Fight Night Champion
Encyclopedia
Fight Night Champion is a boxing
video game developed by EA Canada
and published by EA Sports
. It is the fifth entry in the Fight Night series
and was released on March 1, 2011 for the PlayStation 3
and Xbox 360
. The game takes a drastic turn from its predecessors, depicting a "grittier" and "darker" setting with animations and player damage that "truly conveys the brutality of the sport of boxing."
The game was officially revealed on 7 July 2010 at an EA Sports studio showcase. The game is the first EA Sports game to feature a full Hollywood-inspired story mode, called Champion Mode. The story follows the career of Andre Bishop, a talented boxer, who is forced to overcome great setbacks including a jail sentence and a corrupt fight promoter. Champion Mode is intended to further convey the brutality and hardship of the sport of boxing. An iOS version of the game was published by HB Studios
.
It is also the first ever EA Sports game to receive an M rating from the ESRB
in North America. An iOS version of the game was released alongside the console versions.
The new direction of the gameplay was highly praised by critics, with the game being released to positive reviews.
Along with Full-Spectrum Punch Control, several modifications have been made to the secondary controller buttons that are used for uncommon and power punches. The "Haymaker modifier" of past editions has been replaced with a "power modifier". This modifier allows power punches to be thrown by holding a specific button while punching. The blocking and leaning system has also been modified; there are now single buttons dedicated to both blocking and leaning.
or PSN).
The general gameplay interface has also been modified, mainly to convey the brutality of the sport with more accuracy. When players are stunned, the camera's angle changes slightly and a faint whistling noise can be heard (although cinematic effects can be turned off). Knockout replays are now much more detailed, with a close-up view of the knockout punch available in many different angles.
A refined physics animation system is in place. This includes flexing muscles, dynamic bruising and scarring, as well as rippling body effects. Another notable improvement is the detailed damage effects. Boxer physical damage is now dynamic; as a boxer takes damage their face may begin bruising and swelling. Excessive damage leads to cuts, and referee stoppages are in place.
who are absent in the shipped roster are available as user-created content.
for Xbox 360 users or PSN for PlayStation 3 users. Players start out online with minimal stats, similar to Legacy Mode. They can then make progress through the ranks by winning fights.
The player may win an Online World Championship in their weight division. The winner of the Online World Championship must defend his title six times per day to remain champion. If these requirements are not fulfilled, the player will be stripped of his title.
Players can create or join gyms in the game. These gyms are essentially a team of players, or friends. Gyms may contain up to 36 members. Players in each gym may pick rivalry fights with other gyms.
Each new copy of the game contains an online pass
, which is required for online multiplayer.
Champion Mode plays out in a movie style. Cinematic cutscenes control the flow of the story, and the actual gameplay takes place during fights. Occasionally, cutscenes can be seen in between rounds.
Bishop's professional career begins after defeating a nine-time amateur champion Joel Savon
, which earns him significant recognition as a contender. After a few successful bouts, he and his trainer Gus Carisi are approached by DL McQueen, famed fight promoter and long time foe of Carisi who offers to promote Andre under the management of his daughter Meagan. The two refuse, causing a dispute between the crooked promoter and Bishop. McQueen continues to urge Andre to sign a deal with him, only to be denied each time. He soon frames Andre of police assault with the help of two crooked cops. Andre is then sentenced to several years in prison.
Soon after recovering from his injuries, Andre begins to train himself and keep fit while imprisoned. He is angered to discover that his brother, Raymond, had become a professional heavyweight
with McQueen Promotions, the company that framed him. Soon after being released, Raymond organizes him a job as an assistant trainer. Now a heavyweight
and a focused fighter, Andre beats two ranked heavyweights during regular sparring sessions. Meagan approaches him soon after and offers to get him a new professional license, having split from her father's business due to disagreements. Gus returns as Andre's trainer and helps him make an unexpected comeback as a heavyweight.
Following several successful heavyweight bouts, Andre's brother Raymond challenges him to a fight in order to secure a chance against Isaac Frost, heavyweight world champion. During the fight, Andre goes down but does not get up in order to allow his brother a chance at the title. Raymond then fights Frost, and is defeated in the first round by a devastating knockout. Angered, Andre challenges Frost himself and manages to defeat him by knockout. He becomes the world heavyweight champion of the world, and McQueen is arrested after his crooked business with the framing of Andre is revealed.
D.L. McQueen - The head of McQueen Promotions and a famous fight promoter, McQueen is known for his hot temper and short-lived partnerships with professional fighters. He has been long despised by Gus Carisi, André's trainer, for his notoriety.
Gus Carisi - Andre's loyal trainer and manager, Gus had previously trained Andre's father, who was also a talented fighter. He took both Andre and Raymond in after their father died and raised them both. An experienced trainer, Gus understands the true brutality of boxing and the hard work required to overcome it.
Raymond Bishop - Andre's younger brother, Raymond also pursues a professional career in boxing as a heavyweight. Raymond upsets Andre when he decides to leave Gus and sign with McQueen Promotions. Once Andre reemerges as a heavyweight fighter, Raymond becomes jealous and challenges him to a fight.
Megan McQueen - The very beautiful daughter of DL McQueen, Meagan starts off as a manager for her father's company but leaves due to their general disagreements. She then becomes a solo manager, even managing Andre herself.
Isaac Frost - A heavyweight fighter who wins the title soon after beginning his professional career. He defends his title numerous times, and brutally knocks out Raymond Bishop. Andre Bishop's younger brother. This spurs Andre to challenge Frost himself. His Character and physique is inspired by Ivan Drago
.
Franco - A corrupt police officer and bodyguard who assists McQueen in framing André.
Floyd Mayweather vs Victor Ortiz
- Winner Mayweather KO Round 3. Actual Fight- Winner Mayweather KO Round 4.
Bernard Hopkins
vs Chad Dawson
Winner Hopkins UD 12. Two judges score 117-110. One judge scores 118-109. Actual Fight- No Winner. Technical Draw after Hopkins thrown from a clinch tearing the AC joint on his shoulder.
Wladimir Klitschko
vs David Haye
Winner Klitschko KO 2. Actual Fight Winner Klitschko UD 12.
Vitali Klitschko
vs Lennox Lewis
Winner Klitschko SD 12. Actual Fight Winner Lewis TKO 6.
Oscar De La Hoya
vs Floyd Mayweather Winner Mayweather KO 4 Actual Winner Mayweather SD 12.
Bernard Hopkins
vs Joe Calzaghe
Winner Hopkins UD 12. Two judges score 116-111. One judge 117-110. Actual Fight Winner Calzaghe SD 12.
Heavyweight
Light Heavyweight
Middleweight
Welterweight
Lightweight
Featherweight
Bantamweight
The new concept and direction of the series has been highly praised. Tom Hoggins of The Daily Telegraph
wrote "This is a tough, burly sequel that understands what we want from the blood and sweat of sport it represents", citing its brutality and emotion aspects as a winning factor. Hilary Goldstein of IGN
also praised these factors, and praised Champion Mode for carrying the emotional weight of the game, stating that it gave the game "more sense of emotion out of what is usually a soulless experience".
The Full-Spectrum Punch Control has been praised by critics. Mike Phillips of 1Up.com
praised the new system for simplifying the gameplay, but noted that it had several flaws which detracted from the realism: "Bobbing and weaving and timing your shots are all crucial to success in the ring, and it feels good once you've got the hang of it. But in the heat of battle, it's altogether too easy to accidentally unleash an extra punch or two and end up paying the price."
CVG
praised its graphics, gameplay and Champion Mode, calling it "one of the best looking games there is." X-Play
scored it with a perfect 5/5 and praised its simplified gameplay, yet criticized its final boss and multiplayer suites.
Eurogamer
gave it an 8/10 and called it the most technically accomplished game in the series, and that the evolution exceed their expectiations without "truly blowing us away".
GameSense gave it a 7.4/10 reacting positively to the graphics, Online Mode, and large roster, saying "It mirrors real life extremely well and picks up on where Fight Night Round 4 lacked."
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
video game developed by EA Canada
EA Canada
EA Canada is a video game developer located in Burnaby, British Columbia. The development studio opened in January 1983 and is EA's largest and oldest studio...
and published by EA Sports
EA Sports
EA Sports is a brand of Electronic Arts that creates and develops sports video games. Formerly a marketing gimmick of Electronic Arts, in which they tried to mimic real-life sports networks by calling themselves "EA Sports Network" with pictures or endorsements of real commentators such as John...
. It is the fifth entry in the Fight Night series
Fight Night (EA video game series)
Fight Night is a series of video games created by EA Sports. The series consists of* Fight Night 2004** Updates: Total Punch Control.* Fight Night Round 2...
and was released on March 1, 2011 for the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
. The game takes a drastic turn from its predecessors, depicting a "grittier" and "darker" setting with animations and player damage that "truly conveys the brutality of the sport of boxing."
The game was officially revealed on 7 July 2010 at an EA Sports studio showcase. The game is the first EA Sports game to feature a full Hollywood-inspired story mode, called Champion Mode. The story follows the career of Andre Bishop, a talented boxer, who is forced to overcome great setbacks including a jail sentence and a corrupt fight promoter. Champion Mode is intended to further convey the brutality and hardship of the sport of boxing. An iOS version of the game was published by HB Studios
HB Studios
HB Studios is a video game development company, founded in July 2000 by Jeremy Wellard, and located in Nova Scotia, Canada.-History:HB's headquarters are located in the small town of Lunenburg on the South Shore of Nova Scotia. The company started with nine developers working on Cricket 2002 for...
.
It is also the first ever EA Sports game to receive an M rating from the ESRB
Entertainment Software Rating Board
The Entertainment Software Rating Board is a self-regulatory organization that assigns age and content ratings, enforces industry-adopted advertising guidelines, and ensures responsible online privacy principles for computer and video games as well as entertainment software in Canada, Mexico and...
in North America. An iOS version of the game was released alongside the console versions.
The new direction of the gameplay was highly praised by critics, with the game being released to positive reviews.
Full-Spectrum Punch Control
Fight Night Champion is a third-person fighter that introduces an all-new control scheme to the series: "Full-Spectrum Punch Control". This method allows players to throw onscreen punches by merely flicking their game controller's right control stick (in addition to the previous default option of 'punching' by pressing a button on the controller). This extra option is intended to eliminate the more complicated controller manipulations that were necessary in the "Total Punch Control" system of previous editions of the Fight Night series.Along with Full-Spectrum Punch Control, several modifications have been made to the secondary controller buttons that are used for uncommon and power punches. The "Haymaker modifier" of past editions has been replaced with a "power modifier". This modifier allows power punches to be thrown by holding a specific button while punching. The blocking and leaning system has also been modified; there are now single buttons dedicated to both blocking and leaning.
Presentation
There are three major game modes in Fight Night Champion. The first, and most popular, is the famous 'Fight Now' mode. This allows players to jump straight into the boxer selection menu, with the venue selection following. The second is the Legacy Mode, also a long-running series regular. Legacy Mode is essentially the career mode of the game and allows players to take a selected boxer through a full boxing career. The third, and newest to the series, is Champion Mode. Other game modes are also available, such as the training games and online play (through either Xbox LIVEXbox Live
Xbox Live is an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service created and operated by Microsoft Corporation. It is currently the only online gaming service on consoles that charges users a fee to play multiplayer gaming. It was first made available to the Xbox system in 2002...
or PSN).
The general gameplay interface has also been modified, mainly to convey the brutality of the sport with more accuracy. When players are stunned, the camera's angle changes slightly and a faint whistling noise can be heard (although cinematic effects can be turned off). Knockout replays are now much more detailed, with a close-up view of the knockout punch available in many different angles.
A refined physics animation system is in place. This includes flexing muscles, dynamic bruising and scarring, as well as rippling body effects. Another notable improvement is the detailed damage effects. Boxer physical damage is now dynamic; as a boxer takes damage their face may begin bruising and swelling. Excessive damage leads to cuts, and referee stoppages are in place.
Boxer Creation
The game features a flexible boxer creation feature. Boxers can be created and used in-game. Players are able to upload their created boxer to EA Sports World where other players may download and use them. This has been seen as a source for boxers not included in the official roster. Fan favorites such as Floyd Mayweather, and Sergio Gabriel MartinezSergio Gabriel Martínez
Sergio Gabriel Martínez is an Argentine professional boxer and the current The Ring middleweight champion....
who are absent in the shipped roster are available as user-created content.
Online World Championship, Gyms, and Rivalry Fights
The game features a full online mode, through either Xbox LIVEXbox Live
Xbox Live is an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service created and operated by Microsoft Corporation. It is currently the only online gaming service on consoles that charges users a fee to play multiplayer gaming. It was first made available to the Xbox system in 2002...
for Xbox 360 users or PSN for PlayStation 3 users. Players start out online with minimal stats, similar to Legacy Mode. They can then make progress through the ranks by winning fights.
The player may win an Online World Championship in their weight division. The winner of the Online World Championship must defend his title six times per day to remain champion. If these requirements are not fulfilled, the player will be stripped of his title.
Players can create or join gyms in the game. These gyms are essentially a team of players, or friends. Gyms may contain up to 36 members. Players in each gym may pick rivalry fights with other gyms.
Each new copy of the game contains an online pass
Online pass
In the video game industry, an online pass is a form of digital rights management for video games with online functionality. Online passes are commonly in the form of a single-use serial code found in a game's manual . Although they are used to unlock content for a game, online passes are often...
, which is required for online multiplayer.
Champion Mode
The main new feature in Fight Night Champion is its new Champion Mode, a full story mode which follows the rise, fall and second rise of convicted boxer Andre Bishop who is constantly troubled by a crooked fight promoter and an arrogant heavyweight champion.Gameplay
Although it is not a completely different experience from the rest of the game, Champion Mode bears many exclusive modifications to make the story more compelling. In most of the fights, players are required to fight in a particular manner or create a certain outcome in order to be victorious. For example, players may have to be smart against a certain opponent who has a particular strategy. One example of this is an opponent who targets the body; the player is required to stay on the outside and avoid body punches. Another scenario pits the player against slim odds, in which Bishop suffers a hand injury and must avoid using certain punches in order to avoid permanent damage. The fights are generally meant to be won by knockout, although it is possible to win by decision.Champion Mode plays out in a movie style. Cinematic cutscenes control the flow of the story, and the actual gameplay takes place during fights. Occasionally, cutscenes can be seen in between rounds.
Plot
Andre Bishop is a boxer serving time in a correctional facility. After winning a jailhouse boxing match against another inmate, he is cornered and brutally beaten by several prisoners including his opponent. Bishop wakes up severely injured and damaged. The game then flashes back 4 years to his rise as a professional fighter.Bishop's professional career begins after defeating a nine-time amateur champion Joel Savon
Félix Savón
Félix Savón Fabre is a Cuban heavyweight boxer, a winner of three gold medals at the Olympic Games. Savón is considered a legend in amateur boxing and has won six world titles....
, which earns him significant recognition as a contender. After a few successful bouts, he and his trainer Gus Carisi are approached by DL McQueen, famed fight promoter and long time foe of Carisi who offers to promote Andre under the management of his daughter Meagan. The two refuse, causing a dispute between the crooked promoter and Bishop. McQueen continues to urge Andre to sign a deal with him, only to be denied each time. He soon frames Andre of police assault with the help of two crooked cops. Andre is then sentenced to several years in prison.
Soon after recovering from his injuries, Andre begins to train himself and keep fit while imprisoned. He is angered to discover that his brother, Raymond, had become a professional heavyweight
Heavyweight
Heavyweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Fighters who weigh over 200 pounds are considered heavyweights by the major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Association, the World Boxing Council, and the World Boxing...
with McQueen Promotions, the company that framed him. Soon after being released, Raymond organizes him a job as an assistant trainer. Now a heavyweight
Heavyweight
Heavyweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Fighters who weigh over 200 pounds are considered heavyweights by the major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Association, the World Boxing Council, and the World Boxing...
and a focused fighter, Andre beats two ranked heavyweights during regular sparring sessions. Meagan approaches him soon after and offers to get him a new professional license, having split from her father's business due to disagreements. Gus returns as Andre's trainer and helps him make an unexpected comeback as a heavyweight.
Following several successful heavyweight bouts, Andre's brother Raymond challenges him to a fight in order to secure a chance against Isaac Frost, heavyweight world champion. During the fight, Andre goes down but does not get up in order to allow his brother a chance at the title. Raymond then fights Frost, and is defeated in the first round by a devastating knockout. Angered, Andre challenges Frost himself and manages to defeat him by knockout. He becomes the world heavyweight champion of the world, and McQueen is arrested after his crooked business with the framing of Andre is revealed.
Characters
André Bishop - The main protagonist of the game, André begins his professional career as a talented prospect. However, his dreams of following in his father's footsteps and taking a shot at the world title is soon ruined after he is framed by two crooked cops.D.L. McQueen - The head of McQueen Promotions and a famous fight promoter, McQueen is known for his hot temper and short-lived partnerships with professional fighters. He has been long despised by Gus Carisi, André's trainer, for his notoriety.
Gus Carisi - Andre's loyal trainer and manager, Gus had previously trained Andre's father, who was also a talented fighter. He took both Andre and Raymond in after their father died and raised them both. An experienced trainer, Gus understands the true brutality of boxing and the hard work required to overcome it.
Raymond Bishop - Andre's younger brother, Raymond also pursues a professional career in boxing as a heavyweight. Raymond upsets Andre when he decides to leave Gus and sign with McQueen Promotions. Once Andre reemerges as a heavyweight fighter, Raymond becomes jealous and challenges him to a fight.
Megan McQueen - The very beautiful daughter of DL McQueen, Meagan starts off as a manager for her father's company but leaves due to their general disagreements. She then becomes a solo manager, even managing Andre herself.
Isaac Frost - A heavyweight fighter who wins the title soon after beginning his professional career. He defends his title numerous times, and brutally knocks out Raymond Bishop. Andre Bishop's younger brother. This spurs Andre to challenge Frost himself. His Character and physique is inspired by Ivan Drago
Ivan Drago
Ivan Drago is a fictional character that appeared as Rocky Balboa's rival in the 1985 film Rocky IV. He is portrayed by Dolph Lundgren. The character and his catchphrases have gone on to inspire multiple mentions in popular culture like Clubber Lang , including in the Family Guy episode "Brian...
.
Franco - A corrupt police officer and bodyguard who assists McQueen in framing André.
Fight Night Champion Predictions
Fight Night Champion has also been used to predict championship fights.Floyd Mayweather vs Victor Ortiz
Victor Ortíz
Victor Ortiz is an American professional boxer of Mexican descent and the former WBC welterweight champion.He was previously in the light welterweight division, where he held the USBA & NABO title....
- Winner Mayweather KO Round 3. Actual Fight- Winner Mayweather KO Round 4.
Bernard Hopkins
Bernard Hopkins
Bernard Hopkins Jr, known as The Executioner is an American boxer and the current Ring Magazine and WBC light heavyweight champion...
vs Chad Dawson
Chad Dawson
"Bad" Chad Dawson is an American boxer from Hartsville, South Carolina, USA, and the former WBC & IBF light heavyweight champion. Dawson is rated by The Ring Magazine as the number four Light Heavyweight boxer in the world.-Early life:...
Winner Hopkins UD 12. Two judges score 117-110. One judge scores 118-109. Actual Fight- No Winner. Technical Draw after Hopkins thrown from a clinch tearing the AC joint on his shoulder.
Wladimir Klitschko
Wladimir Klitschko
Wladimir Klitschko is a Ukrainian heavyweight boxer. Klitschko is the WBA , IBF, WBO Super, IBO & Ring Magazine Champion. His older brother Vitali Klitschko is the current WBC champion...
vs David Haye
David Haye
David Deron Haye is a retired English professional boxer,Haye is the former WBA heavyweight champion. He is also the former unified world cruiserweight champion, holding the WBA, WBC, WBO, and The Ring cruiserweight titles, and also the former European cruiserweight champion.- Amateur :Haye...
Winner Klitschko KO 2. Actual Fight Winner Klitschko UD 12.
Vitali Klitschko
Vitali Klitschko
Vitaliy Volodymyrovych Klychko is a Ukrainian professional heavyweight boxer and the current WBC heavyweight champion. He is a leader of the political party Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform and a member of the Ukrainian delegation to the Congress of the Council of Europe. He previously...
vs Lennox Lewis
Lennox Lewis
Lennox Claudius Lewis, CM, CBE is a retired boxer and the most recent British undisputed world heavyweight champion. He holds dual British and Canadian citizenship...
Winner Klitschko SD 12. Actual Fight Winner Lewis TKO 6.
Oscar De La Hoya
Oscar de la Hoya
Oscar De La Hoya is a retired American boxer of Mexican descent. Nicknamed "The Golden Boy", De La Hoya won a gold medal at the Barcelona Olympic Games shortly after graduating from Garfield High School. De La Hoya comes from a boxing family. His grandfather Vicente, father Joel Sr., and brother...
vs Floyd Mayweather Winner Mayweather KO 4 Actual Winner Mayweather SD 12.
Bernard Hopkins
Bernard Hopkins
Bernard Hopkins Jr, known as The Executioner is an American boxer and the current Ring Magazine and WBC light heavyweight champion...
vs Joe Calzaghe
Joe Calzaghe
Joseph William Calzaghe, CBE, MBE is a Welsh former professional boxer. He is the former WBO, WBA, WBC, IBF, The Ring & British super middleweight champion and The Ring light heavyweight champion....
Winner Hopkins UD 12. Two judges score 116-111. One judge 117-110. Actual Fight Winner Calzaghe SD 12.
Roster
Fight Night Champion features over 50 boxers in total through seven weight divisions, making it the largest roster in the series. There are additional fighters available as downloadable content not freely available.Heavyweight
- Mike TysonMike TysonMichael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
- Muhammad AliMuhammad AliMuhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
- Chris ArreolaChris ArreolaCristobal Arreola is a Mexican-American professional Heavyweight boxer. Arreola is the former NABF, WBC Continental Americas, and current WBC FECOMBOX Heavyweight Champion. Chris is promoted by Goossen Tutor and trained by Henry Ramírez....
- Eddie ChambersEddie ChambersEdward "Eddie" Chambers is an American heavyweight boxer fighting out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-Professional career:Eddie started boxing professionally in 2000 at the age of 18...
- Eric "Butterbean" Esch
- George ForemanGeorge ForemanGeorge Edward Foreman is an American two-time former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, Olympic gold medalist, ordained Baptist minister, author and successful entrepreneur...
- Joe FrazierJoe FrazierJoseph William "Joe" Frazier , also known as Smokin' Joe, was an Olympic and Undisputed World Heavyweight boxing champion, whose professional career lasted from 1965 to 1976, with a one-fight comeback in 1981....
- David HayeDavid HayeDavid Deron Haye is a retired English professional boxer,Haye is the former WBA heavyweight champion. He is also the former unified world cruiserweight champion, holding the WBA, WBC, WBO, and The Ring cruiserweight titles, and also the former European cruiserweight champion.- Amateur :Haye...
- Evander HolyfieldEvander HolyfieldEvander Holyfield is a professional boxer from the United States. He is a former undisputed world champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, earning him the nickname "The Real Deal"...
- Wladimir KlitschkoWladimir KlitschkoWladimir Klitschko is a Ukrainian heavyweight boxer. Klitschko is the WBA , IBF, WBO Super, IBO & Ring Magazine Champion. His older brother Vitali Klitschko is the current WBC champion...
- Vitali KlitschkoVitali KlitschkoVitaliy Volodymyrovych Klychko is a Ukrainian professional heavyweight boxer and the current WBC heavyweight champion. He is a leader of the political party Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform and a member of the Ukrainian delegation to the Congress of the Council of Europe. He previously...
- Lennox LewisLennox LewisLennox Claudius Lewis, CM, CBE is a retired boxer and the most recent British undisputed world heavyweight champion. He holds dual British and Canadian citizenship...
- Sonny ListonSonny ListonCharles L. "Sonny" Liston was a professional boxer and ex-convict known for his toughness, punching power, and intimidating appearance who became world heavyweight champion in 1962 by knocking out Floyd Patterson in the first round...
- Tommy MorrisonTommy MorrisonTommy David Morrison is an American heavyweight boxer and a former World Boxing Organization champion. He lost only three out of a total of 52 professional fights. Morrison's nickname, "The Duke," is based on disputed claims that he is a grandnephew of Hollywood star John Wayne...
- Jack DempseyJack DempseyWilliam Harrison "Jack" Dempsey was an American boxer who held the world heavyweight title from 1919 to 1926. Dempsey's aggressive style and exceptional punching power made him one of the most popular boxers in history. Many of his fights set financial and attendance records, including the first...
(DLC) - Jack JohnsonJack Johnson (boxer)John Arthur Johnson , nicknamed the “Galveston Giant,” was an American boxer. At the height of the Jim Crow era, Johnson became the first African American world heavyweight boxing champion...
(DLC) - Joe LouisJoe LouisJoseph Louis Barrow , better known as Joe Louis, was the world heavyweight boxing champion from 1937 to 1949. He is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweights of all time...
(DLC) - Rocky MarcianoRocky MarcianoRocky Marciano , born Rocco Francis Marchegiano, was an American boxer and the heavyweight champion of the world from September 23, 1952, to April 27, 1956. Marciano is the only champion to hold the heavyweight title and go undefeated throughout his career. Marciano defended his title six times...
(DLC) - Floyd PattersonFloyd PattersonFloyd Patterson was an American heavyweight boxer and former undisputed heavyweight champion. At 21, Patterson became the youngest man to win the world heavyweight title. He was also the first heavyweight boxer to regain the title. He had a record of 55 wins 8 losses and 1 draw, with 40 wins by...
(DLC)
Light Heavyweight
- Arthur AbrahamArthur AbrahamArthur Abraham is an Armenian-German professional boxer HyeFighter residing in Berlin, Germany. He was IBF world middleweight champion from 2005 to 2009, making ten successful defences of his title...
- Joe CalzagheJoe CalzagheJoseph William Calzaghe, CBE, MBE is a Welsh former professional boxer. He is the former WBO, WBA, WBC, IBF, The Ring & British super middleweight champion and The Ring light heavyweight champion....
- Chad DawsonChad Dawson"Bad" Chad Dawson is an American boxer from Hartsville, South Carolina, USA, and the former WBC & IBF light heavyweight champion. Dawson is rated by The Ring Magazine as the number four Light Heavyweight boxer in the world.-Early life:...
- Bernard HopkinsBernard HopkinsBernard Hopkins Jr, known as The Executioner is an American boxer and the current Ring Magazine and WBC light heavyweight champion...
- Roy Jones Jr.Roy Jones Jr.Roy Jones, Jr. is an American boxer. As a professional he has captured numerous world titles in the middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight, and heavyweight divisions...
Middleweight
- Marvelous Marvin Hagler
- Jake LaMottaJake LaMottaGiacobbe LaMotta , better known as Jake LaMotta, nicknamed "The Bronx Bull" and "The Raging Bull", is a former American world middleweight champion boxer...
- Erislandy Lara
- Ray Leonard
- Peter Manfredo, Jr.
- Anthony MundineAnthony MundineAnthony Mundine is an Australian professional boxer and former rugby league footballer.He is the current interim WBA Light Middleweight Champion boxer, former two-time WBA Super Middleweight Champion, former IBO Middleweight Champion and New South Wales State of Origin representative footballer....
- Carlos MonzónCarlos MonzónCarlos Monzón was an Argentine professional boxer who held the undisputed world middleweight title for 7 years, during which he successfully defended the title 14 times....
- Sergio MoraSergio MoraSergio "The Latin Snake" Mora is a Mexican American professional boxer trained by Dean Campos. He is the former WBC Light Middleweight Champion and also the first champion of NBC's The Contender....
- Kelly PavlikKelly PavlikKelly Pavlik is an American professional boxer. He was The Ring, WBC, & WBO middleweight champion from when he beat Jermain Taylor on September 29, 2007 until he lost his titles to Sergio Martinez on April 17, 2010....
- Ray RobinsonSugar Ray RobinsonSugar Ray Robinson was an African-American professional boxer. Frequently cited as the greatest boxer of all time, Robinson's performances in the welterweight and middleweight divisions prompted sportswriters to create "pound for pound" rankings, where they compared fighters regardless of weight...
- Jermain TaylorJermain TaylorJermain Taylor is an American professional boxer and former undisputed middleweight champion. He made his professional boxing debut in 2001 and won his first 25 bouts, which included victories over former champions Raúl Márquez and William Joppy...
- Fernando VargasFernando VargasFernando Vargas is a retired Mexican American boxer and two-time world champion, who won a bronze medal as an amateur at the 1995 Pan American Games in Mar del Plata. His nicknames include "Ferocious", "The Aztec Warrior" and "El Feroz"...
- Ronald WrightRonald WrightRonald Wright is a Canadian author who has written books of travel, history and fiction. His nonfiction includes the bestseller Stolen Continents, winner of the Gordon Montador Award and chosen as a book of the year by the Independent and the Sunday Times...
- Daniel JacobsDaniel Jacobs (boxer)Daniel Jacobs is an American professional boxer and is the former NABO and NABF Middleweight champion.-Early life:Jacobs was born and raised in the Brooklyn residential neighborhood of Brownsville to a Antiguan father and African-American mother. He was raised by his mother, Yvette Jacobs, his...
- Thomas HearnsThomas HearnsThomas "Hitman" Hearns is a retired American boxer. Nicknamed the "Motor City Cobra" and more famously "The Hitman", Hearns became the first boxer in history to win world titles in four divisions. He would also become the first fighter in history to win five world titles in five different divisions...
(DLC) - Bernard HopkinsBernard HopkinsBernard Hopkins Jr, known as The Executioner is an American boxer and the current Ring Magazine and WBC light heavyweight champion...
(DLC) - Roy Jones Jr.Roy Jones Jr.Roy Jones, Jr. is an American boxer. As a professional he has captured numerous world titles in the middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight, and heavyweight divisions...
(DLC)
Welterweight
- Emanuel AugustusEmanuel AugustusEmanuel Augustus is a professional boxer. He fights out of Brownsville, Texas-Personal:...
- Tim BradleyTimothy BradleyTimothy Ray Bradley Jr. is an American boxer, fighting out of Palm Springs, California. He is the current WBO World Light Welterweight Champion. He is rated #2 in the Light Welterweight division behind Amir Khan.-Light Welterweight:...
- Julio César ChávezJulio César ChávezJulio César Chávez is a retired Mexican professional boxer.He is a six-time world champion in three weight divisions, and for several years he was considered the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world...
- Miguel CottoMiguel CottoMiguel Ángel Cotto Vázquez is a Puerto Rican professional boxer and the reigning WBA light middleweight champion. He is the younger brother of contender Jose Miguel Cotto and cousin of Abner Cotto...
- Oscar De La HoyaOscar de la HoyaOscar De La Hoya is a retired American boxer of Mexican descent. Nicknamed "The Golden Boy", De La Hoya won a gold medal at the Barcelona Olympic Games shortly after graduating from Garfield High School. De La Hoya comes from a boxing family. His grandfather Vicente, father Joel Sr., and brother...
- Ricky HattonRicky HattonRichard John Hatton MBE, more commonly known as Ricky "the Hitman" Hatton, , is a former British professional boxer, and currently a promoter....
- Thomas HearnsThomas HearnsThomas "Hitman" Hearns is a retired American boxer. Nicknamed the "Motor City Cobra" and more famously "The Hitman", Hearns became the first boxer in history to win world titles in four divisions. He would also become the first fighter in history to win five world titles in five different divisions...
- Kendall HoltKendall HoltKendall Holt is an American professional boxer fighting in the light welterweight class. He is a one-time world champion, having held the WBO junior welterweight championship from July 5, 2008 until April 5, 2009.-Personal:...
- Zab JudahZab JudahZabdiel Judah is an American professional boxer. Judah has won five world titles between the junior welterweight and welterweight divisions, and is a former undisputed welterweight champion....
- Ray Leonard
- Shane MosleyShane Mosley“Sugar” Shane Mosley is an American professional boxer from Pomona, California who has held world titles in three weight divisions.-Amateur career:Mosley was an amateur standout, capturing various amateur titles, including:...
- Victor OrtízVictor OrtízVictor Ortiz is an American professional boxer of Mexican descent and the former WBC welterweight champion.He was previously in the light welterweight division, where he held the USBA & NABO title....
- Manny PacquiaoManny PacquiaoEmmanuel "Manny" Dapidran Pacquiao, PLH is a Filipino professional boxer and politician. He is the first eight-division world champion; having won six world titles, as well as the first to win the lineal championship in four different weight classes. He was named "Fighter of the Decade" for the...
- Roberto DuránRoberto DuránRoberto Durán Samaniego is a retired professional boxer from Panama, widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time. A versatile brawler in the ring, he was nicknamed "Manos de Piedra" during his career....
(DLC) - Pernell WhitakerPernell WhitakerPernell Whitaker , nicknamed "Sweet Pea", is a professional boxing trainer and retired American professional boxer...
(DLC)
Lightweight
- Diego CorralesDiego CorralesDiego "Chico" Corrales was an American boxer.He was the WBC, WBO, & The Ring lightweight champion, and the WBO & IBF super featherweight champion....
- Roberto DuránRoberto DuránRoberto Durán Samaniego is a retired professional boxer from Panama, widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time. A versatile brawler in the ring, he was nicknamed "Manos de Piedra" during his career....
- Robert GuerreroRobert GuerreroRobert Joseph Guerrero is a professional American boxer of Mexican descent. He is the former IBF Super Featherweight champion and a former two-time IBF featherweight champion of the world. Nicknamed The Ghost, Guerrero's record is 29 wins, 1 loss, and 1 draw, and 2 no contest, with 18 of his wins...
- Jesse James LeijaJesse James LeijaJames Leija , is a retired professional boxer from Texas.-Amateur career:Leija had an amateur career that spanned three years, going 23-5 during this time. He won the San Antonio Golden Gloves in 1988...
- Vinny PazVinny PazVinny Paz, formerly Vinny Pazienza is an Italian-American former boxer and world champion in the lightweight and light middleweight weight classes...
- Pernell WhitakerPernell WhitakerPernell Whitaker , nicknamed "Sweet Pea", is a professional boxing trainer and retired American professional boxer...
- Oscar De La HoyaOscar de la HoyaOscar De La Hoya is a retired American boxer of Mexican descent. Nicknamed "The Golden Boy", De La Hoya won a gold medal at the Barcelona Olympic Games shortly after graduating from Garfield High School. De La Hoya comes from a boxing family. His grandfather Vicente, father Joel Sr., and brother...
(DLC) - Manny PacquiaoManny PacquiaoEmmanuel "Manny" Dapidran Pacquiao, PLH is a Filipino professional boxer and politician. He is the first eight-division world champion; having won six world titles, as well as the first to win the lineal championship in four different weight classes. He was named "Fighter of the Decade" for the...
(DLC)
Featherweight
- Billy DibBilly DibBilly "The Kid" Dib is an Australian professional boxer. He is the current IBF Featherweight Champion. He is the former IBO super featherweight champion.-Early years:Bilal Dib was born on 17 August 1985 at Kogarah Hospital in Sydney, Australia...
- Yuriorkis Gamboa
- Kevin Kelley
- Manny PacquiaoManny PacquiaoEmmanuel "Manny" Dapidran Pacquiao, PLH is a Filipino professional boxer and politician. He is the first eight-division world champion; having won six world titles, as well as the first to win the lineal championship in four different weight classes. He was named "Fighter of the Decade" for the...
(DLC)
Bantamweight
- Nonito DonaireNonito DonaireNonito Donaire, Jr. is a Filipino-American professional boxer, who is widely known as "The Filipino Flash." He is a three-division world champion, having won five titles across three different boxing weight classes. He is a known switch-hitter with the ability to fight either southpaw or orthodox...
Venues
There are twenty-one venues included in Fight Night Champion, which range from large arenas to boxing gyms. The following venues are currently available:| Location | City | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Boardwalk Hall Boardwalk Hall Boardwalk Hall, formally known as the Historic Atlantic City Convention Hall, is an arena in Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States... |
Atlantic City | United States |
| MGM Grand Garden Arena | Las Vegas | United States |
| New York Arena Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the... |
New York City | United States |
| Thomas & Mack Center Thomas & Mack Center The Thomas & Mack Center is an arena, located on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. For ring events, the capacity is 19,522, for basketball, the capacity is 18,776.-History:... |
Las Vegas | United States |
| Windy City Boxing Club | Chicago Chicago Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles... |
United States |
| Aragon Ballroom Aragon Ballroom (Chicago) The Aragon Ballroom is the name of a ballroom in Chicago, Illinois.Located on West Lawrence Avenue approximately five miles north of downtown in the Uptown neighborhood, it was built in 1926 and designed in the Moorish architectural style with the interior resembling a Spanish village and named... |
Chicago Chicago Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles... |
United States |
| State Palace Theatre | New Orleans | United States |
| Carisi's Gym | Philadelphia | United States |
| Metro Manila Arena | Manila Manila Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,... |
Philippines Philippines The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam... |
| Mexico City Plaza | Mexico City Mexico City Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole... |
Mexico Mexico The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of... |
| Royal London Theatre | London | England |
| Vancouver Eastside Gym | Vancouver Vancouver Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,... |
Canada |
| Tokyo Kings Fight Club | Tokyo | Japan |
| Big Bear Boxing Gym | Big Bear Lake, California Big Bear Lake, California Big Bear Lake is a city in San Bernardino County, California along the south shore of Big Bear Lake, located northeast of the city of San Bernardino. The population was 5,019 at the 2010 census, down from 5,438 at the 2000 census... |
United States |
| Motor City Boxing Club | Detroit | United States |
| All England Boxing Club | N/A | England |
| Berlin Boxing Club | Berlin | Germany |
| Puerto Rico Gym | N/A | Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an... |
| Azteca Club de Boxeo | N/A | Mexico Mexico The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of... |
| North Philly Gym | Philadelphia | United States |
| Cowboys Stadium | Arlington, Texas Arlington, Texas Arlington is a city in Tarrant County, Texas within the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. According to the 2010 census results, the city had a population of 365,438, making it the third largest municipality in the Metroplex... |
United States |
Reception
Fight Night Champion received very positive reviews from critics. Many praised its large amount of content, realistic graphics, excellent presentation, and Champion Mode. Legacy Mode was mainly criticized, with critics citing its difficult minigames and lack of improvements as its downside.The new concept and direction of the series has been highly praised. Tom Hoggins of The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
wrote "This is a tough, burly sequel that understands what we want from the blood and sweat of sport it represents", citing its brutality and emotion aspects as a winning factor. Hilary Goldstein of IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
also praised these factors, and praised Champion Mode for carrying the emotional weight of the game, stating that it gave the game "more sense of emotion out of what is usually a soulless experience".
The Full-Spectrum Punch Control has been praised by critics. Mike Phillips of 1Up.com
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
praised the new system for simplifying the gameplay, but noted that it had several flaws which detracted from the realism: "Bobbing and weaving and timing your shots are all crucial to success in the ring, and it feels good once you've got the hang of it. But in the heat of battle, it's altogether too easy to accidentally unleash an extra punch or two and end up paying the price."
CVG
Computer and video games
A video game is an electronic game that involves human interaction with a user interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. The word video in video game traditionally referred to a raster display device, but following popularization of the term "video game", it now implies any type of...
praised its graphics, gameplay and Champion Mode, calling it "one of the best looking games there is." X-Play
X-Play
X-Play is a TV program about video games, known for its reviews and comedy skits...
scored it with a perfect 5/5 and praised its simplified gameplay, yet criticized its final boss and multiplayer suites.
Eurogamer
Eurogamer
Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news, reviews, previews and interviews. It is operated by Eurogamer Network Ltd., which was formed in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman. Eurogamer has grown to become one of the most important European-based websites focused on...
gave it an 8/10 and called it the most technically accomplished game in the series, and that the evolution exceed their expectiations without "truly blowing us away".
GameSense gave it a 7.4/10 reacting positively to the graphics, Online Mode, and large roster, saying "It mirrors real life extremely well and picks up on where Fight Night Round 4 lacked."