By Karl Freitag
With COVID-19 causing all the live boxing action to be cancelled for the time being, boxing aficionados are being forced to find other ways to enjoy their favorite sport. One way is to rewatch classic fights. Another way is to view simulated fantasy matchups.
The current “eWBSS Heavyweight Legends” tournament is being simulated on EA Sports ‘Fight Night Champion’ video game in computer vs. computer mode. Although created by EA Sports back in 2011, the game is still considered by many to be the best boxing video game created to date. It was made for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. One reason it hasn’t been updated since is the nightmarish licensing boondoggle required to use fighter’s likenesses. This is the reason major stars like Floyd Mayweather are missing from the 2011 version.
In addition to the eWBSS tournament, on Saturday night light heavyweights Shakan Pitters (13-0, 4 KOs) and Chad Sugden (11-1-1, 4 KOs) will meet in another simulated EA Sports Fight Night Champion match. They were scheduled to clash for the British title Saturday night, but will now face off in a digital boxing ring.
You can still buy “Fight Night Champion” today for about $25.
By the way, the greatest simulated boxing matchup of all time has to be the famous 1969 Muhammad Ali vs. Rocky Marciano “computer” fight.
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No games for me. I enjoy watching movies and reading.
It’s time that boxing and boxing media gets behind and push for companies to make a boxing videogame
these simulated fights are not that good and they should have had some different fighters, earnie shavers, ron lyle , just to name a couple
This still the only game I play. The politics in Boxing effects the virtual world as much as it does the real world. Shame we havent had an update to this game yet.