Now That’s A Knockout!
Sports anime go out of their way to make their respective competition as epic as possible, either by adding various tropes like pseudo-superpowers or through the intensity of the animation. Volleyball, basketball, football, tennis, swimming, you name it chances are its got itself an anime dedicated to it!
Then you get to boxing, a sport where fighting and precision are everything, heck while it may be rare there there’s still a chance that a match could lead to a potential death. As a result, a series like Hajime No Ippo has all the best tropes that the sport genre has to offer, along with the ferocity and impact of some of the best action shows out there.
Of course, a show dominated by bouts in the ring is bound to have some great fight scenes, which is why we have put together what we believe to be the best knockout matches the anime has to offer!
Fair warning, the are MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!
#5: Date vs. Martinez
In a last ditch effort to become the featherweight champion and take revenge for his previous loss, Date puts up a valiant effort against his old rival Ricardo Martinez. Unfortunately, the Mexican is a step ahead, eventually leading to a defeat that ends Date’s career as a boxer, but not before he passes his will on to Ippo.
#4: Takamura vs. Eagle
In a clash of champions, Takamura finds himself in the role of villain when going up against the good-natured and almost superheroic boxer David Eagle. While one is polite and the other crude, their feud is nothing short of brutal, as both men eventually find themselves bleeding profusely from head injuries during the latter half of the match. Even blinded by blood, Takamura still finds a way to come out swinging and win.
#3: Kamogawa vs. Anderson
Turns out that the elderly boxing trainer was nothing short of a beast back in his younger days, facing off against an abusive American sergeant who took pleasure in beating and humiliating the Japanese. Unfortunately for Anderson, Kamogawa is such a machine that he was willing to break both fists just in order to land the finishing blow. That’s a lot of shattered ribs.
#2: Takamura vs. Hawk
Even Takamura’s most annoying of attributes are nothing compared to the reprehensible Hawk, who sees himself as unbeatable thanks to his natural strength, which he was happy to demonstrate even against members of the public. In the most brutal of brawls, both men unleash their inner monsters, with Takamura managing to claim the title thanks to Kamogawa’s teachings.
#1: Ippo vs. Sawamura
More animal than man, Sawamura considered each match a feast, taking immense joy in beating his foes senseless. Unfortunately for Ippo, this appetite also comes with a powerful set of skills as well as an intuition that managed to overcome Ippo’s famous Dempsey Roll. While takings endless amounts of punishment, Ippo managed to snatch victory from the jaws of the defeat by improving the Dempsey Roll’s capabilities, even at the cost of his own health.
