Suzuki (鈴木) is a junior lightweight professional boxer from the Kawahara gym.
Background[]
Suzuki is a former club-mate of Itagaki Manabu from his amateur days in the inter-high and was a featherweight, having fought Itagaki and Imai Kyōsuke. He later became a professional boxer and joined the Kawahara gym while moving up to the junior lightweight class.
History[]
Part II[]
Seiken Arc[]
Suzuki talking to Itagaki after his debut match.
At the Kawahara gym, while Miyata Ichirō was shadowboxing while thinking about his upcoming match against Makunouchi Ippo when his fists recover, Suzuki and the other gym mates were amazed at Miyata's hand speed. When Suzuki's professional debut match arrived, he went to the Kōrakuen Hall. After winning by decision, he was surprised to see Itagaki at the venue. Itagaki asked Suzuki why he went to the junior lightweight, which Suzuki answered that he didn't want to face him or Imai again now that he is a professional, and noted how the featherweight class has monsters like Ippo and Miyata from his gym. He mentioned how he had trouble in his match, and would have been done for if it wasn't for Miyata telling him "good luck", which was considered a big deal at the gym. He told Itagaki how Miyata acts around the Kawahara gym and how everyone views him, noting how Miyata has been in a good mood recently since his match with Ippo is coming up. Itagaki warned Suzuki that his senpai, Ippo, is strong, which Suzuki also tells him the same. As Itagaki was leaving, Suzuki expressed how he would like to see Miyata and Ippo's match just as a regular boxing fan since he believed it will be an awesome fight.
Scratch Arc[]
Suzuki at the Chūka Soba to be asked questions about Miyata's decision on cancelling his match against Ippo.
Suzuki was invited by Itagaki to the Chūka Soba, being told that they have great ramen. However, when Suzuki arrived to the place with Itagaki, he quickly learned that he was led there to be asked questions by Kamogawa gym members Aoki Masaru and Kimura Tatsuya before he receives the ramen. Aoki, Kimura, and Itagaki wanted to know why Miyata backed out of his match with Ippo in order to fight OPBF featherweight interim champion Randy Boy Junior. However, Suzuki did not know, as he knew that Miyata is not the type of person to chicken out and was looking forward with his match against Ippo. Afterwards, he received his ramen from Aoki.
Blind Step Arc[]
At the Kawahara gym while reading the latest issue of the Monthly Boxing Fan, where Ippo's upcoming opponent, Kojima Hisato claimed that he knows his weakness, he wondered if Ippo does have a weakness, discussing it with his gym mates. Miyata overheard the discussion, and explained how Ippo always goes forward and never retreats, which Suzuki and the other gym mates guessed that a strategy would be to use a counter. However, Suzuki and the others learned from Miyata that it isn't as simple as that, since it would have to be one that overcomes Ippo's durability, and it would take incredible concentration and courage to pull it off.
Speed Zone Arc[]
At the Kawahara gym, Suzuki told Miyata and Miyata's father how he learned from a friend while talking to them on a phone that Itagaki defeated Saeki Takuma in the Class A Tournament finals and overwhelmed him with speed, thinking that Itagaki is the fastest in Japan now. Suzuki asked Miyata if he should call his friend to ask for an update about Aoki and Kimura, however, Miyata declined, explaining that he is not part of the Kamogawa gym anymore.
Part III[]
Importance of the Support Role Arc[]
Suzuki asking Miyata about Sendō vs Alfredo's match.
At the Kawahara gym while Miyata was training, Suzuki and the other gym mates asked him about his opinion on Sendō Takeshi and Alfredo Gonzales'a upcoming match, as he thought that it is a bad match up for Sendō since he is fighting Alfredo, who knocked out Ippo, who knocked out Sendō twice. Miyata pointed out that they can't base all of their predictions around Ippo, as Sendō is a threat to counter punchers like Alfredo due to his unpredictable punches and the pressure he emits that makes counter punchers required to use caution with throwing a counter. Suzuki asked if Miyata believed Sendō would win. Miyata told him that isn't what he is saying, however, he believed it can be expected for Alfredo's exponentially powerful weapon to be ineffective on him. Suzuki felt that Miyata might be able to help Nakatsuka with his middle school math problem that he wasn't able to solve, suggesting for Nakatsuka to have him solve it. Nakatsuka was afraid to tell him, but Suzuki explained to Miyata that he was having trouble with his homework, and that since he joined the gym, his parents blamed his academic struggles on him starting boxing. Miyata took the homework with him to work and planned to give it back the next day, however, the homework was due in the morning.
Match History[]
| Match History | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Result | Record | Date | Opponent | Location | Time | Type | Notes |
| 1 | WIN | 1-0-0 | 1995-07 |  Unknown
|
Tokyo, Japan | 4(4), 3:00 | Decision | Pro Debut Match |
Appearance[]
Etymology[]
- The surname Suzuki means "bell" (鈴) (suzu) and "tree, wood" (木) (ki).