Recap: The fight continues as Shimabukuro keeps the pressure on Ippo. Unaccustomed to somebody with as much sheer stamina as him, he’s backed into a corner.

Gee’s Thoughts: Shimabukuro continues the brutal beating of Ippo this episode, as it’s revealed that his greatest strength is his ability to match Ippo’s monstrous endurance and durability. I’ve always liked the fight because for the most part, Ippo’s always fought boxers he was at a disadvantage against due to other factors, such as range, speed, reaction time, etc. Barring Sendo, Ippo rarely fights boxers who can match him in pure power and toughness, so even if Shimabukuro isn’t exactly one of the greater opponents Ippo’s fought, his fight is one of my favorite ones to watch.

And in the end of course, Ippo manages to summon the willpower to fight through to the end. As cheesy as it was, I like Takamura’s statement of Shimabukuro underestimating the meaning of the ring. No one’s gonna doubt the dude is a better fisherman, and that he’s got the better stamina, but this is a boxing ring, and in the end, the better fighter is the one who wins.

Ignoring Ippo’s ironic ability to utterly beat boxers so bad they permanently retire, the big thing to take from this episode is that Shimabukuro is the first boxer to not only stop the Dempsey Roll, but actually beat it. While Sendo was able to neutralize it, Shimabukuro could actually break through it and punish Ippo for using it. Being the most famous weapon in his arsenal, and the one that’s earned him a hefty number of his victories, it’ll be interesting to see how other boxers treat Ippo now that they know his finishing technique isn’t as invincible as once thought.