History ShoutOut / HajimeNoIppo

** The direct inspiration of Ichiro Miyata is the Japanese boxer Naoto Takahashi who's known for his comebacks in the boxing ring (though that's really more of an Ippo trademark) as well as his counter-style out-boxer prowess. His fighting style is further modeled after Sugar Ray Leonard (Miyata's favorite boxer), who himself is known as "Little Ali" or the UsefulNotes/MuhammadAli of the welterweight division due to his defensive prowess and win percentage against his rivals.

** Who could forget the closest thing to a Series BigBad, [[BloodKnight Ricardo "El Diablo" Martinez]]? His combination of a wild brawling style tempered with the Sweet Science is quite reminiscent of real-life undefeated Mexican legend [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricardo_L%C3%B3pez_(boxer) Ricardo Lopez]]. As for his long win streak, this is instead reminiscent of another Mexican legend, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julio_C%C3%A9sar_Ch%C3%A1vez Julio Cesar Chavez]][[note]]who has a win streak of 87 straight wins until it was broken care of a draw with fellow boxing legend [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pernell_Whitaker Pernell Whitaker]] and a clean 89-0-1 record until his first loss against Frankie Randall, who knocked him down for the first time[[/note]].

** Eiji Date's comeback story after a long hiatus is reminiscent of George Foreman and Fujio Ozaki, also known as "The Japanese [[BoisterousBruiser Roberto Duran]]". Ozaki in particular serves as his direct model, right down to their similar features and facial hair. Meanwhile, his Corkscrew Punch and Heartbreak Shot are quite reminiscent of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kid_McCoy#%22The_real_McCoy%22 Charles "Kid" McCoy]], who in turn (might have) inspired the idiomatic term "The Real [=McCoy=]".

* The boxers of ''Hajime no Ippo'' have many real-life equivalents, particularly famous boxers of the 1970s and 1980s as well as local Japanese heroes.

** As for Ricardo's rival Alfredo Gonzales, he might be the Ippo universe's [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Manuel_M%C3%A1rquez Juan Manuel Marquez]] due to the way he knocked out Ippo a la Maquez rival [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manny_Pacquiao Manny Pacquiao]] with what looked like a Jolt Counter from Miyata but was actually a complicated series of feints leading to a knockout counter punch. Gonzales is also reminiscent of Marquez in the way he insistently demanded a rematch against his own rival Martinez (Marquez had actually never "officially" won against Pacquiao until that fourth encounter knockout).

* Alfredo Gonzales' spine-tingling knockout of Ippo is highly reminiscent of the spine-tingling knockout [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Manuel_M%C3%A1rquez Juan Manuel Marquez]] did of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manny_Pacquiao Manny Pacquiao]] in their fourth fight.

** Who could forget the closest thing to a Series BigBad, [[BloodKnight Ricardo "El Diablo" Martinez]]? His combination of a wild brawling style tempered with the Sweet Science is quite reminiscent of real-life undefeated Mexican legend [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricardo_L%C3%B3pez_(boxer) Ricardo Lopez]]. As for his long win streak, this is instead reminiscent of another Mexican legend, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julio_C%C3%A9sar_Ch%C3%A1vez Julio Cesar Chavez]][[note]]who has a win streak of 87 straight wins until it was broken care of a draw with fellow boxing legend Pernell Whitaker and a clean 89-0-1 record until his first loss against Frankie Randall, who knocked him down for the first time[[/note]].

** Who could forget the closest thing to a Series BigBad, [[BloodKnight Ricardo "El Diablo" Martinez]]? His combination of a wild brawling style tempered with the Sweet Science is quite reminiscent of real-life undefeated Mexican legend [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricardo_L%C3%B3pez_(boxer) Ricardo Lopez]]. As for his long win streak, this is instead reminiscent of another Mexican legend, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julio_C%C3%A9sar_Ch%C3%A1vez Julio Cesar Chavez]] (who has a win streak of 87 straight wins until it was broken care of a draw with fellow boxing legend Pernell Whitaker and a clean 89-0-1 record until his first loss against Frankie Randall, who knocked him down for the first time).

** Who could forget the closest thing to a Series BigBad, [[BloodKnight Ricardo "El Diablo" Martinez]]? His combination of a wild brawling style tempered with the Sweet Science is quite reminiscent of real-life undefeated Mexican legend [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricardo_L%C3%B3pez_(boxer) Ricardo Lopez]]. As for his long win streak, this is instead reminiscent of another Mexican legend, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julio_C%C3%A9sar_Ch%C3%A1vez Julio Cesar Chavez]] (who has a win streak of 87 straight wins until it was broken by fellow boxing legend Pernell Whitaker and a clean 89-0-1 record until his loss against Frankie Randall, who knocked him down for the first time).

** Who could forget what's arguably the series BigBad, [[BloodKnight Ricardo "El Diablo" Martinez]]? His combination of a wild brawling style tempered with the Sweet Science is quite reminiscent of real-life undefeated Mexican legend [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricardo_L%C3%B3pez_(boxer) Ricardo Lopez]]. As for his long win streak, this is instead reminiscent of another Mexican legend, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julio_C%C3%A9sar_Ch%C3%A1vez Julio Cesar Chavez]] (who has a win streak of 87 straight wins until it was broken by fellow boxing legend Pernell Whitaker and a clean 89-0-1 record until his loss against Frankie Randall, who knocked him down for the first time).

** Eiji Date's comeback story after a long hiatus is reminiscent of George Foreman and Fujio Ozaki, also known as "The Japanese Roberto Duran". Ozaki in particular serves as his direct model, right down to their similar features and facial hair. Meanwhile, his Corkscrew Punch and Heartbreak Shot are quite reminiscent of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kid_McCoy#%22The_real_McCoy%22 Charles "Kid" McCoy]], who in turn (might have) inspired the idiomatic term "The Real [=McCoy=]".

** Eiji Date's comeback story after a long hiatus is reminiscent of George Foreman and Fujio Ozaki, also known as "The Japanese Roberto Duran". Ozaki in particular serves as his direct model, right down to their similar features and facial hair. Meanwhile, his Corkscrew Punch and Heartbreak Shot are quite reminiscent of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kid_McCoy Charles "Kid" McCoy]}, who in turn (might have) inspired the idiomatic term "The Real [=McCoy=]".

** Eiji Date's comeback story after a long hiatus is reminiscent of George Foreman and Fujio Ozaki, also known as "The Japanese Roberto Duran". Ozaki in particular serves as his direct model, right down to their similar features and facial hair. Meanwhile, his Corkscrew Punch and Heartbreak Shot are quite reminiscent of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kid_McCoy#%22The_real_McCoy%22 Charles "Kid" McCoy]}, who in turn (might have) inspired the idiomatic term "The Real [=McCoy=]".

** Eiji Date's comeback story after a long hiatus is reminiscent of George Foreman and Fujio Ozaki. Ozaki in particular serves as his direct model, right down to their similar features and facial hair. Meanwhile, his Corkscrew Punch and Heartbreak Shot are quite reminiscent of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kid_McCoy#%22The_real_McCoy%22 Charles "Kid" McCoy], who in turn inspired the term "The Real McCoy".

** Then there's "The Shinigami (Grim Reaper)" Ryo Mashiba. He employs the Detroit Style or the Philly Shell. His signature moves are his Flicker Jabs, Chopping Right, and Elbow Block. He's overall a huge shout-out to legendary boxer Thomas "The Hitman" Hearns who also featured the same techniques, scary knock-out power, boxing skills, and lanky body type as Mashiba.

* Sendo mentioned to Ippo that he's a huge fan of Rocky. Not that Franchise/{{Rocky}} though. He meant Rocky Marciano, not Rocky Balboa. Arguably a case of a double shout-out.

* Manabu Itagaki mentions idolizing the fighting style of "The Golden Boy" Oscar Dela Hoya.

* Alfredo Gonzales' spine-tingling knockout of Ippo is highly reminiscent of the spine-tingling knockout Juan Manuel Marquez did of Manny Pacquiao in their fourth fight.

** First off, Makunouchi Ippo is definitely based on Creator/MikeTyson, particularly when it comes to his Peek-a-Boo stance, his in-fighting and swarming specialty, his shortness and limited reach, and his MegatonPunch. He also instinctively developed his own brand of Dempsey Roll based off of the SignatureMove of "The Manassa Mauler" Jack Dempsey, a boxer from the 1910s to 1920s. Incidentally, Tyson idolized and emulated Dempsey's fighting style as well.

* Takeshi Sendo mentioned to Ippo that he's a huge fan of Rocky. Not that Franchise/{{Rocky}} though. He meant Rocky Marciano, not Rocky Balboa. Arguably a case of a double shout-out.

** First off, Makunouchi Ippo is definitely based on Creator/MikeTyson, particularly when it comes to his Peek-a-Boo stance, his in-fighting and swarming specialty, his shortness and limited reach, and his MegatonPunch. He also instinctively developed his own brand of Dempsey Roll based off of the SignatureMove of Jack Dempsey, a boxer from the 1910s to 1920s. Incidentally, Tyson idolized and emulated Dempsey's fighting style as well.

* When Ippo’s match against Jason was being discussed, Aoki joked about how since his rival's name was [[Franchise/FridayThe13th Jason]], Ippo’s "boxer name" could have been [[Film/NightmareOnElmStreet Freddy]]. [[Film/FreddyVsJason Freddy vs. Jason]] anyone?
* The [[https://ippo.fandom.com/wiki/Mayweather_Bar Mayweather Bar]] is a semi-recurring place in ''Hajime no Ippo''. It is a bar located in Tokyo, Japan, where some characters go to drink after a match, or to unwind. It's also a huge shout-out to famed defensive wizard boxer and controversial figure [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floyd_Mayweather_Jr Floyd Mayweather Jr.]]

* The [[https://ippo.fandom.com/wiki/Mayweather_Bar Mayweather Bar]] is a semi-recurring place in ''Hajime no Ippo''.
It is a bar located in Tokyo, Japan, where some characters go to drink after a match, or to unwind. It's also a huge shout-out to famed defensive wizard boxer and controversial figure [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floyd_Mayweather_Jr Floyd Mayweather Jr.]]

It is a bar located in Tokyo, Japan, where some characters go to drink after a match, or to unwind. It's also a huge shout-out to famed defensive wizard boxer and controversial figure [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floyd_Mayweather_Jr. Floyd Mayweather Jr.]]