The Iron Girls are getting closer to becoming hexagonal boxers through combat training that rivals actual competition.
In the episode 9 of tvN's 'Iron Girls 2,' broadcast on 5th, Yui, Geum Sae-rok, Park Joo-hyun, and Seol In-ah enhanced their physical strength and combat senses through the 'Iron Boot Camp' in Phuket, Thailand, growing one step further as boxers.
The Iron Girls kicked off the 'Iron Boot Camp' with a grueling workout program known as the Pirate Camp. Yui, Park Joo-hyun, Geum Sae-rok, and Seol In-ah formed teams to carry tires while running, lift 15 kg treasure chests, throw 10 kg medicine balls, and underwent a total of 12 types of training in a 2-person circuit training and group core training to build their physical strength.
Sparring with foreign athletes in a local boxing gym in Phuket, without knowing the opponent's abilities, raised the dopamine levels. In particular, as Seol In-ah's opponent was suspected to be the most experienced fighter, Seol In-ah raised her guard immediately when the opponent charged in during the first round, evaded a jab, and kept an eye on the opponent's movements. Moreover, she widened the ring while timing her strikes against the fast-approaching opponent, and during the thrilling bout, Kim Dong-hyun remarked, "This is proper sparring," expressing his admiration.
Unlike the tense first round filled with psychological warfare, the second round featured a more aggressive opponent and Seol In-ah's bold attacks, enhancing the immersion. After the sparring, it was revealed that Seol In-ah's opponent was a veteran with 5 years of MMA experience and a record of 16 wins and 5 losses, which widened her pupils in surprise. Nevertheless, Seol In-ah received evaluations that her power and skill level were high, along with praise that she could become a professional boxer, raising expectations for her performance in boxing tournaments.
Park Joo-hyun, dubbed the 'Mad Boxers,' responded to her opponent's manic smile after receiving 3 effective hits with a jab while maintaining calmness, and throughout the sparring, she also created opportunities to score effective hits first with stable in-and-out movements, eliciting gasps from observers. Her tenacious fighting spirit was also evident as she refused to back down even when cornered.
On the other hand, Yui, engulfed by severe tension, struggled in the first round. The opponent penetrated Yui's long reach and accurately attacked while reading her timing. Despite being hit more than in any previous sparring, Yui boasted extraordinary resilience, declaring, "It doesn't hurt," and in the second round, she relentlessly fired punches at her opponent, changing the atmosphere.
Geum Sae-rok targeted her opponent using her long reach but was unable to avoid several powerful body shots and suffered standing counts. However, she quickly recovered during the 8-second count and aggressively launched the first attack, continuing her relentless play. Additionally, it was revealed that Geum Sae-rok's opponent was a seasoned Muay Thai fighter with 10 years of experience, surprising everyone.
Moreover, the Iron Girls had meaningful time to identify their strengths and areas for improvement through sparring analysis with Coach Kim Ji-hoon. Coach Kim noted, "I think you should just do your best and come down. From what I saw today, everyone did just that. So, I'm feeling good today," smiling as he praised the Iron Girls, saying, "Today's sparring was truly satisfying."
With their boxing skills and physical strength honed, Yui, Geum Sae-rok, Park Joo-hyun, and Seol In-ah's journey to challenge for the boxing championship, as 'icons of growth,' airs every Friday at 8:40 p.m. on tvN 'Iron Girls 2.'
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