"I AM BOXER" Guk Seung-jun, along with Cho Hyun-jae, Lee Chae-hyun and Kwon O-gon, advanced to the semifinals.
On the 9th, the eighth episode of tvN "I AM BOXER" (directed by Lee Won-woong, writer Kang Sook-kyung) saw the quarterfinals of Cho Hyun-jae vs. Yuk Jun-seo, Lee Chae-hyun vs. Lee Ki-jun and Hong Seong-min vs. Kwon O-gon explode viewers' dopamine. After unpredictable contests, Cho Hyun-jae, Lee Chae-hyun and Kwon O-gon won and joined Guk Seung-jun in the semifinals.
First, in the match between "Pretty Boy" Cho Hyun-jae and "Blaze" Yuk Jun-seo, Yuk Jun-seo, with one year of boxing experience, produced a shocking moment by knocking down elite boxer Cho Hyun-jae. Yuk Jun-seo struck Cho Hyun-jae's chin with a right-hand punch while Cho Hyun-jae's guard was lowered. MC Dex, unable to hide his surprise, said, "Can this be real? The fact that an elite athlete is knocked down like this".
Yuk Jun-seo also displayed strategic mud-fighting tactics and unpredictable explosiveness to neutralize his opponent's attacks. Cho Hyun-jae, having been shown down by his mother for the first time, composed himself and, living up to his speed star reputation, used quick steps to fiercely attack the fatigued Yuk Jun-seo and raise the excitement. After becoming the winner of the intense match, Cho Hyun-jae was embraced by his mother after the bout, and, feeling sorry for his surprised mother, burst into tears, adding to the poignancy.
The match between "Striker" Lee Ki-jun and "Prince" Lee Chae-hyun seemed at first like a fight between a right-handed orthodox fighter and a left-handed southpaw, but in the second round Lee Ki-jun switched stances at will, baffling Lee Chae-hyun. Lee Chae-hyun, however, skillfully managed the match by, after quick attacks, stepping out of range of Lee Ki-jun's punches and disrupting Lee Ki-jun's rhythm with variety in his lead hand.
After securing victory, Lee Chae-hyun said, "I am someone who truly loves boxing. I truly consider boxing my life, and the person who let me do boxing is my father. And my mother has always followed me to my matches and supported me, so I want to say thank you and that I want to be filial," conveying his genuine feelings toward his parents.
The quarterfinals finale was between "Tyson" Hong Seong-min and "Thunder" Kwon O-gon. Making a comeback to the crowd-lined ring after three years, Kwon O-gon showcased his unchanged skill by exploiting Hong Seong-min's openings with his signature instant speed. The tense duel between the two masters, who swept the first round, even made master Don Lee and MC Kim Jong Kook and Dex rise from their seats, and Don Lee marveled, "This is real boxing."
In the continuing rounds, Kwon O-gon moved quickly to lower Hong Seong-min's accuracy and disrupt his timing. But in the later stages, Hong Seong-min read Kwon O-gon's patterns and, by adjusting the strength of his punches, bewildered Kwon O-gon and counterattacked with jumps and punches. The final sixth round produced endless full swings from both fighters trying to decide the outcome, prompting gasps.
With the first judge favoring Hong Seong-min and the second favoring Kwon O-gon, each taking one point, the third judge's decision determined the match, and Kwon O-gon won and advanced directly to the semifinals. Kwon O-gon declared, "I will work hard in the remaining semifinals to reach the final."
Thus, of the 90 contestants, only four survivors remain: Guk Seung-jun, Cho Hyun-jae, Lee Chae-hyun and Kwon O-gon.
[Photo] tvN "I AM BOXER" video capture
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