Nakahara doesn't answer right away. But he doesn't deny it either. He's considering.
He's already seen the danger. Chasing a knockout means letting exchanges happen instead of dissolving them. It means giving up the safety he's spent years building into Ryohei's boxing.
One mistimed counter, one bad read, and a promising career could be shortened in a single round.
That's always been Nakahara's fear. But he knows that way has limits.
Ryohei isn't a prospect anymore. He's climbed high enough that caution alone will start to look like avoidance, cowardice. At this level, there are moments you can't dance around forever.
Nakahara's eyes drift past the corner, not to the crowd, but higher, toward the darkened seating beyond the lights.
Someone important could be watching. The Super Lightweight champion himself could be here assessing his next opponent.
This fight isn't just about surviving anymore. It's about being taken seriously.
