Fighting Spirit: Champion Road

Ippo Makunouchi has risen from challenger to Japan’s featherweight champion, now carrying the weight of the belt along with the expectations that come with it. After his hard-earned victory, time passes with his coach and gym mates still firmly in his corner, and his relationship with Kumi Mashiba grows more comfortable as they spend time together.

That calm doesn’t last long. Ippo’s first title defense arrives in the form of Kazuki Sanada, a hospital doctor who works alongside Kumi and approaches boxing with calculated precision. By applying his understanding of the human body in the ring—and backed by the nurses’ enthusiastic support—Sanada becomes a uniquely unsettling opponent, forcing Ippo to confront mounting pressure as he fights to protect his championship and his feelings for Kumi.