はじめの一歩 Rising

A flashback tells the story about Ippo's father and what happened to him. Ippo's next title defenses match begins, Ippo's opponent is Shimabukuro Iwao, someone with a similar record to him.

Ippo tries the Dempsy roll on Shimabukuro Iwao and Shimabukuro reveals how he plans on destroying the Dempsy roll. The title match comes to an end.

Itagaki's sister Nanako, Kumi, and Mari all visit Ippo after his match although he's resting. Aoki gets ready for his title match that's coming up soon.

Aoki and Imae have their weigh-in. Imae refuses to shake Aoki's hand at the weigh-in. Itagaki has an opening match before Aoki but struggles because he ate something the day before the match. Aoki's title match starts.

Aoki and Imae's title match has already started, Aoki tries his Frog punch twice, both times it didn't work. For the whole match, Aoki uses odd movements and weird tactics.

Both Imae and Aoki are exhausted. In the end, the title match went to a decision.

Aoki gets's himself, two lackeys. Takamura announces that he wants to move up a weight class before his title defense match. Ippo picks Sawamura Ryuuhei as his next opponent and watches his boxing matches.

Ippo wants to evolve the Dempsy roll and asks Kimura and Itagaki for help. When training, Ippo meets Vorg, Ippo invites Vorg to stay at his house because he has nowhere to stay.

Aoki, Kimura, and Itagaki ask Volg to spar with Ippo and perform the Anti-Dempsy. When sparring with Ippo Volg does the Anti-Dempsy which Kos Ippo. Volg leaves to America.

The move to evolve Ippo's Dempsy roll takes its toll on Ippo's body. Sawamura grazes Kumi with a punch for being near his bike. Date, Sendo, Miyata, and Mashiba all go to watch Ippo's fight with Sawamura.

When the match between Sawamura and Ippo begins Sawamura uses dirty tactics against Ippo. Later in the fight, Sawamura changes his stance making Ippo thinks twice before attacking him.

Sawamura counters Ippo's Dempsy roll two times leaving Ippo barely able to fight.

The fight ends. After the fight, Sawamura goes to a hospital because Ippo broke his bones and teeth in the match.

Yamaguchi tells Ippo not to train until he's recovered. Umezawa wants to quit working for Ippo and his mom's fishing boat and become a manga creator. After Umezawa quits Manabu and Nanako take his place.

The guys from the gym go fishing together. Takamura goes to training camp with Miyata and helps him Improve. When Takamura gets back from training camp he challenges Yagi to fish.

Kimura has a match with the Filipino junior lightweight champion, Eleki Battery while Aoki has a match with the Indonesian lightweight champion, Papaya Dachiu. Takamura's has a fight coming up with David Eagle.

Kimura and Aoki are both nervous before their fights with their opponents. Kimura's the opening fight then Aoki which is followed by Miyata who gets ready for his match.

Mr. Sakaguchi has got a boxer to fight Miyata. The whole match is one sided in Miyata's favor with his challenger Medgoen Dachboy hardly throwing any punches.

Miyata is worried about Takamura's eye before the match. Although David Eagle is doing better than Takamura there's no clear boxer who's on top, the world title match is very open.

Takamura gets a down on Eagle. Eagle cuts Takamura's eye with a punch but doesn't go for it again, Takamura then cuts Eagle's eye with a headbutt and does aim for it.

Both Takamura and Eagle are bleeding from their eyes, the doctor is about to stop the match but Takamura tells him to continue the match. Takamura can hardly see, one eye is swollen, the other is covered in blood.

A look at the life of Kamogawa and Nekota after World War 2.

Kamogawa realizes Yuki is from Hiroshima. Nekota wants to fight the American then retire and live in the mountains with Yuki. Kamogawa finds out that Nekota is punch drunk.

Nekota loses his match with the American, Kamogawa then says he'll fight the American and trains for the match. When the match starts Kamogawa keeps getting knocked down and getting back up.

Nekota goes to see Kamogawa at his match and give him advice on how to beat Anderson, the American sergeant. After the match, Yuki goes with Nekota to the mountains.