Dam-Ho is obsessed with mastering not just martial arts, but a particular form that relies heavily on complex footwork, but he has a lame leg. While remarkable, Fist Demon of Mount Hua's Dam-Ho must overcome a great deal of obstacles that Ippo has and probably will never face, not even his rivalry with Sendo. So when Date is pushed back against the ropes, Ippo falls flat on his face. Essentially, Date's body is the only thing keeping Ippo on his feet. Near the end, Ippo is so driven that he essentially fights unconsciously, and yet, he is somehow able to not only throw powerful punches while in a clinch - a defensive tactic that makes such efforts essentially impossible - but does so while his legs have already given out. The fight that probably best exemplifies this phenomenon is his match against one of the series' most powerful fighters, Date Eiji, and his first loss, when competing for the JBC Featherweight Title Match. As such, he has become known for his 'reverse KO,' where every time he's knocked out and it looks like he could never claw his way back to the top, he summons enough spirit in the following round to return the favor. Somehow, the boy gains more strength each time he gets knocked down, and the more severely he is physically bested, the more he fights back regardless of his injuries, usually by dealing more damage to his opponent. What makes Ippo such a remarkable character is how much his will to win propels him to achieve the impossible. Related: New Manga’s Hero Is The Reverse of Vegeta From Dragon Ball In the 1,340 chapters of Hajime No Ippo, that drive to leave behind the shy, timid boy he once was - who used to get beaten up by bullies - has helped him win 21 of 24 matches, nab three titles, and take on the world in his Featherweight class. Hajime No Ippohas stood out from other martial arts manga of its kind just because of the relentless fighting spirit that professional boxer Ippo Makunouchi espouses while in the ring, but Dam-Ho of the manga Fist Demon of Mount Hua just proved he possesses even more than Ippo.įrom the moment he became fascinated with the idea of what it would be like to be strong, Ippo delved into the world of professional boxing, where he has continued to amass more power and dominate almost every challenge that stands in his way.

Hajime no ippo manga chapter 976