Isekai in Hajime no Ippo with Gaolang’s Template

Inside Nakadai Boxing Gym – Eiji Date's POVEiji Date was seated on the mat, stretching his legs as he warmed up. His muscles felt loose, his body primed for another day of training, but his mind was elsewhere. His thoughts drifted back to the spar he had with Makunouchi Ippo.

"That Makunouchi kid… he's strong."

He recalled the determination in Ippo's eyes, the fire that refused to be extinguished even after every exchange they had in the ring.

"He's got guts, and he doesn't back down. Even when I accidentally knocked him out, he got back up and kept going. A polite kid too."

He flexed his hands, staring at his worn gloves as if searching for answers in the leather.

"Date," a voice interrupted his thoughts.

He turned to see his coach, Nakadai, standing near the gym's old telephone. "You have a call."

Date blinked, snapping out of his thoughts. "Who is it?"

Nakadai leaned against the counter, arms crossed. "Coach Kamogawa."

Date raised an eyebrow. Kamogawa himself?

His first thought was that Ippo wanted to return for another spar, eager to prove himself again. Before he could say anything, Nakadai spoke again.

 He mentioned they'll drop by for a sparring session 

Date froze for a moment, caught off guard. "Alex?"

His mind immediately recalled the young prodigy everyone had been talking about—the fastest-rising star in Japan, a boxer whose talent was making waves far beyond the country's borders.

"Alex Makunouchi, huh… What does he want? Is this about Ippo? Does he want to get revenge for his cousin?"

Despite the thought, Date let out a small chuckle.

"Sure," he said, rolling his shoulders. "I'd like to see for myself if he's the real deal."

Nakadai studied him carefully. "Are you sure? This kid… he's not just some rising star. The whole country is saying they've never seen a monster like him before. Some are even calling him the next Muhammad Ali of this generation."

Date let out another small chuckle, his expression as unreadable as ever.

"That's exactly why I want to test him," he said. "I want to see the gap between us with my own eyes."

Inside a dark blue 1991 Honda SUV, Coach Kamogawa gripped the steering wheel as he drove toward the Nakadai Boxing Gym. The car was packed with young fighters—Alex, Ippo, and Naomichi—who were all eager to see what awaited them at their destination.

The engine hummed steadily as they cruised through the streets, the early May air filtering through the slightly open windows.

As they neared their destination, Kamogawa broke the silence.

"Alex," he said, glancing at the rearview mirror, "your fight date has been finalized."

Alex, who had been leaning against the window with a relaxed expression, perked up. "Oh? When?"

Ippo and Naomichi, sitting beside him, immediately leaned in, their curiosity piqued.

"November 23rd, 1991," Kamogawa said firmly.

Naomichi's eyes widened. "That's… that's seven months away!" He then began counting on his fingers, mumbling to himself. "Wait… no, six months! Today's May 1st!"

Alex smirked. "Potato, tomato. Same thing."

Ippo let out a chuckle, shaking his head at Alex's usual attitude.

Then, as if remembering something, Ippo turned to Kamogawa again. "Coach, where is it? Where will Alex be fighting for his first world-ranked match?"

Kamogawa tightened his grip on the steering wheel slightly, then said, "This is a huge deal for your career, Alex. You're not just fighting anywhere—you're fighting on one of the biggest boxing cards in the world."

Alex, who had been casually listening, suddenly straightened up.

 "You're fighting at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada."

A heavy silence filled the car as those words sank in.

Ippo and Naomichi's jaws dropped. "Huh—?! MGM Grand?!"

Kamogawa nodded. "It's one of the biggest venues in America. The arena can hold 17,000 people."

Naomichi looked absolutely stunned. "That's… that's insane. That's where some of the biggest legends fight! Alex is debuting on American soil in Las Vegas?! That's next-level!"

"And not just that," Kamogawa continued. "The main event of the night is a fight between Evander Holyfield—the reigning WBC Heavyweight Champion—and Bert Cooper, the current IBF Heavyweight Champion."

"Holyfield?" Ippo repeated, stunned. "Wait… isn't he trying to unify the belts and become a super champion?"

"Exactly."

The sheer weight of the event was now fully registering in their minds. Alex wasn't just stepping onto foreign soil—he was making his international debut in front of an audience of thousands, surrounded by some of the biggest names in boxing.

Naomichi and Ippo looked at Alex, expecting him to be overwhelmed, but instead, the young lightweight was smiling—no, grinning.

Alex leaned back into his seat, folding his arms. "Thank you, Coach," he said, his voice full of confidence. "This is the best way to make my world debut."