@Malintex_Terek:
My primary reasoning is that there are a decreasing number of targets available. People are assuming Sanji will get up after being beaten and take on Jyabura; I find this highly unlikely unless Chopper gets to treat his wounds and give him recovery time, which seems unlikely because all the fights are occuring simultaneously.
I don't want to see Sanji steal Usopp's fight, though I won't discount it as a possibility.
But even so, there's always Frankfried (and Spandam) as an opponent, and the recent possibility of Chopper. There's plenty of fights to go around; after all, there only needs to be one opponent.
@Malintex_Terek:
Also, my paraphrase was that Nami told Sanji to "sit tight", as opposed to "not fight anymore". That doesn't imply Sanji's finished, just that he's probably not going to do much in this battle unless Oda decides to have Sanji recieve a second wind. Remember, Oda is speaking through the characters, and by having Nami say that, it's an indication of "Sanji's not battling Califa anymore". It's a symbolic representation, much like how the handcuffs were a plot device to prolong the Zoro & Sogeking battle.
I know Sanji's not going to help Nami in her fight, and I would never suggest that. After all, it's her fight, and she told Sanji to leave Califa to her. So he won't be fighting her.
Still plenty of others to fight, though.
@Malintex_Terek:
See the above. Why are people selecting Jyabura, of all the CP9, as the prime target for Sanji? Because, "Kumadori, Fukurou, Califa, and Kaku are going to fall to the others, so that leaves Jyabura".
It's a possibility; Zoro and Sanji fighting together again, plus Jabura seemed the most likely candidate for his fight in the beginning. So I won't discount it. But even without Kaku, or Kumadori, or Fukuro, or Califa, there's still Frankfried (why do people always forget about him?) The elephant might be surprisingly strong, makign a good opponent for Sanji. Or, if Sanji does 'steal' Usopp's fight, an opponent for Sogeking.
@Malintex_Terek:
Up until now, I wasn't really sure what Sanji-fans wanted; a fight, or development? In terms of fights, Zoro and Sanji are actually quite boring; kicks and slashes. Nothing new, really. Sanji proved how much of a bad-arse he was against Califa while illustrating the true depth of his character; that's development.
Of course his fans want development, but the fact remains, this is a shounen manga. In the huge final confrontation in the arc, doesn't it make sense for the characters to get a fight?
It amazes me how quickly people discount the possibility of him fighting.
@Malintex_Terek:
THIS is why I find Sanji fans annoying. It's not that they want Sanji to grow as a character or get in a fight, they're just AFRAID of having their favourite character UPSTAGED for two major arcs. Well, it happens to EVERYONE, so please, please, please, GET OVER IT! It's not like Oda is going to just shelve Sanji like Toriyama did with all the other non-bruiser characters; he's an essential part of the team and has a dream to boot.
We know he won't get backshelved in the story. If he doesn't fight, Oda'll have something up his sleeve to keep that from happening.
But you know the easiest way to keep that from happening?
Give him a fight.
Why overlook the simplest solution?
@Malintex_Terek:
Point taken, Usopp had his skull fractured. If we were in Alabasta, I would have assumed Usopp would have gone down after that; if he DID go down, I would have guessed that he wouldn't get back up. Usopp fought on; however, that does NOT imply that the same will happen here. It doesn't refute or accept the future, actually, which is why I'm standing neutral on Oda's intention for Sanji. I just can't stand the whining.
See above. I'm looking at Sanji with white eyes, a bloody suit, bruses, broken teeth, a pained expression, slurred speech and a glassy touch; the Sanji-fans seem to overlook all that material. :/
The point is simple; being beaten up doesn't mean you're out.
You're saying it is. Sure, you don't discount the possibility of him getting up, but you're saying it's "unlikely."
Nobody's overlooking anything. We see that, sure. But in a manga like One Piece, all it takes is a second wind and you're as good as new.
@Malintex_Terek:
Here's an example of confirmation bias. I gave you all the reasons as to why he's temporarily incapacitated, but you assert that there's "nothing to indicate that he's out of the fight".
Temporarily, as in he won't get a major fight in this confrontation? No, I won't say that. You're right in that he was temporarily incapacitated; he was beaten enough that he couldn't go on agaisnt Califa.
THAT'S the reason, storywise, he was beaten up.
But this is One Piece. Nami'll finish off Califa, Sanji's going to leave, he'll catch a second wind, find another opponent… see what I mean?