Chapter 456

Conclusive Difference
Chapter Info
Next	Chapter 457
Chapter	456
Previous	Chapter 455
Volume	51
Japanese Title	決定的な差
Romanized Title	Ketteitekina Sa
Pages	20
Arc	Comic Show Arc
Episode	Round 6 (Season 3) (p.1-19)
Issue	Weekly Shōnen Magazine #46, 1999 (cover date): October 27, 1999
Release (JP)	October 13, 1999

Conclusive Difference is Round 456 of Jōji Morikawa's Hajime no Ippo manga series.

Details

• Title Page Character(s): None

Summary

As Imae gets up, Aoki reflects on how good his performance has been against the champion and journey that has led him to gain his "new weapon" despite not having instincts like Takamura and natural power like Ippo. Kamogawa tells Yagi that Imae will stand up since when the Frog Punch hit him, Imae's glove got between the attack and his face, lessening the damage. Itagaki is confident that Aoki can win, however, when he notices that Aoki is suddenly exhausted, Ippo points out how techniques like the Frog Punch and Look Away are high risk high reward techniques that take a lot out of the user mentally, and the effects are multiplied with the pressure one faces during a title match. Kimura adds that while Imae should be in worse shape than Aoki, it is hard to compare the two since Aoki hasn't had a match like this before. After Imae got up, the sixth round ends. At his corner, Imae acknowledges Aoki as the strongest man he has ever fought and feels as if there is a fundamental difference, but doesn't know what it is. When his coach encourages him to remember his training and why he fights, Imae remembers when Aoki criticised him for throwing his goddess of victory away, realising that there is a huge difference between him and Aoki. At Aoki's corner, Shinoda encourages him to win, however, he sees that he did not need the encouragement as Aoki was already in high spirits for the next round. When round seven begins, Imae's guard gets attacked by Aoki and he realises that Aoki's fists are inspired into courage and are fighting to protect someone special. Imae remembers protecting Sachiko in the past from people calling her names and getting into boxing. He remembers that even though he started boxing because of her, he kept being rude to her, however, she would always think about him and support him. He is in disbelief in himself for throwing her away, making him greatly different from Aoki. After Imae clinched Aoki, the latter lands a body blow that breaks the clinch. Immediately, Aoki begins to perform the Look Away, much to Imae's dismay.