Date, Eiji
Summary
Date is a seasoned veteran who, despite being nearly thirty years old and considered an elder statesman in the boxing world, serves as a figure of admiration for Ippo. His career suffered a significant setback when he lost a World Title Match to the reigning champion Ricardo Martinez. During that bout, which marked Martinez’s second title defense, Date was knocked out in the second round and sustained a fractured nose that left a permanent scar on its bridge. Following this defeat, he retired from the sport to build a domestic life with his wife, Aiko. Aiko came from a wealthy background and made substantial sacrifices to be with him, and at the time of his retirement, she was suffering from a miscarriage. However, Date’s innate fighting spirit proved too strong to suppress for long. He returned to the top level of boxing after Aiko expressed her desire for their son, Yuuji, to witness his father compete. Although Date possesses well-rounded strength, his most devastating weapon is the Heartbreak Shot, a corkscrew punch aimed at the heart that effectively paralyzes his opponents. Fighting from an orthodox stance, he utilizes a brawler or infighter style and specializes in corkscrew punches, neck spins, and guard spins.
