Bring a group of boxing fanatics who are also game developers together and what you get is one of the most unique sports gaming experiences a fight fan could imagine. Except that this is for real . . . well it’s virtually real.
The eSports Boxing Club, created by Steel City Interactive, has signed over 100 current and past professional boxers who have granted permission for the creation of their likenesses to fight in the virtual ring against many other legends of the squared circle. Among those who’ve come on board to be part of this unique game are Sugar Ray Leonard, Larry Holmes and the Klitschko brothers, Vitali and Wladimir.
Boxing is one of the most popular betting sports in the world. You can get action on all of the world’s top bouts at the top online Canadian betting sites. Another sport that’s growing in popularity is eSports wagering, so it’s not difficult to envision that there will be wagering ultimately offered on eSports Boxing Club matches.
The eSports Boxing Club is aiming to release the game within the coming months, though the official launch date has not been finalized. The game will be launched into early access via Steam.
Eventually, the game is slated to be released on the PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
How It Works
In the eSports Boxing Club, you manage all aspects of your fighter’s career – their training regimen, their weight, their cornermen, even the trunks and gloves that they wear. Your fighter must seek to battle their way up the ladder into a world title bout.
In ESBC, you will rise through the amateur system, going through the professional ranks to win the coveted Lonsdale Belt, then going onto Continental and World titles featuring officially licensed governing bodies.
Not only will you be levelling up your fighter through winning fights, you will also have to hire your own staff – trainer, cut man, nutritionist and promoter. There are also real-life boxing gyms in ESBC, each with their own fighting styles and traits.
Will you be the type of fighter who takes on all comers, or will your team prefer to pick and choose opponents in order to steadily build your fighter up to the class of the elite boxers? Either path can be chosen, but remember, as with all choices in life, every one of them comes with both the potential for rewards and consequences.
Ultimately, the objective is to be at peak performance when it comes time for the ESBC Tournament. In this event, you will have the chance to be crowned the eWBC Champion of the World, with the physical belt being sanctioned by the World Boxing Council.
The IBO, IBF and The Ring Magazine are other prominent boxing organizations that have recently become part of the ESBC community.
Roster Of Fighters
The personas of many of the legends of the squared circle will be recreated in the ESBC. Names such as Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Sugar Ray Robinson, Roy Jones Jr., Joe Frazier, Jack Johnson, Juan Manuel Marquez, Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini, Jack Dempsey, Floyd Patterson, Hector Camacho, Jake LaMotta and Tim Bradley are just some of the legends included in the game.
However, the lineup isn’t limited to old-school fighters. Current world champ Terence Crawford is also featured in the game, as are active fighters like Sergey Kovalev, Badou Jack and Amir Khan.
Female fighters aren’t being left out of the picture, either. World champion Claressa Shields headlines a group that includes Cris Cyborg, Katie Taylor and Franchon Crews-Dezurn.
Welcome The Champ
The biggest news to come out of the ESBC was the recent announcement that the game’s creators have reached a deal with Authentic Brands Group, owner of Muhammad Ali Enterprises, to secure the rights that will see the likeness of boxing’s greatest figure become part of the game.
“Signing Muhammad Ali into Esports Boxing Club is a great honor for our studio,” Steel City Interactive founder Ash Habib said in a statement. “The creation and development of our revolutionary footwork system was made with Ali in mind.
“We are excited about the partnership with ABG, who made this deal possible.”
