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Kurita Baron (バロン 栗田, Baron Kurita) is a retired professional boxer from the Kamogawa gym who became a freelance trainer. He is known for his brutal training regimes which few are capable of passing.

Background[]

Baron was a junior middleweight and former member of the Kamogawa gym. Takamura Mamoru was the only person he could spar with since no one else was near his weight class. Right before his debut match, Baron complained that his stomach hurt and didn't go to the match. He was so broken up about it that he wrecked his car and many people despised him so much that no gyms would put up with him.

Later, Baron became a freelance trainer. He went to the Tsukahara gym while Fukui Kyōsuke was about to go against Malcolm Gedo, who was offering a fixed match for money. After Tsukahara noticed Baron frequently going to Gedo's waiting room, Baron was fired.

History[]

Part II[]

Destined Boxer Arc[]

Ippo-Baron

Baron getting hit by body blow from Ippo while doing mitt practise with him.

While the Kamogawa gym staff were away from the gym, Baron arrived, introducing himself to the gym members as a freelance trainer who has been asked to stay until Kamogawa Genji comes back, and claims that he will take them to be a world champion if they follow him. He convinced everyone to go through his harsh training after deeming the boxers unpolished gems. As the boxers went through his training, Baron called up Makunouchi Ippo to get him to sign a contract, earning Ippo the right to be trained under Baron, promising him that he will take the world title together as Team Baron. Ippo asked him to do mitt practise with him, which Baron accepted, thinking that he is being tested. Before doing mitt practise, Baron explained that he holds the mitts differently to make them harder to hit. During the mitt practise, Baron kept increasing the speed of the mitt positions to keep Ippo off balance while mocking Kamogawa. When he placed a mitt at his body, he got hit by Ippo's body blow due to his body blows requiring two mitts to stop. Baron tried to get Ippo to stop, but Ippo wasn't listening to him and only paying attention to the mitt's placement, causing Baron to get knocked out of the ring by another body blow.

After exclaiming that that doesn't count, Ippo claimed that he will never abandon Kamogawa, declining Baron's request of joining him. Takamura Mamoru arrived to the gym and made Baron run away after he revealed how Baron was just trying to steal Ippo to increase his poor representation. He was chased by Aoki Masaru and Kimura Tatsuya, and eventually was caught and beaten up by the two. Baron got the two to sympathise with him after he told them that the reason he quit boxing and got poor representation was because his stomach was hurting from having to spar and get beaten by Takamura everyday. As he walked away, Baron claimed that his comment on calling Aoki and Kimura unpolished gems was a lie, and that he would come back and get his revenge one day.

Chronos Arc[]

Iga Shinobu - Baron 004

Baron with Iga during his match against Imae.

Being the trainer for Iga Shinobu from the Tokugawa gym, Baron went with him to the Kōrakuen Hall when Iga's first round of the Class A Tournament arrived to be his chief second in his match against Katsutaka Imae. The match ended with Iga effortlessly defeating Imae by knockout in the first round.

Speed Zone Arc[]

Iga Shinobu - Baron 005

Baron with Iga during his match against Aoki.

Baron arrived to the Kōrakuen Hall with Iga for his Class A Tournament finals against Aoki. He was Iga's chief second for the match and, after the first round, instructed Iga to take his time and make Aoki suffer, as he wanted to get revenge on Aoki after he was beaten by him. Baron added that if Iga keeps doing what he tells him to do, he will become the world champion. After the sixth round, Baron figured that Iga was bored from trying to keep Aoki from going down while delivering powerful punches, so he ordered Iga to finish him in the seventh round. After Iga effortlessly defeated Aoki in the seventh round by knockout, Baron was delighted. Afterwards, Baron was approached by an angry Takamura, who did not like Baron bringing violence into the ring. After Baron pointed out how Takamura is a hypocrite since he seriously injured others on his way to the top, Takamura attempted to punch Baron, however, Iga stepped in and saved Baron by grabbing Takamura's arm as he was about to throw a punch. Before leaving, Baron and Iga were warned by Takamura that their actions weren't going to stand and that the day would come where they would whine like dogs.

Seeking Heights Arc[]

Baron Happy with Win

Baron with Iga after he defeated Sōshi and became the JBC lightweight champion.

When Iga's JBC lightweight title match against the champion, Ōshima Sōshi arrived, Baron went to the Kōrakuen Hall. He went to the ring with Iga as the match was about to begin to be his chief second. When Sōshi made his entrance, Baron expressed his disgust to Iga about the champion and told him, while grabbing him by his hair, to not mess it up and make him look bad, since he begged businesses to get him his quality boxing trunks as he promised the businesses that they would be sponsoring the future world champion. As the match went on, Baron was irritated, wanting the worried Tokugawa gym coach and the cheering audience to shut up as Iga looked like he was overwhelmed. After Iga knocked out Sōshi in the fifth round, making him the new JBC lightweight champion, Baron questioned the coach for his worrying, as Iga's training did it's job, and laughed as the audience became quiet. Baron took over the mic in the ring when the interviewer wanted to interview Iga, claiming that Iga is not a talker and takes credit for how Iga won.

Part III[]

Second Step Arc[]

Baron signalling to turn emotions off

Baron signalling Iga to turn his emotions off.

Iga was chosen to fight the OPBF lightweight champion Mashiba Ryō by the Tōhō gym. At the weigh-in, the day before the match, Baron revealed to Mashiba and his coach that he discovered three weaknesses, and that Iga will exploit them. The next day, Baron went to the Kōrakuen Hall with Iga to be his chief second against Mashiba. When the match began, Mashiba showcased his Flicker Jab range, which was longer than Baron and Iga anticipated. When he noticed Iga had stopped moving towards Mashiba, Baron had Iga turn his emotions off by using a hand signal. When Iga went down and showed pain, Baron became angry, signalling for Iga to turn his emotions off once again.

Baron ordering Iga to continue making Mashiba angry

Baron ordering Iga to continue making Mashiba angry.

After the first round, Baron denied Iga's access to water for rinsing and proceeded to smack Iga's face for embarrassing him. Baron reminded him that he was the reason for Iga's success and that he is a robot, ordering him to just execute the orders he puts into his brain. He then told him that his reputation would be ruined if he loses, which he would never forgive him for, before sending him out as the second round began. After the second round, Baron was pleased with how Mashiba is starting to get angry, ordering Iga to keep making him mad, as either Mashiba will have more openings as his throws get wider and get defeated by Iga's punches, or Mashiba will self-destruct. During the third round, Iga got irritated that Iga was showing that he was hurting and that Mashiba was overcoming his three weaknesses that Baron found, and, after Iga got defeated, Baron ran away from the corner, leaving the Tokugawa staff and Iga by themselves.

Appearance[]

Baron is a man with black hair, styled in a slicked-back fashion accompanied by thick sharply curved eyebrows. His eyes are constantly hidden behind a pair of dark sunglasses. He has a neat black moustache that is also present on his upper-lip, which he later turns into a handlebar moustache.

Personality[]

Baron is seen as a ruthless trainer, overworking his athletes with merciless training routines. Vindictive, he carries a deep-seated hatred for the Kamogawa Gym, making fun of Coach Kamogawa on many occasions.

He is shown to be brutal, petty and selfish, as seen in the Class-A tournament fight against Aoki Masaru. He tells his fighter, Iga Shinobu to 'break' Aoki's spirit after a long drawn-out battle and even goes as far as to threatening Shinobu to achieve his need for revenge. He is, however, also shown to be very cowardly, obviously easily intimidated by Takamura's threatening retribution on Kurita should Aoki's injuries be severe.

Gallery[]

Main Article: Kurita Baron/Gallery

Etymology[]

  • Baron's nickname Marron means "Chestnut" in French.
  • Baron's given name Kurita means "chestnut" (栗) (kuri) and "field, rice paddy" (田) (ta).
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