It’s time for a new boxing game. For me, even just watching boxing is a huge boost to motivation. All the great fighters have that “eye of the tiger” they talked about in Rocky 3. They are the epitome of self discipline, filled with righteous anger and ready to use it. These men and women make for near perfect models of what pure motivation looks like. It inspires me in a way no other sport does.
Boxing is not only one of the most effective ways to get in shape, its also very gratifying. You don’t need to actually set foot in a boxing ring or get punched in the face to enjoy the hobby. It is all about the training. Seriously, just try hitting a heavy bag for three straight minutes, you’ll see what I mean. There are some newer games you can use to take advantage of this. Fitness Boxing on Switch is a pretty good introduction to boxing technique. There are also several available game for VR headsets, like Creed Rise to Glory and The Thrill of the Fight.
That said, fitness game or no, there hasn’t been a good realistic boxing game, featuring real-life pro fighters in almost a decade. The last was Fight Night Champion, released in March of 2011 for Xbox 360 and PS3. So much has changed in the boxing world since that game was released. One of the great things about sports games is the ability to step into the shoes of the athletes who inspire us. There are so many great boxers that have never appeared in a video game. Getting them out there would be great for gamers and great for the sport. We need Canelo Alvarez, Vasyl Lomacenko, Claressa Shields, Deontay Wilder, I could go on and on. I recently learned the latest UFC game, UFC 4, will include Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, which is promising but its not enough to satisfy the need for a full fledged boxing game.
Also, technology has come a long way since 2011. Graphics are better. Controls are more responsive. Online play is better. We have VR now. When a game does come out, it should sell very well.
There is one promising lead. eSports Boxing Club is currently in development. Many great British fighters like Ricky Hatton have signed on to be in the game. They’ve partnered with the WBC, IBF, Ring Magazine and BBBofC. It sounds like it could be excellent when it becomes available. I’ll do a full write up of everything we know soon.