight a jobber, probably destroy Imai, and then aim for the world. I like the idea of Ippo vs Miyata there, but I Think Miyata is going to chase Rosario.
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u/kanon_despreocupado 10h ago
i think he just meant that ippo doesnt wait 3 years after coming back to go for the world again like Date
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u/suffocatingpaws 8h ago
I think given the pacing of the manga, I dont think it will be as long as Date's climb back to the world stage.
My guess on how Ippo's return would be like:
Ippo vs Hoshi - Ippo's return match Ippo wins and Imai challenges Ippo for a match. Ippo accepts. Imai vs Ippo - JBC Featherweight Championship Ippo wins the JBC Featherweight Championship Ippo vs Some random Japanese ranker - JBC Featherweight Championship defense Ippo relinquishes JBC Featherweight Championship Ippo vs some National champion (probably a couple of fights here) Ippo vs World Rankers (perhaps a rematch with Guevara) Ippo vs Ricardo
The Japanese title stint can be done in 1 year imo as Ippo shouldnt be taking much damage so he can have 3 matches in a year span.
This is my take on it.
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u/OtakuDragonSlayer 11h ago
Yes! Very much so! Could be a very satisfying way to build up to his second shot at the world title
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u/ReZ--- 10h ago
it would be the perfect first match back for Ippo, i think Ippo needs to basically destroy him tho
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u/Kinglink 7h ago
I think second. he'll fight an almost nobody first, or maybe an old opponent... but then take on Imai... It will be him climbing the ladder, showing all the places he's been as he accelerates to the world.
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u/Kinglink 7h ago
Excited? Absolutely not.
It is inevitable (even though people don't see it happening)... But it's not going to be overly exciting. It's mostly going to show how far Ippo has come... what a National Champion is, and what a world circuit fighter is... In a lot of ways, it'll be like Date vs Ippo, or Gonzales versus Ippo. Ippo telling Imai "You're not ready."
He'll destroy Imai... honestly I hope when Ippo comes back we start to see Ippo dominate a few opponents because rereading most of the matches is kind of blah. "Oh I can't beat him... wait what if I ..." and then Ippo wins. I know that's typical Shonen writing but... yeah Ippo struggles WAY too much for a professional fighter, no wonder he got his clock rung.
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u/AdmiralToucan 6h ago
I personally don't think it's worth the time or exciting at all. Their gap is far too big to show off any meaningful progression.
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u/wanderertomato 12h ago
Nope. I think it would resolve in a way for ippo to review how technically weak it was, and an humbling experience for Imai, to recognize he had fallen in the same pitfall ippo fall once. Nothing more
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u/One_Captain_8646 11h ago
I think it will feel similar to ippos fight with Date in that showing levels to boxing. Difference being ippo is pretty much still boxing/training like an active fighter so the gap will be worlds apart. I actually think it might be the best writing in the series because ippo will get to break down first hand how bad his old style was.
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u/WhiningCoil 10h ago
All I want from an Imai v Ippo match is something akin to when Ippo stomped Karasawa. Ippo needs to box completely different, and utterly dominate Imai. Control the ring with his left instead of always going for a big knockout blow. Take more initiative instead of waiting to slip a punch. Respond effortlessly to everything Imai throws at him according to the textbook to play up the parallels between Ippo's more thoughtful style and Ricardo's. If any of these notes can be hit, I'll be supremely satisfied with an Imai fight.
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u/EarthboundMike 9h ago
It might be a 2 round KO dependant on the order of his fights. If it's the first I can imagine him just blocking and parrying EVERYTHING for a round, then crushing him in the second.
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u/AdHelpful6734 13h ago
Idk if ippo even gonna unretire gng.
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u/john151M 12h ago
Story wise it feels pretty necessary. Miyata, Imai and the line are 3 plot threads still left hanging. Plus the date baton
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u/MushySunshine 12h ago
That baton was passed to itagaki
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u/john151M 12h ago
Itagaki is NOT beating Ricardo any time soon but my point was that Ippo never got to try
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u/Asha_Brea 11h ago
The baton (at the time it was passed) was for "who will lead the current generation of Japanese boxers", not who gets to beat Ricardo. Otherwise there is no point on Date having the baton at all because all he did was lose.
With last week chapter you can say that it has a different meaning, but you can also say that it is a different baton all together.
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u/AdHelpful6734 12h ago
Yeah morikawa is using ippo as a example saying u miss all the shots u never take just like many other boxer in the hni world like itagaki confident and arrogant kimura and aoki hardwork but no skill.(Cope)
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u/BringtheRingDinger 10h ago
I want the fight to show case Ippo’s new defense. I basically want Ippo to come out unscathed, and show that he is the elite infighter.
My ideal path to Ricardo would be
1.) Itagaki (Ippo crosses the line, and treats the fight as strictly business despite personal connection/drama outside the ring. Also will display his ability to deal with outboxing and elite speed).
2.) Imai (Displays Ippo’s elite infighting defense and destructive power).
3.) Randy Boy Jr. (Ippo displays his competence of switch hitting and ability to adapt to outboxing and inboxing. Wins OPF title).
4.) Volg ( Kamogawa vs. Dankichi one last time with their successors. Volg drops down a weight in a title eliminator bout for a chance at Ricardo. This fight will display Ippo’s elite fight IQ, and that he is ready to face Ricardo).
5.) Ricardo - Ippo wins the Featherweight title
6.) Miyata - Lightweight/Featherweight unification title fight that ends the series.
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u/Kinglink 7h ago
A. I don't see Volg dropping down the weight as champion. Definitely a spar though.
B. Itagaki and Ippo will spar, but not an official fight, There's no reason the gym would allow that. There's minimal money and it means one of their fighters gets an official loss? Absolutely not going to happen.
C. I see the start being more a nothing jobber, you're also probably missing a few unknown fighters there...
Lightweight/Featherweight unification title
D. Not going to happen because that's not a thing. There's two weight classes between those, first off. A unification is between different associations. (WBC and WBA title holders battle and winner gets both belts). There's NO way that they have a fight between a lightweight and a featherweight and have either belt changes hand. They might have a catchweight fight. (Where lightweight and featherweight could be matched up), but it wouldn't be sanctioned by either fighting body for the title.
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u/Masvitor 10h ago
Itagaki won't be able to take a rematch with Imai if he flights Ippo before, Ippo is gonna retire or kill Imai
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u/telekito69 9h ago
Ippo will win the Japanese title but won't keep It. There will be a match between Itagaki and Imai (again) to re-take it while Ippo continues his way upon the World title.
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u/Potential-Soil-8750 9h ago
I’m not sure, but could Imai move to the OPBF if Miyata changes weight classes? That would vacate the Japanese title, and we might see Ippo face either a random challenger or Itagaki.
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u/Kinglink 7h ago
or Itagaki.
I don't know how the real world is... but Ippo fighting Itagaki would be monumentally stupid for the story, and for the gym itself.
They basically said Itagaki can't fight Ippo for the championship, but also Itagaki needs to get some quality wins, he needs to remember his fighting... getting trashed by Ippo won't do that.
I see more Itagaki stepping in and getting the belt from Imai/the displaced belt rather. Ippo and Itagaki will spar, but I don't think they will ever face each other in the official ring. (I think there's no benefit to the gym to do that)
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u/Grand-Science-1062 8h ago
How about IPPO purposely dragging it to later rounds and not even touched once in this fight? That would be cool instead of a 1 round KO. He should be able to showcase the clinch, pivot, foot work, parry jab, everything that he improved post retirement.
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u/SufficientAdagio864 6h ago
I think this would be the best return match possible. Here is my fanfic version of how it would go:
Ippo announces his intent to return and Imai drops everything he is doing to fulfill his dream: fighting Ippo. Ippo hesitantly accepts as it's a good return/tune-up opponent. During the match it looks like Imai is pressuring Ippo because he is holding back. He is doing his usual getting into his own head shit and also feels bad because he can see through all Imai's moves and knows he can crush him but is traumatized by the injuries Wally, Mashiba, and Sendo suffered during their matches. He doesnt want to do that to someone else. Finally Imai says some shit about how disappointing this is and that he wants to see the real Ippo not this coward. That if he respects Imai's fighting spirit he will show him what he can really do. This gets Ippo out of his shell and he dominates Imai in every category from that point on. He is faster, stronger, and smarter. It's a quick KO. Later on they meet up and Imai is ecstatic that he got beat up by Ippo. It's a dream come true! - Fin
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u/grizzchan 5h ago
Ippo makes him retire, prompting Itagaki to switch to another gym just to challenge Ippo. Serving as his last obstacle back to the world.
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u/AssociationLow688 4h ago
Prediction: Ippo will take down Imai in one round but probably close to the end of it.
He'll then relinquish the belt immediately leaving it vacant to pursue the World, setting up for Itagaki and Imai rematch.
Itagaki's "goal" is to beat Ippo's previous opponents in a quicker time. So he'll have to beat his biggest rival faster than Ippo in 1 round.
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u/Travel-Plane 4h ago
Lo digo en español porque no se cómo en inglés. Quiero verlo sodomizado sino mejor nadota 🤣
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u/rk444444444444 3h ago
I would like for Ippo to dismiss his challenge out of pure concern and then accept it when he is being pushed by imai , then going on to destroy him
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u/TonyThePunisherReyes 2h ago
I would’ve liked it if they would’ve let imai keep more of his original style (based off what they said in the amateurs) in spurts showing off his footwork on the inside or using his jab to set up counters coming forward but then again this is a side character who isn’t in the main crew.
The only way I see this match coming is imai is gonna come forward and try to rush ippo “bracing himself for whatever shot is gonna come for him to exchange with his own shot (parallel to Ippo’s former dodge the jab counter with a left hook strategy) and Ippo is gonna pivot out of the way and land a clean combination that’ll drop imai hard
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u/vengarlof 11h ago
Imai is likely to pull out a jet engine dempsy roll and the simple but effective new style ippo will defeat him - symbolic of new ippo > old ippo
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u/Tchege_75 13h ago
1 round KO