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Fighting Spirit Creator Designs Women's Boxing Poster

George Morikawa, the creator of the popular boxing manga Hajime no Ippo (also known as Fighting Spirit), has created a promotional flyer and the artwork for the upcoming Raika Women's Boxing World Championship taking place in Tokyo on November 10. The poster features a likeness of IPPO, the main character of Hajime no Ippo, along with the catch phrase "Raika Typhoon." The popular artist was approached by the Raika group that runs the tournament after many of the boxers said that the Hajime no Ippo manga inspired them to take up boxing. Special versions of the poster will be sold at the tournament itself, and will include the signatures of Mr. Morikawa and boxers from the Raika group.

In a statement released earlier this week, Morikawa expressed how happy he was that the boxers came to him. "I heard that many of the Raika Boxers started competing after reading Hajime no Ippo. When I first went to see the women compete, I saw just how serious they are. Without stopping, without giving up, they were delivering left and right hooks just like IPPO Makunouchi does [in the manga]…. After many years of the manga's serialization, I believe that the Raika athletes have answered the question of just what it means to be strong."

Source: Sports Navi

Image © Raika Organizational Committee