Iwado

Iwado is easygoing, straightforward and notably less malicious than the delinquents who initially place him in Yuu's path. His appetite is a recurring part of his appearances and contributes to his generally affable presence away from fighting.

He accepts strength when he experiences it firsthand. Losing does not turn into a lasting obsession with revenge; instead, he becomes willing to talk to Yuu as one fighter to another.

Iwado is also practical. His advice comes from understanding what martial-arts techniques actually do when removed from safe training surfaces.

Iwado is a trained judoka with a large, durable physique. His throws are especially dangerous on asphalt because an impact that would be controlled on tatami can cause severe injury on concrete.

He also uses choking techniques and can exploit ordinary clothing for grips. These abilities make close-range grappling with him extremely dangerous for a boxer.

His durability allows him to absorb punishment that would stop smaller opponents. Yuu's ordinary punching combinations therefore cannot be treated as an automatic solution against him.

Yoshii brings Iwado into the campaign against the Thug Hunter, in part because of a debt Iwado owes him. Yuu's encounter with Iwado becomes his first serious demonstration that trained martial artists present problems very different from ordinary delinquents.

Yuu manages to defeat Iwado after a difficult fight, despite being badly troubled by his judo. Rather than becoming a recurring enemy, Iwado later reconciles with him.

Afterward, Iwado repeatedly offers Yuu observations and advice about fighting. His role shifts from obstacle to one of the experienced martial artists who help Yuu understand disciplines outside boxing.

Yuu Kamishiro first meets Iwado as an opponent. After losing, Iwado accepts Yuu Kamishiro's strength and later becomes a friendly source of fighting advice.

Yoshii uses Iwado's debt to bring him into the conflict with Yuu.

Masaki Izawa observes Iwado's fight with Yuu and recognizes the younger fighter's developing potential.