The gym was buzzing as Alex and Ippo climbed into the ring. Their previous training sessions had drawn attention, but this was their first real sparring match. Fighters and onlookers alike crowded around the ring.
Kamogawa, arms crossed, stood between them. "Alright, you two," his gaze shifted between Alex's calm and nonchalant face and Ippo's fiery eyes. "This is sparring, not a street fight. Keep it clean. Let's see what you've got."
Alex and Ippo stood across from each other, gloves raised in a respectful gesture before taking their stances.
The bell rang.
Ippo, in high guard style, came forward first, his movements slightly hesitant as he tested Alex with a probing jab. Alex, however, remained composed, slipping left past the jab with ease and circling to the left side.
Takamura yelled, "Great head movement," sitting on the bench, hands on his knees. "Let's see if he could keep it up."
Ippo picked up the pace, throwing a few more jabs, following it with a straight right to gauge Alex's defenses. Alex calmly parried them, his eyes focused on Ippo's shoulders. Then, with a quick step forward, Alex initiated his offense.
A crisp double jab snapped Ippo's head back, immediately followed by a straight right that forced Ippo into shelling up. Alex shifted his weight onto his back foot, baiting Ippo in, then unleashed a left hook that caught Ippo just above his guard.
"Whoa! Did you see that sequence?" one of the boxers' eyes widened from the sidelines.
"It's like he's reading Ippo's every move," another whispered.
Alex kept up the pressure, his footwork immaculate as he danced just out of Ippo's range. He used subtle feints to create openings, landing another few combinations: jab, straight, and left hook to the body, causing Ippo to lean toward the ropes.
Ippo gritted his teeth, eyes glued to Alex's hands. He retaliated with a powerful right hook aimed at Alex's body. Alex pivoted to the right smoothly, avoiding the blow, and countered with a right cross that forced Ippo to reset.
Murmurs filled the crowd.
"Isn't Alex going all out against his cousin?" one of the gym members asked.
"Doesn't look like it," another said skeptically.
Takamura, with a calm demeanor, raised his voice to address the growing speculation. "Relax. Alex isn't putting his full power into those punches. No hip rotation, and no damage. It just looks flashy because his technique is clean. Those combos? All speed and precision, no muscle behind them."
Alex heard the comments and didn't bother correcting them. He respected Ippo too much to coast, but he wasn't about to knock him down either.
Ippo charged again, throwing a flurry of hooks and uppercuts, his determination driving him forward. Alex shifted into a defensive rhythm, his gloves and forearms absorbing the blows as he moved with the impact to minimize the force.
"Nice try, Ippo, but you're telegraphing those hooks," Alex said mid-fight, his tone calm yet teasing.
"You talk too much!" Ippo shouted, throwing a heavy straight punch.
Alex ducked under it, stepping inside Ippo's guard and delivering a light lead uppercut that stopped Ippo from advancing.
"Damn," one of the bystanders muttered. "Ippo's giving it everything, but Alex is a step ahead every time." But Ippo did train here first, Alex's talent is different.
As the seconds ticked away, Ippo's endurance began to waver. Alex, still calm, adjusted his strategy. He let Ippo come forward, baiting him with small openings, only to counter with sharp, controlled punches. A jab to the nose. A hook to the ribs. A feint that turned into a lead uppercut.
Despite the apparent domination, Alex couldn't ignore the fire in Ippo's eyes. He admired his cousin's tenacity, even as he landed another clean double jab followed by a smooth straight.
"Keep at it, Ippo!" Takamura called out, chuckling. "Don't let him dance circles around you!"
The bell finally rang, signaling the end of the sparring session. Both stepped back, lowering their gloves as Ippo caught his breath.
Alex walked to his corner with a blank face, while Ippo leaned against the ropes, visibly winded but with a smile.
Kamogawa stepped into the ring, eyeing both. "Good work. Ippo, you're improving, but you're still too reckless. Alex, your technique's solid, but don't get too cocky."
Alex smirked, "Cocky? It's called confidence, coach."
Kamogawa raised an eyebrow, his lips curling into a faint smirk. "Confidence, huh? Then prepare yourself. Tomorrow, it's you versus Miyata."
The gym fell silent as Alex's smirk turned into a grin. If people looked closely at his eyes, they would be terrified.