At nearly thirty, Date is already considered an old-timer in boxing—but he's the guy Ippo genuinely looks up to. Years back, he challenged Ricardo Martinez for the World Title when Martinez was defending for the second time. Date got knocked out in round two and suffered a badly fractured nose that left him scarred.
He retired after that to marry Aiko, a woman from money who gave up a lot for him, and try to build a family. The timing was rough; Aiko had just miscarried. But Date's a boxer through and through. He couldn't shake the competitive fire, and when his wife told him she wanted their son Yuuji to see his father fight, he clawed his way back to the top.
Date's solid across the board as a fighter, but his signature move—the Heartbreak Shot—is what sets him apart. It's a vicious corkscrew blow aimed straight at the heart that can neutralize an opponent in one shot, usually followed up with a heavy right hand.
Homeland: Japan
Boxing Stance: Orthodox Stance; Brawler/Infighter
Signature Techniques: Corkscrew blows and punches, the Heartbreak Shot, Neck Spin, Guard Spin
Content compiled by AnimeList.moe from publicly available sources.
