Fighting Spirit - Season 3 - Eps 1: The Strongest Challenger
Makunouchi Ippo defeated Sendou Takeshi with his Dempsey Roll and became the Japanese Featherweight Champion! Reflecting on his recent title defenses, Ippo reminisces about his late father Kazuo, and his own desires to be as strong as his dad was.
About Fighting Spirit

Title: Fighting Spirit
First Air Date: 2000-10-03
Last Air Date: 2014-03-29
Status: Ended
Rating: 8.7/10 (from 1101 votes)
Language: JA
Seasons: 4
Total Episodes: 126
Network: Nippon TV
Genres: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Action & Adventure
Production Companies: Madhouse, MAPPA
Synopsis
Makunouchi Ippo is an ordinary high school student in Japan. Since he spends most of his time away from school helping his mother run the family business, he doesn't get to enjoy his younger years like most teenagers. Always a target for bullying at school (the family fishing business grants him a distinct odor), Ippo's life is one of hardship. One of these after-school bullying sessions turns Ippo's life around for the better, as he is saved by a boxer named Takamura. He decides to follow in Takamura's footsteps and train to become a boxer, giving his life direction and purpose. Ippo's path to perfecting his pugilistic prowess is just beginning...
Cast

Kohei Kiyasu
Ippo Makunouchi (voice)

Rikiya Koyama
Mamoru Takamura (voice)

Wataru Takagi
Masaru Aoki (voice)

Keiji Fujiwara
Tatsuya Kimura (voice)

Jurota Kosugi
Ralph Anderson (voice)

Hidenobu Kiuchi
David Eagle (voice)

Hisao Egawa
Iwao Shimabukuro (voice)

Shin-ichiro Miki
Ryuhei Sawamura (voice)