A Boxing Video Game Is a Great Thing for the Sport—So Why Isn't Boxing Using It to Its Advantage?
Introduction
The phrase gets repeated often: “A boxing video game is great for boxing.” But despite this truth, the sport itself continues to overlook the tremendous opportunity it has in front of it. With the power to reach younger audiences, immortalize legends, and promote upcoming talent, a properly executed boxing video game could do more for the sport than many promotional deals or one-time mega-fights. Yet here we are in 2025, and boxing—the sport, the promoters, and the networks—still fail to capitalize on this potential.
1. The Power of the Digital Ring
Video games have evolved into global platforms for exposure. Just look at what FIFA and NBA 2K have done for their respective sports: they introduce new fans, deepen the connection with old ones, and give players and teams year-round relevance. Boxing, however, hasn’t had a strong digital presence since the days of Fight Night Champion, and even that was a hybridized version of the sport, not a full sim.
When boxing does get a game—as in the case of Undisputed—the sport treats it like a novelty, rather than a platform to expand the boxing universe. There’s no real synergy between promoters, networks, and the development team to ensure the game promotes the sport organically.
2. Why Isn't Boxing Involved?
Here are a few glaring oversights:
-
Lack of Promotional Integration: Promoters like Matchroom, PBC, Golden Boy, and Top Rank could be using a game to showcase their fighters year-round—especially the lesser-known ones—but there's no structured effort to integrate the game into their marketing strategies.
-
Neglecting Future Stars: Boxing could use a game to build storylines around upcoming prospects. Instead, most licensed boxers in recent games are throwbacks, legends, or a few current names without personality or progression.
-
Failure to Educate New Audiences: A boxing sim could teach fans about styles, strategy, ring IQ, scoring, and history. It could demystify boxing in a way that brings fans deeper into the sport. Yet boxing powers don’t lobby for a game that captures this side of the sport.
3. Other Sports Leverage Gaming—Why Not Boxing?
Compare this to the NFL, NBA, MLB, and even UFC. These sports understand that their video games are more than entertainment—they're tools for engagement, brand building, education, and even scouting (as seen in how players mimic game strategies in real life).
Boxing could take a page out of this book:
-
Host online tournaments featuring real boxers or promoters
-
Tie upcoming real-world fights into in-game events or career mode paths
-
Feature commentary, gyms, or promotional rivalries in story modes
-
Allow players to recreate real events or fantasy matchups, fueling fan interest
But none of that is happening because boxing as a whole is too fragmented, and no one’s stepped up to centralize the vision.
4. Lost Opportunities in Licensing and Legacy
So many legendary boxers could find renewed popularity with younger fans through a game. Imagine teens learning about Harry Greb, Salvador Sanchez, or Carmen Basilio through a richly detailed, well-crafted sim that explains their stories and lets you fight as them with era-specific rules and gear.
Instead, fighters have to individually negotiate licensing deals, meaning many are left out. There’s no Boxing Legends Fund or centralized archive to make licensing seamless like there is with NBA or NFL legends. The sport loses out on preserving its legacy, and fans lose access to its history.
5. The Industry Needs to Wake Up
The boxing world needs to stop seeing a video game as just a “nice addition” and start treating it as a core tool for growth. This requires:
-
Fighters actively participating in development
-
Promoters providing access and support instead of seeing games as competition
-
Networks working with game developers to bring commentary, venues, and broadcast integration into the digital ring
-
Sanctioning bodies working to promote their champions and weight classes through the game, not just title belts on fight night
Conclusion: Real Potential, Wasted
A great boxing video game isn’t just good for boxing—it could revitalize it. It could become a portal to the past, a showcase for the present, and a springboard for the future. But boxing’s gatekeepers must stop being shortsighted and start investing in the long-term value of digital engagement. Until then, boxing will continue to watch from the sidelines while other sports thrive in the virtual arena.
