The atmosphere inside Ota Gymnasium spreads far beyond the ring itself. By the time the third undercard reaches another violent exchange, the noise rolling through the arena already sounds like a storm pressing against the building itself.
Inside one of the red corner locker rooms, Higuchi Naoya moves through his shadowboxing with smooth rhythm while the roar of the arena bleeds faintly through the concrete walls around them.
Every few seconds, another wave of noise swells from outside, loud enough to remind everyone backstage how heated the atmosphere inside Ota Gymnasium has already become tonight.
At one point, Higuchi stops briefly and exhales through his nose. "They're screaming over garbage boxing again," he mutters.
Coach Shimei Ueno, standing beneath the mounted flatscreen, gives a faint shrug. "Crowds always react to violence."
Higuchi lets out a quiet scoff before slipping back into motion. "Only clowns turn their faces into minced meat just to entertain spectators."
