“I Am a Boxer” truly became a ring of blood and survival. In the quarterfinal round, where only four tickets to the semifinals were available, Jo Hyun-jae, Lee Chae-hyun, and Kwon Oh-gon secured dramatic victories and advanced alongside Guk Seung-jun.
In episode 8 of tvN’s “I Am a Boxer,” aired on January 9, the matchups between Jo Hyun-jae and Yook Jun-seo, Lee Chae-hyun and Lee Gi-jun, and Hong Sung-min and Kwon Oh-gon delivered intense, adrenaline-filled battles. With not a single moment of carelessness allowed, every fight remained unpredictable until the very end.
The showdown between “Pretty Boy” Jo Hyun-jae and “Blaze” Yook Jun-seo was shocking from the start. Despite having only one year of boxing experience, Yook created a historic moment by knocking down elite boxer Jo Hyun-jae. The instant Jo lowered his guard, Yook’s right hand struck his jaw with pinpoint accuracy, sending shockwaves through the arena. Watching the scene, MC Dex exclaimed, “Does this even make sense? Knocking down an elite boxer like that…”
Yook continued to pressure Jo with unpredictable, muddy exchanges and explosive power. However, after being knocked down for the first time in front of his mother, Jo clenched his teeth and launched a fierce comeback. Using his signature fast footwork and speed, he relentlessly targeted the tiring Yook and ultimately claimed victory. After the match, Jo broke down in tears in his mother’s arms, leaving a deep emotional impression.
The battle between “Striker” Lee Gi-jun and “Prince” Lee Chae-hyun was also filled with tension. In the clash between orthodox and southpaw stances, Lee Gi-jun tried to create variables by switching his stance, but Lee Chae-hyun calmly controlled the distance and dictated the flow with precise jabs. In the end, Lee Chae-hyun’s composed and experienced fight management secured his win.
After the match, Lee Chae-hyun shared, “Boxing is my life,” adding, “I want to repay my parents, especially my father who led me onto this path and my mother who has always supported me.”
The highlight of the quarterfinals was the collision between “Tyson” Hong Sung-min and “Thunder” Kwon Oh-gon. Returning to the ring in front of an audience for the first time in three years, Kwon used sharp speed and perfect timing to shake Hong. The fierce exchanges were so intense that master Ma Dong-seok and MCs Kim Jong-kook and Dex all stood up from their seats. Ma remarked, “This is real boxing.”
Although Hong mounted a strong counterattack in the later rounds, the brutal full-swing battle continued until the final sixth round, with Kwon Oh-gon emerging victorious. With the first and second judges split, the third judge raised Kwon’s hand, confirming his spot in the semifinals. Kwon stated, “I will give everything I have in the semifinals and go all the way to the finals.”
Out of the original 90 contestants, only four survivors remain: Guk Seung-jun, Jo Hyun-jae, Lee Chae-hyun, and Kwon Oh-gon. The semifinals of tvN’s “I Am a Boxer,” promising even fiercer and hotter battles, will air on Friday, January 16, at 8:30 p.m.
Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
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