It's no surprise that a boxer's motivation is as varied and unique as the boxer him or herself. It's also no surprise when some motivations are more powerful tools for achieving goals than others. The fight between Joe and Yuri at the end of season 1 of Megalobox provides an answer as to what kind of motivation is required for characters in Megalobox to be Megaloboxers and for people to be champions.
Prior to the championship match, Joe and Yuri display their dedication and desire to defeat their opponent through their preparations. Joe trains by sparring with a defeated foe from the past; Aragaki. In accepting help from someone who once hated them, both Joe and his trainer Nanbu can build their team and develop strength. Yuri undergoes surgery with the help of a former enemy, Mikio Shirato, in order to remove his Megaloboxing gear. Yuri's choice to remove his gear both liberates and alienates him from his manager and sponsor, Yukiko Shirato. Yuri sacrificed his gear and his relationships so that he could beat Joe while relying only on his own strength.
True Megaloboxing
Despite the differences in Joe and Yuri's preparation methods, their motivations for boxing are exactly the same. Their motivations include proving that they are the strongest and imposing their will onto the world Megaloboxing, but the most important motivation for a champion is the love of boxing.
Part of the reason why Joe's trainer Nanbu breaks out into tears during their fight is that he knows how rare and magical it is to witness such an amazing display of boxing. To witness a fight where both boxers are driven by their love for boxing and nothing else. The true Megaloboxer punches not for fame or for the money, not even for him or herself. The true Megaloboxer punches to punch. Punching with conviction should be the goal of any champion, and that is why Joe and Yuri are champions.
Boxing is a Team Sport
It's one thing to say that Joe and Yuri are both champions in spirit or metaphorically, but in reality, Joe wins the match, and so Joe is the champion. Why is it that only Joe is able to win the fight if he and Yuri both have the motivation of a champion? The answer is simple: Joe has a better support system. In the preparations for the final match each supporter who flocks to Joe also hopes for him to win. Nanbu supports Joe out of his own desire to prove that he can be a real trainer.
Sachio, Joe's analyst and mechanic, believes that Joe is capable of taking down the corrupt Shirato Organization. Nanbu and Sachio are just two examples, but there are many others who are all motivated to turn Joe into a champion. Their support manifests in Joe's training, stamina, and convictions. Yuri, on the other hand, did everything on his own to defeat Joe, and Yuri alone was not enough to beat Joe and his team.
Zero to Hero
Up until the final match, Joe fought opponents with different motivations than his own. He was forced to throw matches in an underground arena owned by the Yakuza. Joe was tied down by cheap gear and a manager who did not believe in him. Matches fought by boxers who only want to deliver a spectacle to gambling hordes are motivated by greed. The fights were fake in more than one way, and so were the boxers. What pulled Joe out of the underground arena was, ironically, his love for boxing. Joe's love for boxing was what catapulted him into championship status.
Megalobox makes a compelling argument as to why people should do things because they love them, but there might be other motivations that could be just as powerful. Season 2 of Megalobox explores the possibility that boxers who fight for the good of their community can be champions too. So while love might not be a requirement for a boxer to be a champion, it is enough to make for a great one.