One of the most important elements of preparation in elite sports is imagining difficult situations before they actually happen.

Naoya Inoue, the undisputed world champion in two weight classes and one of the greatest boxers of his generation, often emphasizes the importance of visualizing every possible scenario during training. That includes imagining being knocked down in a fight—listening to the referee’s count, staying calm, and rising just before the count of eight.

Even for a dominant champion, experiencing a knockdown for the first time can cause panic. By rehearsing the moment mentally, however, a fighter can respond with composure instead of shock.

Shohei Ohtani follows a similar philosophy.

In the 2015 Premier 12 semifinal against South Korea, Ohtani delivered a brilliant performance. Through six innings, he had not allowed a single hit. The possibility of a no-hitter began to emerge.

But in the seventh inning, the leadoff batter finally recorded a hit.

For many pitchers, that moment can become a turning point. After carrying a no-hitter deep into a game, the first hit sometimes breaks their rhythm, and they quickly lose control of the inning.

Ohtani did not.

He remained calm, finished seven innings, allowed just one hit, and struck out eleven batters without giving up a run.

The reason was simple.

Even while dominating the game, he had already prepared himself for the moment when the no-hitter would end.

“When a hit was eventually allowed,” he later said, “I had already prepared myself to think, ‘Well, that’s about what you’d expect.’”

By anticipating adversity before it arrives, Ohtani removes its power to surprise him.

The result is not just physical dominance—but emotional control.

Source

This quote comes from a Japanese book published in Japan and is not currently available in English.

Shohei Ohtani: Baseball Prodigy I — Japan Edition 2013–2018, p.206