Incarnation Of Machismo is Round 1015 of Jōji Morikawa's Hajime no Ippo manga series.
Details[]
- Characters Introduced: Lisa
- Title Page Character(s): Genji Kamogawa
Summary[]
At the Kamogawa gym, while Ippo is training on his ducking and weaving while Takamura, Aoki, Kimura, and Itagaki are watching. Aoki comments on how he steps in while doing so making it seem like he is twice as fast, and Itagaki notes how the pressure when Ippo coming towards his opponent while dodging his punches makes him seem faster. During a break, Ippo tells Kamogawa how he is practising dodging Alfredo's lefts as they are particularly dangerous so he needs to make sure his weaving is sharp or he will never get close to him. Kamogawa agrees, and explains how many Mexicans have lefts that extend far and hit hard, and there are no build up in the shoulders or elbows, so it seems like their fists fly out from their ready position. He further explains that even if the left isn't fast, the angle is so sharp that the transition would still be hard to see, making it seem like the glove got bigger all of a sudden, and the hooks and uppercuts can also be used in that same position to switch between long and close range attacks, making it hard to predict. Kamogawa shows a tool to help Ippo train to go against those left: a boxing glove on a stick that extends and bends when used in a throwing motion. Kamogawa begins training Ippo with it, and Ippo tries to dodge and block the boxing glove that keeps changing angles while getting hit a few times. While watching, Kimura notes how despite dealing with the Flicker Jab and Hien, he can barely cope with the training, and Takamura comments how it isn't a speciality left, but a extremely high level form of a basic left. In Mexico, Alfredo catches a boy who stole a bag, telling him that they will apologise together. Later, Alfredo tells Lisa], that he used to be just like that boy, stealing and resorting to violence when he had a disagreement with someone as if it was a natural response. Alfredo tells her how he remembers going to the Arena México when Ricardo invited poor children to watch his matches, having them sit close enough to see, but far enough to not get scared. While Lisa thinks Ricardo is a kind and respectable champion, Alfredo doesn't, as he only felt like Ricardo was an egoistical rich person who had it all and just invited them to show off and look down on them. However, Alfredo remembers how after he saw Ricardo defeat a strong challenger he faced head on, it was inspirational, leaving Alfredo on his feet with his hands up, and was amazed when Ricardo told everyone after the match that he wants the boys of the nation to not forget what machismo is. Alfredo understood instantly that Ricardo didn't get to the top of the world just because of his natural talent, but by climbing up with hard work and courage. Alfredo tells Lisa how Ricardo's words struck him as something an Aztec god would say, and that ever since that day, he has been his idol and goal, with the only way to reach him is inside the ring.