Chapter 1027: The Unshaken Pursuit
As the second round begins, Callahan continues to control the fight with his flicker jab and economical footwork. He looks calmer now, repeatedly reminding himself not to rush the process.
"Don’t get so heated up yet."
"Take it easy."
"Get him impatient first."
Unlike in the opening round, he keeps both hands lower, his feet set a little wider in a more relaxed, bladed stance.
Across from him, Aramaki remains relentlessly active, looking almost as though he has somewhere else to be after the fight.
He never seems to settle, constantly making small adjustments with his feet and upper body. His hands are always busy, flashing feints and hesitating just long enough to make his next move difficult to read.
Even his stance keeps changing, shifting from an upright orthodox posture into a low peek-a-boo guard and back again, never settling with any single pattern.
"Look at all those random movements," one commentator observes. "Aramaki barely gives Callahan a moment to read him. Every feint, every shift in his stance, keeps forcing Callahan to reconsider what’s coming next."
"Exactly," the other replies. "He’s constantly changing levels and rhythms. It’s difficult to prepare for a fighter who refuses to give you the same look twice."
For a while, Callahan continues playing it safe, avoiding reckless exchanges by stepping off the line whenever Aramaki closes in.
His intention is clear: make the Japanese champion impatient enough to overcommit.
But as the round progresses, Callahan’s expression gradually tightens. From the very beginning, Aramaki has shown no patience whatsoever, leaving Callahan with little reason to believe that simply waiting will change anything.
"Fine... let’s give him what he wants."
Callahan finally holds his ground behind the Philly Shell, deliberately allowing Aramaki to build his attack.
For the first time in the fight, Aramaki manages to put together a longer combination.
He opens with a compact one-two first...
Dug. Dug.
...both landing against Callahan’s lead shoulder.
Then Aramaki slides his lead foot forward slightly, following with a lead hook and a right drop punch.
Callahan catches the hook on his right forearm, then pulls his upper body back, allowing the right hand to sweep through empty air in a descending arc.
Believing Aramaki has committed himself, Callahan coils his body and fires a right straight.
Yet even now, Aramaki manages to pull far enough away to avoid taking the counter cleanly.
Dsh!
"Ooh, finally!" one commentator exclaims.
"Now we’re getting somewhere!" the other replies.
Callahan has finally landed a counter, but his expression shows little satisfaction.
He can feel the impact, or rather, the lack of it. The punch has barely connected, registering as little more than a touch against Aramaki’s temple.
Aramaki comes inside again.
Callahan tries to disrupt his advance with a few quick lefts.
But the Japanese champion slips past them with sharp peek-a-boo movements, weaving through the incoming punches until he gets within close range.
Once inside, Aramaki unleashes short hooks in an unpredictable sequence, showing little concern for which target each punch reaches.
Callahan responds by rolling his upper body, slipping and deflecting each incoming shot with precise movements.
"Aramaki is relentless at this range!" one commentator exclaims. "He’s throwing hooks from every angle, and Callahan has to readjust with every single punch!"
"And look at Callahan’s defense!" the other commentator adds. "He’s slipping and rolling through the barrage, but how long can he keep handling this kind of pressure?"
Aramaki then switches his attack, throwing a left uppercut and a right straight combination.
Callahan slaps the uppercut aside with his right palm, then twists his lead shoulder, attempting to let the straight slide past him.
The movement draws Aramaki forward, and Callahan seizes the opening with a compact right hook, firing without needing to coil first.
Dsh!
The punch smacks Aramaki across the cheek, snapping his head to the side.
But Aramaki answers almost immediately. His left hand rises from a low angle and drives deep into Callahan’s midsection.
BHUGH!!
"Wooah... they’re trading at close range now!"
"Callahan catches him with a counter, but Aramaki makes him pay for it immediately!"
Callahan’s face twists into a grimace, his jaw tightening as the body shot steals a fraction of his composure.
He tries to force Aramaki away and create enough room to escape, but for a brief moment, his legs feel strangely weak.
And Aramaki is already moving, cutting off the exit with a measured side step before Callahan can slip past him.
Callahan fires a one-two to drive him back, but Aramaki simply slips the jab, rolls beneath the right, and steps inside again, unleashing another unpredictable series of short hooks.
Callahan returns to his Philly Shell, rolling his shoulders, slipping his head, and deflecting each incoming punch while waiting for the right moment to counter.
Yet despite the relentless pressure and chaotic offense, Aramaki’s mind remains calm. He never allows his momentum to carry his posture too far forward, keeping himself balanced enough to recover from every attack.
Eventually, however, one of Aramaki’s hooks is deflected by Callahan’s twisting lead shoulder, nudging the Japanese champion slightly forward.
"Got you!"
Callahan fires a counter straight into Aramaki’s face.
DHUACK!
But Aramaki’s left hand is already on its way, swinging in from the side and crashing into Callahan’s head.
BAM!!
"WHOA! He caught him with that one!"
"Good lord! Aramaki just refuses to go down!"
Aramaki stands stunned for a brief moment, his eyes widening as the impact catches him off guard.
Callahan staggers sideways, his face dazed and disoriented as he struggles to regain his balance. When he finally steadies himself, disbelief crosses his expression as he finds Aramaki already advancing again.
Aramaki briefly rubs his nose with his left glove before both hands return to their restless work, flashing feints and shifting unpredictably as he closes the distance once more.
"What’s wrong with this guy?"
Eventually, Callahan chooses to disengage, relying on his footwork to put some distance.
He had entered the round intending to teach Aramaki a lesson, to make him feel the danger of pressing forward without caution.
Yet somehow, instead of making Aramaki fear his counters, Callahan finds himself growing wary of the sheer madness of the man coming after him.