Chapter 476

A Heavy Parting Gift
Chapter Info
Next	Chapter 477
Chapter	476
Previous	Chapter 475
Volume	53
Japanese Title	重い置き土産
Romanized Title	Omoi Okimiyage
Pages	20
Arc	Dragon Slayer Arc
Episode	Round 9 (Season 3) (p.1-14, 17-19)
Issue	Weekly Shōnen Magazine #17, 2000 (cover date): April 5, 2000
Release (JP)	March 22, 2000

A Heavy Parting Gift is Round 476 of Jōji Morikawa's Hajime no Ippo manga series.

Details

• Title Page Character(s): Masahiko Umezawa, Ippo Makunouchi, Alexander Volg Zangief

Summary

While Umezawa is following Ippo, who is doing roadwork, he tells Ippo how Volg was confident that he would see him again someday, thinking that Volg meant that they would meet as fellow world champions, however, Ippo believes it is impossible for him to be a world champion. Umezawa thinks it can happen if he keeps winning, telling Ippo that he needs to win his next title defence. Ippo becomes down, claiming that it might be impossible for him to win. At the Kamogawa gym rooftop, Ippo mentions to Kamogawa how he realises after sparring with Volg and having his Dempsey Roll countered, that the Dempsey Roll is dead, adding that Volg countered it with little preparation, believing that any counter user who knows the timing can do the same. Kamogawa reveals to Ippo that Volg feared the power of the counter and held back, meaning Ippo became unconscious against a punch that held sympathy towards him. Kamogawa expresses his worry about Ippo's life, since if Sawamura, who won't show mercy, lands the counter, there is a chance Ippo will not wake up again. Inside the gym, Takamura tells Aoki, Kimura, and Itagaki that Ippo and Kamogawa are shocked because what they feared became a reality, as Ippo experienced firsthand how he will lose. Aoki thinks that Ippo might not want to fight Sawamura anymore, however, Itagaki dismisses the idea of Ippo running away since Volg did what he did because he believed in him. Takamura wonders if Ippo will be able to pull it off and thinks that Volg gave Ippo a heavy parting gift. At the rooftop, Ippo tells Kamogawa that he will overcome the situation as much as possible and thinks that it is not hopeless, since if he can figure out what to do, he can come up with a strategy. As Kamogawa walks away, he knows that there is one thing he can do, however, he can't tell him since it is a punch that will chip away at his boxing career. Sawamura enters the Oniyaritome gym almost out of breath, requesting for Karil to do mitt hitting, as he wants to build his stamina up. Understanding that the Dempsey Roll isn't Ippo's only weapon and that he is strong, Sawamura is a little worried, but he tells Karil that while he hates to get hit, he hates losing more. Later, while doing roadwork and dragging three tires, Ippo thinks about how if counter users figure out the rhythm of his Dempsey Roll, then it will be easy for them to counter. He then realises something after remembering that he has been training his lower body against opponents who can read his rhythm.