Kanou

-Futaba Boxing Gym, 9 am

It was just another day of sparring practice for the regional boxing champion Yamamoto, today his opponent was Joji, one of the best middleweight that the gym could find.

"Joji! Don't stick your chin out like that! And stiffen your guard, you moron!" The coach screamed from outside the boxing ring, inside it, Yamamoto was laying punch after punch on Joji who could nothing but raise his forearms in guard against the barrage of strikes.

"Come on! Use your hips to hit!" The coach shouted.

The advice was given to Joji, but it was abided by Yamamoto who ducked under and then used his hip rotation to throw an uppercut to the chin. Sending Joji flying, knocking him out on the floor.

"A stretcher! Bring a stretcher!" The coach shouted to others who were watching the spar.

Yamamoto snickered and returned to the corner of the ring near the coach.

"Say, coach, you should find me tougher sparring partners." He said while resting his gloved hands on the ropes. "I have a match in a few days and this is barely training."

"It's useless." The bald man sighed, "They know you are a heavy hitter and don't want to risk injuries."

"Not the match for me in the region then," Yamamoto said, "then it's about time I enter the nationals."

The coach smiled. "A bit more effort and you could probably become the champion I say."

"What the fuck are you babbling about?! You think a brittle stick like him could conquer the ring."

A rough voice came from the entrance side, and all who were near looked in that direction. A boy in his early college years walked over to them, he was large with thick muscles and a height of over six feet. He was in white and blue casual summer wears with a red baseball.

"Who the hell are you?!" The coach shouted at him.

"Nobody for that matter," He replied, "I am just here to fight the strongest boxer in the region or what he claims to be."

Yamamoto snickered. "A dojo smasher."

"I suggest you try that somewhere else," Coach advised, "Here you will get seriously hurt."

"Acting though won't get me to leave." The challenger stated.

"Very well," Yamamoto looked down at the challenger from the ring, "You asked for it, no backing down anymore. There is no stopping now even if you beg for it."

The coach's face snapped to him. "Wait, Yamamoto-'

"Very well," The challenger said climbing into the ring, "Let's see who will beg."

He took his position at one corner while Yamamoto stood in the other. Coach and others in the gym just watched, they knew once inside the ring there would no convincing Yamamoto away from a fight.

"Aight, let's be done with this," Yamamoto said hopping on his feet while taking off his gloves. His taped fists would be enough for this.

The challenger said nothing and threw off his cap outside the ring. Now Yamamoto saw the clear contrast between himself and the challenger. Yamamoto was 5'8 while the challenger was 6'3 or so, the challenger had the muscle mass of a heavyweight in contrast to the middleweight division physique and from the looks of it, his opponent wasn't a boxer. Boxers didn't have thick log-like arms like that, that would just slow their fists down.

'His upper nose is flat, his ears are twisted, his neck and shoulder have muscles are like a bull, he has a strong resistance. All and all, probably a wrestler.' Yamamoto thought.

"Begin!" The coach shouted.

Yamamoto dashed in, the challenger raised his arm in a slow weak guard that didn't prevent the boxer from delivering a swift hook to the stomach, then a straight punch to the cheek.

"Nice shot!" The coach commented expecting the challenger to be knocked out.

Then the challenger just grinned and then stood straight like he took no damage.

"That's it." The challenger said before grabbing Yamamoto's collar before he spinning him over his shoulder and slamming him face-first onto the floor. Yamamoto rolled over gasping for air, bleeding all over from the broken nose.

A crowd had gathered around the ring, one of them looked at the challenger's face and instantly recognised him.

"Go-Goji Kanou --- The intercollegiate heavyweight judo champion."

To this, the challenger only smiled.

************

An hour later, Kanou was in some hotel downtown, he walked through the corridor, smiling and opened the door to room 303. The moment he entered the room he immediately questioned.

"You are late. Where you in a fight or with some other girl?"

Rika lay naked inside the room on the king-size bed, she was a pretty woman in her late twenties with blonde hair and a fit body. She looked at Kanou rather annoyed.

"You know me," Kanou replied, "It could have been both."

Rika rolled her eyes, "Are you going to keep me waiting?"

Kanou smiled in response and took off his shirt.

************

At 3 pm, Kanou was bored walking along the streets of downtown with his two juniors, feeling bored until a figure came between him a stopped him.

"Want to look for some dojo to smash." Sabu, one of the junior judoka suggested.

Kabao, another junior added, "There is a new wrestling gym nearby, you want to have a look."

"No need," Kanou laughed, "A fight is here."

They looked ahead to see an unfamiliar face approaching them. A mid-teen with dark curly seaweed-like hair, the height of 5'6 or 5'7 and had more of a muscular build than Yamamoto but was probably still in the middleweight category.

"Not days go by without someone challenging me," Kanou said moving in front of his juniors. "Now who might you be?"

The boy stepped forward. "I am Tokita Ohma." He said introducing himself.

Kanou clicked his tongue. "No, never heard of you. Get taller you midget and maybe then I'll be interested."

Ohma jumped up beyond Kanou's height and kicked him right in the face, sending him staggering back a few steps.

Ohma asked. "Now you are interested?"

Kanou recovered and grinned, "I am. Follow me, I know a spot where there will be no interruption."