Up in the press seats, the mood shifts almost imperceptibly. Some journalists lean back, others forward, recalculating in silence.
Only a few had believed in Ryoma's level even before tonight, quietly noting the talent. But most hadn't.
For them, this bout had looked like a gamble, a small gym buying an OPBF stage too early, risking a young fighter against a Philippine champion ranked near the top of the region.
Now, that framing doesn't hold.
"That's a national champion, undefeated."
"Ranked fourth in OPBF. And he's got no safe space left."
"This was supposed to test that kid. Turns out it's doing more than that."
No one announces it outright. They don't need to. The conclusion settles quietly across the press row, from local notebooks to foreign laptops.
This isn't a reckless mismatch. This is Ryoma's first international fight, and he's actually dictating it.
