Nearly a week has passed since Kirizu walked out of Ryoma’s office, yet inside Nakahara Gym, life continues as though nothing has changed.
Aramaki still arrives before most of the others, still trains with the sa intensity, and still approaches every session as if his title fight against Serrano is already waiting just around the corner.
The possibility that the fight might never happen has never crossed his mind, and perhaps that is exactly why he keeps asking questions to Nakahara in the middle of his mittwork.
"Coach, what if Serrano starts giving ground on purpose? Not because he’s hurt, but because he wants to pull forward."
Nakahara lifts the mitts again. "Then stop thinking about what Serrano wants."
Aramaki’s expression becos even more dissatisfied. "That’s not really an answer."
"Because you’re asking the wrong question," Nakahara replies before snapping the mitts together. "You’re not the one who needs to adapt to Serrano. Focus on your boxing, and make Serrano adapt to you. That’s always been your best weapon."
Aramaki exhales through his nose and imdiately goes back to work. The next sequence arrives harder than the last, forcing Nakahara to brace himself slightly as punches continue hamring into the pads.
Ever since the title fight was announced, Aramaki has beco obsessed with understanding Serrano. Sotis he studies footage until midnight. Sotis he spends entire training sessions trying to solve situations that may never even happen inside the ring.
To everyone else, it looks like preparation. To Ryoma, however, it looks more like anticipation.
Standing near the heavy bags with fresh tape wrapped around his hands, Ryoma watches the exchange without saying anything
And every ti Aramaki starts talking about Serrano, Ryoma feels a faint sense of discomfort he cannot openly show. The man keeps preparing for a fight that Ryoma himself is no longer certain will take place.
Not to ntion he has his own fight against Liam O’Connell coming up, sothing that should be occupying far more of his attention.
***
Almost a week has passed since his conversation with Kirizu, and that uncertainty is beginning to bother him.
At first, Ryoma doesn’t think much of it. Yet as the days continue passing, the silence gradually becos difficult to ignore.
There is still no statent regarding Serrano. No attempt to prepare the dia for a postponent. No indication that Kirizu is laying the groundwork for the narrative Ryoma suggested.
Under normal circumstances, Ryoma would have taken that as a rejection and moved on. The problem is that Kirizu has never struck him as soone foolish enough to ignore the reality of his situation.
Either Kirizu has changed his mind after leaving that office, or he is busy dealing with sothing else before addressing the Serrano problem, the answer arrives on the seventh day.
It begins with several photographs published by Australian boxing reporters. The images show Kirizu leaving a restaurant in Sydney alongside Liam Kuroda and several mbers of his team.
And the photographs spread quickly across boxing dia.
KIRIZU SPOTTED ETING LIAM KURODA IN SYDNEY
IS A RETURN TO JAPAN FINALLY COMING?
UNEXPECTED TALKS SPARK SPECULATION
Before long, theories begin appearing from every direction. So reporters believe Kirizu is trying to bring Liam back to the JBC circuit after more than a year of inactivity.
Others assu the eting is related to a potential coback fight, although that theory imdiately creates another question.
Kirizu Boxing Gym currently has no notable fighter in the Welterweight division. There is no obvious opponent, no clear business reason for Kirizu to suddenly involve himself with Liam Kuroda.
A few journalists suggest that Kirizu may simply be acting as a promoter for a future event. Others wonder whether Liam is considering leaving Raging Fox Gym altogether.
But the dia doesn’t have to wait long for an answer, because only two days later, reporters are invited to Kirizu Boxing Gym for an unexpected press conference.
The reason becos obvious the mont Liam Kuroda walks into the room wearing a black suit alongside Kirizu. The mont is enough to trigger a wave of cara flashes throughout the venue.
Kirizu waits patiently for the commotion to settle before stepping toward the microphone.
"Thank you for coming on such short notice," he begins. "I’d like to formally announce that Liam Kuroda has officially joined Kirizu Boxing Gym."
Another burst of cara flashes imdiately follows. Calmly, Kirizu allows it to pass before continuing.
"Many of you already know Liam Kuroda," Kirizu begins. "A forr top-three contender in both the JBC and OPBF rankings. A fighter whose na spent years among the most respected in the Welterweight division."
"Unfortunately, due to his inactivity over the past year, Liam’s position within the dostic and regional rankings has naturally declined. That’s unavoidable."
Several reporters exchange glances. They can already sense a larger announcent coming.
"However," Kirizu continues, "our objective isn’t to spend the next two years climbing back through the national rankings one step at a ti. At the end of May, Liam Kuroda will officially return to the ring against Kanda Matsumoto."
The room erupts almost instantly. Unlike Liam, Kanda has remained highly active over the last year and actually snatched Liam’s spot on the third position in the OPBF.
What initially sounds like a coback bout suddenly carries far greater implications now.
"Kanda is one of the strongest Welterweights in the region," Kirizu continues. "His ranking reflects that. If Liam still intends to compete at the level he once belonged to, then there is little value in taking unnecessary detours."
A reporter quickly raises his hand. "Does that an Liam is targeting the OPBF title?"
Kirizu’s smile widens slightly. "Let’s just say Liam didn’t co back to spend his ti chasing participation trophies. We believe he still belongs among the top fighters in the Asia-Pacific region, and we’re prepared to prove it."
***
Imdiately, discussion surrounding Liam Kuroda’s arrival has already spread throughout the dostic boxing scene.
Most people are focused on the obvious story: Kirizu has sohow convinced one of the most recognizable nas in the Welterweight division to join his gym.
Nakahara, however, finds himself paying attention to sothing else. Despite all the activity surrounding Liam’s recruitnt, the situation between Aramaki and Serrano remains exactly where it was before.
There is still no official date, no progress regarding Satoru’s opponent either. Every important issue that should have been addressed by now continues floating in uncertainty.
The more Nakahara thinks about it, the less he likes it. Eventually, he heads upstairs and pushes open the door to Ryoma’s office without bothering to knock.
"I thought you said the fight would be cancelled," he says.
Ryoma looks up from the papers and imdiately understands what this is about.
"I said that’s what I told him to do," he replies.
"Well, he doesn’t seem interested in doing it," Nakahara press. "He flew to Sydney to sign Liam Kuroda. He already announced a coback fight for the end of May. anwhile, we’re still sitting here with no update regarding Serrano."
Ryoma places the docunts aside. "So Liam really signed," he says, almost to himself.
"Don’t change the subject," Nakahara barks at him, looking impatient.
"I’m not."
"You were the one who suggested Liam to him, weren’t you?"
"Before he left, yes."
"Well, he listened to that part, and ignores the most important one"
That observation leaves Ryoma unusually quiet. Kirizu followed the Liam suggestion almost imdiately. Yet for so reason, the matter that should have been far more urgent remains untouched.
It is not like Kirizu to hesitate. More importantly, it is not like Kirizu to leave valuable options hanging in the air without deciding which direction he intends to take.
Nakahara studies him for a mont before speaking again. "You don’t know what he’s doing either, do you?"
Ryoma leans back in his chair, slowly folds his arms as he shakes his head slowly.
He can understand recruiting Liam Kuroda. He can understand rebuilding the gym. He can even understand delaying a decision for strategic reasons.
What he cannot understand is why Kirizu continues keeping the Aramaki situation suspended while moving so decisively everywhere else.
The contradiction is difficult to ignore. And the longer Ryoma thinks about it, the more he begins to suspect that Kirizu may have started reconsidering the entire Serrano problem after securing Liam Kuroda.
"I’m afraid that fight is still going ahead," Ryoma says. "Recruiting Liam Kuroda changes the entire equation. The risk of losing Serrano isn’t nearly as frightening when he already has another cornerstone to build around."
Nakahara’s face imdiately turns sour. His jaw tightens. The muscles around his cheek twitch once before settling into a hard expression.
He understands exactly what Ryoma was trying to do. Suggesting Liam Kuroda was an honest attempt to build trust, a gesture of goodwill offered to a rival who had backed himself into a corner.
If Kirizu accepted it, then perhaps they could gradually establish a healthier business relationship in the future. Not friendship, not partnership, but at least a relationship built on mutual benefit instead of constant hostility.
Yet now, looking at the situation, Nakahara can only feel irritation rising inside him.
Kirizu took the benefit. He took Liam Kuroda. He took the opportunity. But now it looks as though he intends to use that very opportunity to push forward with the sa title fight Ryoma tried to steer him away from.
The realization leaves a bitter taste in Nakahara’s mouth. More than anything, he hates how it makes him feel.
The concern he showed for Kirizu has make him feel naïve. Like a fool who willingly handed over a knife and is now watching the other man sharpen it.
"That bastard..." Nakahara mutters through clenched teeth. "He really only listened to the parts he liked."
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