Fujii, Minoru

藤井稔

Fujii is a seasoned reporter who frequently stays informed about the current status of any given boxer. He has tracked Makunouchi Ippo's career since his second spar with Miyata Ichirou and could possibly be considered Ippo's first fan. He often visits the Kamogawa Boxing Gym to provide Ippo with information on his upcoming opponents and, among many others, eagerly anticipates Makunouchi vs. Miyata III.
Fuji covered the Rookie King Tournament in which Ippo participated. He paid more attention to Makunouchi Ippo than other reporters did because he already recognized Ippo's potential.
Fujii is very laid-back and unkempt, often appearing as though he has just woken up. His hair is usually uncombed, and he often has stubble in addition to his regular moustache. In addition to Ippo, he also seems to be friends with Takamura Mamoru and Date Eiji.
He used to be accompanied on assignments by a younger reporter, but sometime before Ippo's second match against Sendou Takeshi, he gained a new partner in Iimura Mari.
A seldom-noticed running gag of the series is Fujii's constant attempts to quit smoking. He switches between cigarettes and nicotine replacement tubes regularly.