Chapter 129:Tokyo Dome

Tokyo Dome – 8:00 PM"Welcome to one of the most highly anticipated fights of all time!"

The deep, enthusiastic voice of Minoru Fujiiboomed across the live broadcast as the camera focused on him standing ringside inside a packed Tokyo Dome. The massive arena was overflowing with energy, filled with tens of thousands of roaring fans.

"We're here to broadcast the official press conference for Alex Makunouchi vs. Marcus Rosario 2," Fujii continued, facing the camera with a professional yet excited demeanor. He then pointed toward the electrified audience, and the camera quickly panned to show the sea of people—boxing fans from all over the world, cheering, waving banners, and chanting names.

"This is an event of historic proportions!" Fujii's voice echoed. "Alex Makunouchi will finally fight in his hometown once again after a long time!"

The camera cut away from the Tokyo Dome and switched to a live broadcast at the NHK studio, where two anchors sat behind a sleek news desk.

A man in his 50s, dressed in a finely tailored suit, smiled at the camera.

"Hello, and welcome back! I am Tetsuya Chikushi," he introduced himself before turning toward the elegant woman seated beside him.

She was in her mid-30s, dressed in a pristine white dress, exuding an air of confidence and grace.

"And I am Keiko Ijuin," she said, offering a professional nod as the two settled into their seats.

As the camera focused on them, Tetsuya adjusted his tie and spoke with curiosity.

"We just witnessed the sheer magnitude of this press conference! Do you think the stadium will be completely filled tomorrow night when the fight begins?"

Keiko smiled, turning toward her co-host.

"Absolutely. Not only are there Japanese fans in attendance, but also a large number of Puerto Rican and American fans who have traveled here to witness this incredible showdown."

With that, she turned back to the camera and nodded.

"Back to you, Minoru Fujii."

The broadcast immediately switched back to the Tokyo Dome, where Fujii stood in front of the press conference stage.

"The press conference is about to begin," he announced. "But first, let's take a look at some of the notable figures in attendance tonight!"

The camera zoomed in toward the front row seats, just below the grand stage, where some of the biggest names in boxing were seated.

The camera focused on a man with blond hair, pale white skin, and slicked-back hair. His red eyes gave him a piercing, intimidating presence, but his easy-going expression suggested someone fully in control.

Fujii's voice sounded from beside the camera.

"Introducing the WBO Junior Welterweight Champion, Elliot Von Heinberg. A third-generation fighter from a prestigious boxing family, he has continued his family's legacy of dominance in the sport."

The camera then panned to the man seated beside him—a lanky yet coordinated young fighter. He had fair skin, turquoise eyes with blue pupils, and long, straight black hair that elegantly framed his face. He was dressed in formal attire, his posture exuding both calmness and confidence.

"This young man is Jean-Pierre Manuel, a rising star in the lightweight division. Currently ranked #7 in the lightweight division, he is the same age as Alex—only 20 years old—and is seen as a future world champion."

The camera then moved to the left side of the front row, focusing on a buff, muscular man with brown skin, a full-grown beard, and intense yellow eyes.

"This is the WBA Middleweight Champion of the World, Chavo Uros."

The camera then shifted to the man beside him—a fighter with tanned skin, blond spiky hair, and thick spiky eyebrows. His expression was arrogant as if he viewed the entire event as beneath him.

"Many of you already know this man. He is the WBC Junior Middleweight Champion, Bryan Hawk."

The camera then pointed slightly behind them, capturing two familiar faces engaged in conversation—Takeshi Sendo and Ichirou Miyata.

"You might recognize these two. Sendo is preparing for his JBC Featherweight Title match next month against Ippo Makunouchi," Fujii explained. "And beside him is Miyata, one of Japan's brightest stars."

The camera then moved back toward the main stage, focusing on the press conference setup.

Two large tables sat on the stage, each with two microphones and two chairs. A tall microphone stand was positioned in the middle.

From the side of the stage, a middle-aged announcer walked forward, microphone in hand. He spoke in Japanese, his deep voice commanding attention.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the press conference is about to begin! We will start with the co-main event."

On the left side of the stage, a man walked in. His hair was down over his forehead, and his eyelids were half-closed, giving him a lazy but seriousexpression. Beside him, his coach, a man with slicked-back hair, thick eyebrows, a mustache, and dark shades, stood tall.

The announcer introduced them.

"Introducing the former JBC Lightweight Champion, Shinobu Iga, and his coach, Kurita Baron!"

The crowd clapped politely, showing respect for the former champion.

Then, the announcer turned to the right side of the stage.

A fighter with an afro hairstyle, thick eyebrows, and a cocky smirk walked in, wearing a Bad Boy jacket. His coach followed—a man with closed eyes, a mustache, and a tracksuit with the letters "KBG" on the back.

"Introducing the current JBC Lightweight Champion, Masaru Aoki, and his coach, Shinoda!"

The crowd erupted into cheers, chanting:

"AOKI! AOKI! AOKI!"

Aoki grinned and waved to the crowd before taking his seat.

The announcer then turned back to the audience, his voice booming.

"Now… it's time for the main event of the evening."

On the right side of the stage, a man with curly hair and a cross-shaped tattoo on his foreheadstepped forward. His coach, a short man with a mustache and shades, followed behind him.

"Introducing the former WBC and WBA Lightweight Champion of the World, Marcus Rosario, and his coach, Mr. Bin!"

The moment his name was announced, the crowd erupted in boos, their hostility deafening.

A few Puerto Rican fans tried to cheer for Marcus, but their voices were completely drowned out by the overwhelming Hate.

Despite the hate, Marcus remained unfazed, walking calmly to his seat with his coach.

Then, the announcer took a deep breath and spoke with extra emphasis.

"And now… let's welcome the **WBC, WBA, and WBO Super Champion of the Lightweight Division… ALEX 'THE GREAT' MAKUNOUCHI!!!"

A massive roar exploded throughout the arena.

Alex walked in, dressed in a sharp blue suit, his hair freshly cut into a high skin fade. He swung his arms confidently, walking with his signature swagger.

Beside him, his coach Genji Kamogawa followed, wearing a tracksuit with the "KBG" logo on the back.

Before sitting, Alex suddenly stopped, turned toward the crowd, and closed his eyes.

Then, he spread his arms outward.

The entire Tokyo Dome shook as tens of thousands of fans screamed his name in unison.

"ALEX! ALEX! ALEX!"

Back in the NHK studio, Tetsuya Chikushi smiled but shook his head in amazement.

"Fuji, we… we can't even hear you. The chants are too loud."

10 minutes later

Alex sat on the right side of the long table, looking at Aoki, who sat beside him. With a grin, he suddenly hugged Aoki and whispered in his ear, "You look like a papaya."

Aoki's expression turned annoyed as he glared at Alex. However, Alex just laughed in his face, clearly enjoying himself.

Coach Kamogawa then took his seat beside Alex as the announcer stepped forward and spoke into the microphone.

"The press conference is now officially starting! Any questions from the crowd?"

Instantly, a wave of hands shot up across the massive audience. The announcer scanned the crowd before pointing to a man sitting in the middle row—a skinny guy with a buzz cut. A microphone was passed to him as he stood up.

"Hi, my name is Mark, and I'm from California," he said in English.

A translator standing on the side quickly relayed his words in Japanese.

Mark continued, "This question is for Alex. Your last fight against Marcus was extremely close. What do you expect in this fight, and what part of your skill set has improved in such a short amount of time?"

The camera zoomed in on Alex, who casually took the mic, leaned forward, and grinned .

"I've improved my mental state. This fight will be over in Round 1."

The translator conveyed Alex's response to the audience, and immediately, the crowd erupted into deafening cheers.

"ALEX! ALEX! ALEX!"

Mark nodded and turned his attention to Marcus. "Marcus, what's your response to that?"

The crowd quickly turned hostile, booing loudlybefore Marcus could even speak. Looking around at the jeering audience, Marcus chuckled to himself and shook his head before speaking in Spanish.

"Boo all you want. Tomorrow night, you'll all love me after I put your boy to sleep."

Once translated into Japanese, the boos became even louder, echoing throughout the Tokyo Dome.

The announcer quickly moved on. "Next question!"

Another man in his early twenties raised his hand, and the camera focused on him. He had a delinquent look—spiky hair, a cocky grin, and an attitude to match.

"I have a question for Marcus," he said in Japanese.

Once translated, Marcus turned to look at him with a blank expression.

The delinquent grinned wider before asking, "Marcus, after Alex beats you for the second time… are you gonna cry like a little b*tch?"

The crowd immediately burst into laughter and cheered in unison.

"YEAHHHHH!"

The camera shifted to Alex, who sat back in his chair, grinning proudly at the question. Meanwhile, Marcus's irritated expression slowly darkened.

Marcus clenched his fists and leaned forward. "When I beat him, you'll be the one crying."

The crowd booed him again, even louder than before.

The delinquent laughed before turning to another fighter at the table. "This question is for Shinobu Iga."

The camera panned to Iga, who sat stiffly in his seat, refusing to look in Alex's direction. His expression remained serious as he awaited the question.

"Will we see the Iga we used to know tomorrow night?" the delinquent asked.

Iga exhaled slowly before responding in a firm tone, "You will."

A small section of the crowd cheered in support of Iga, but it was nowhere near the volume of Alex's chants.

The delinquent nodded and sat back down. "That's all my questions."

The next person to raise their hand was a middle-aged Japanese man.

"This question is for Aoki," he said as the camera shifted toward Aoki.

Aoki, sensing the seriousness of the question, sat up straight and kept his expression calm.

"What do you expect from Iga, who will be your toughest challenge in defending your JBC Lightweight Title?"

Aoki took the mic and answered confidently, "I expect a war. I won't be backing down in this fight. We've prepared multiple tactics just to beat this guy."

The crowd erupted into chants of "AOKI! AOKI! AOKI!"

After the cheers died down, the middle-aged man continued, "This is a question for Alex. How do you plan to neutralize Marcus's switching stance? That gave you trouble in the last fight."

The camera zoomed in on Alex, who leaned back with a cocky grin.

"This fight will be over before he can even switch stances. And even if he does, constantly switching won't help him."

The crowd roared in excitement.

Suddenly, the middle-aged man started singing in Japanese.

"Marcus, are you listening? Marcus, keep wishing…

Alex is coming for you, he'll do you in two…

Walking in Alex Makunouchi Wonderland!"

The entire crowd immediately caught on and began singing in unison.

"THERE'S ONLY ONE ALEX MAKUNOUCHI!

THERE'S ONLY ONE ALEX MAKUNOUCHI!

MARCUS, KEEP WISHING…

ALEX IS COMING FOR YOU, HE'LL DO YOU IN TWO…

WALKING IN ALEX MAKUNOUCHI WONDERLAND!"

The chants shook the entire Tokyo Dome, so loud that they could be heard even outside the arena.

The camera focused on Alex, who smiled proudlyas the entire crowd sang for him.

Then the camera cut to Marcus. His hands were trembling slightly, his emotions barely contained.

In the front row, Bryan Hawk and Chavo Uros sat in silence, watching the incredible support Alex was receiving. Even as champions, they had never experienced this level of admiration.

The camera then shifted to Sendo and Miyata, who sat together, watching Alex with expressions of respect and admiration.

Finally, the camera landed on Shinobu Iga. He stood frozen, stunned speechless by the overwhelming crowd support.

The chants continued for a full 20 minutes before finally dying down.

The announcer took a deep breath before speaking again.

"Now that the press conference is over, we will begin the ceremonial weigh-ins!"

Alex and Aoki stood up, followed by their respective coaches, Kamogawa and Shinoda.

The event staff quickly removed the tables and placed the traditional weigh-in scale at the center of the stage.

"We'll start with the co-main event!" the announcer declared.

Shinobu Iga removed his shirt and pants, stepping onto the scale. He raised both hands as the announcer called out, "134.5 pounds!"

A small cheer erupted from the crowd.

Next, Aoki removed his clothes, handing them to Shinoda before stepping onto the scale with a confident grin.

"135 pounds!"

The announcer then instructed, "You may now face off!"

Aoki and Iga stepped to the center of the stage, locking eyes. Neither one blinked nor looked away, their intensity radiating through the arena. The announcer had to forcibly separate them as the crowd cheered wildly.

Then, it was time for the main event.

Marcus removed his clothes and stepped onto the scale. The crowd booed loudly. Marcus ignored them completely.

"135.5 pounds!"

Finally, Alex removed his shirt, handing it to Kamogawa before confidently walking to the scale, swaying his arms side to side.

Once on the scale, he flexed his biceps and screamed,

"AHHHHHHHH!"

The crowd erupted again.

"ALEX! ALEX! ALEX!"

"135 pounds!" the announcer declared.

Alex stepped off and approached the center of the stage, where Marcus was already standing. A guard stood between them.

Alex stuck out his tongue at Marcus, who barely contained his frustration.

As Marcus bent down to put on his pants, Alex casually walked past him and…

FARTED ON HIS FACE.

Marcus's anger exploded. He lunged at Alex, but the guards held him back.

"DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!" Alex flipped a middle finger.

Marcus cursed at him in rapid Spanish. "I'LL MAKE YOU PAY TOMORROW NIGHT!"