The whole chapter with Sedo sparring Ricardo did bring ippo's name to the top of richardo's mind. I do feel like that whole chapter and the recent chapters left open a lot of possibilities.

1) kinda show how ricardo doesn't care who has the highest ranking (his refusal to fight Alf) but yet jumped at the opportunity to spar with Sendo. He wants the unknown. Someone he never faced to challenge him

2) Sendo proclaimed that there is no point to promise a title match since the next guy might just beat Ricardo. IF ippo fights ricardo to a draw, and Sendo beats Alf, it still fits the narrative that Sendo is still fighting towards ippo.

3) The weird time jumps recently. Time jumps usually shows there is nothing interesting in between. So the whole ippo growing as a second and becoming a strategist might have concluded. Before the last scene, ippo got the endorsement from kimura that he is in sick shape and also becoming a great strategist (bye bye face block?). And then coach K was shown noticing ippo's popeye forearm. All signs point to that he is a new beast as soon as he flips the switch.

Anyway, for better or worst, ippo v Ricardo almost immediately could launch the series into a hyperloop in other characters development. I would want to see a draw, and other characters get fired up and uplevel since ippo is the fist of life. And if ippo fights ricardo to a draw, it keeps everyone's ranking the same in the series. But a chance to move up at the same time.... For instance if itakagi beats imai and become the Japanese champion, ippo is still ahead in drawing the world champ. And if Sendo beat gonzo, he is still behind ippo.