So far, the roster for eSports Boxing Club has gone above and well beyond in terms of quantity. When compared to games from the past (Fight Night Champions 59 boxers total, not including the alternate weights and story mode boxers) and the present (Round 4 Round Boxing, which was supposed to be a “competitor” but comes in with an embarrassing and anemic 33 boxers) there is definitely zero comparison to ESBC at the moment.
To date the roster is at around 123 and counting. This number does not include the Women’s divisions, which is amazing. With another planned “Boxer Announcement” show down the road as well as future DLC, it is possible the total roster for ESBC could reach over 150+. So, let us look at an updated Top 10 featured boxer list of the current ESBC roster. (Please note, this list isn’t based on boxers in-game ratings or attributes)
eSports Boxing Club: Top 10 Featured Boxers
Terrance ‘Bud’ Crawford
One of the very few current superstars of boxing deserves to be in the featured list for the ESBC roster. Terrance “Bud” Crawford is the best in the world in the Welterweight Division. Period. A southpaw who can box orthodox without losing any type of speed, power and accuracy is an extremely rare breed. Crawford has quietly built his professional resume after a very mediocre amateur career to pound-for-pound best fighter status against some of the elite boxers across all weight divisions. Crawford remains superb in the ring with very few able to compete on his level. Many have talked, but all have failed to solve the puzzle that is “Bud” Crawford. His boxing skill appears next level many believing his starts are slow. In reality, this nuance makes him an elite pound-for-pound boxer. He collects data, while maintaining dominance and finishes his opponent in devastating fashion. His last 8 professional bouts all ended before judges’ decisions. If I were to rate Crawford right now, he would be a 90+ overall and below Sugar Ray Leonard. If you have not watched a Crawford match recently…SHAME ON YOU! (in my ODB Voice).
Vitali ‘Dr. Ironfist’ Klitschko
87.3%. That is the knockout percentage of Dr. Ironfist in 47 professional fights. His only losses were to Hall of Fame Heavyweight, Lennox Lewis, in a Fight of the Year and former Heavyweight Champion, Chris Byrd, due to a shoulder injury. To say Klitschko was a dominant Heavyweight is an understatement. In most of his fights, he used his reach to establish range and followed it with tremendous power. Klitschko could take punishment as well as avoid avoided being knocked out in his professional career. Over time, he only suffered significant injuries in two professional fight leading to his losses. Along with his younger brother, Wladimir (who many could argue had a better career both amateur and professionally), the two would be established as one of the greatest brother duos in boxing alongside the Spinks brothers of Michael and Leon in the 80s. Vitali will and should indeed be one of the best choices in Heavyweight with a respectable rating and attributes in the game. If this is not the case someone needs to call 9-1-1 immediately because a crime will indeed be committed.
Roy Jones, Jr.
A victim of one of the worse Olympic robberies in history, and a cultural icon in the late 90s – early 2000s, RJJ is one of the few boxers in history to win titles at MW, LHW and HW. Possessing lighting fast speed with his shifty footwork and defensive moment, Jones Jr. was capable of tossing powerful and quick punches from absurd angles. While most times escaping danger with his outer world head bobbing and matrix-like leaning ability. Roy was a showman in the ring and proved his ability with flash and style in many of his fights. A human highlight reel, Jones pulled out wins against the likes of James Toney, Bernard Hopkins, Antonio Tarver, John Ruiz, and Virgil Hill. Jones should be a force at Middleweight and Super Middleweight in the game, but also a strong fighter in LHW too. Depending on his weight class, his overall rating will be either very high or above average.
‘The Brockton Blockbuster’ Rocky Marciano
Rocco Francis Marchegiano is the only Heavyweight in the history of boxing to have retired with an undefeated record. Going by the name Rocky Marciano, his record of 49 wins with 0 losses was a record that stood for decades among all the weight divisions and still to this day for the Heavyweight division. Marciano’s all-time knockout percentage is an astonishing 87.76%. His power usually won against all who dared to stand toe to toe with him as he battled against some of the hardest punchers in history. He was a rugged and aggressive fighter with an iron chin and hands of steel. A fan favorite and icon in his era, Marciano was always ready to bring the fight to his opponents and never backed down.
‘Smokin’ Joe Frazier
With a record of 32-4, Frazier is deserves the distinction of “Legend” in ESBC. The legend of the left goes back to his days when he would help his one-armed father carry things around the farm, using mostly his left arm. This method developed more power in his left arm than his right when throwing punches, especially his left hook. Frazier’s forward moving, aggressive crab style was punctuated with his devastating left hook. Frazier is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame and former Olympic Gold Medalist (Tokyo, 1964). His only losses came at the hands Hall of Famers (Ali-2, Foreman-2) with his first match against Ali billed as one of the greatest and largest spectacles in the history of boxing.
Joe ‘The Brown Bomber’ Louis
Joseph Louis Barrow, who went by the nickname The Brown Bomber, is considered one of the greatest Heavyweight Champions of all time. He had an amazing 25 consecutive title defenses while participating in 27 Championship bouts. A former Golden Gloves and US National Champion, Louis had a career record of 66 wins (52 by Knockout) with only 3 losses. Louis’s punching power is legendary with a KO percentage in the mid 70s. However, the one significant moment in Joe Louis’s career came when he would fight the rematch against Germany’s Max Schmeling during the time of the World War. Louis destroyed Schmeling in the first round with his legendary punching power on full display. He would hit Schmeling so hard with a body shot that people ringside in the crowd said they heard Schmeling scream in pain.
Julio Cesar Chavez, Sr.
With a career spanning from 1980 to 2005, Mr KO established himself as one of the greatest fighters of his generation and arguably the greatest boxer from the country of Mexico. Participating in 115 bouts with 107 career wins (KO Percentage of 73.9), Chavez was a multiple Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year Award winner and Champion in multiple divisions. Chavez won over 80+ professional fights in a row before losing his first fight in 1994. If “Will” is an attribute in the game, Chavez should be at 100. The man never stopped fighting or coming forward. Relentless is an understatement when talking about Chavez’s mannerism when pursuing his opponent around the ring trying, and succeeding, in delivering punishment, especially to the body. If you want an example of Chavez’s relentless pursuit, watch his first match against Meldrick Taylor March 17th 1990. Fight of the Year and possibly Fight of the Decade in my honest opinion. Despite being out boxed by Taylor most of the fight, Chavez inflicted so much damage to Taylor that it was documented Taylor had blood in his urine for months after the fight. Chavez’s body punching ratings should be in the upper 90s as well. Best that ever was.
‘Sugar’ Ray Leonard
Named after famed musician, Ray Charles, Sugar Ray Leonard is by far one of the most recognizable names and faces in the history of boxing. From an early age, Leonard showed his potential greatest in the sport of boxing making it to the quarterfinals of the 1972 Olympic trails and going on to win numerous US Amateur boxing championships as well as the Pan American Games championship in 1975. However, 1976 was the year the world was introduced to the charismatic, engaging and ultra-talented boxing phenom with the movie star smile. That year, Leonard won the Olympic gold medal in dominate fashion and moved on to the pros. Leonard will be remembered for his fights with Duran, Hearns and Hagler. He possessed amazing hand speed, accuracy and tremendous power in both hands, especially the left hook. He possessed amazing footwork and high ring IQ with exceptional defense. On top of that, he was more than willing to engage in a fire fight close range if need be. Sugar Ray will be one of the most selected fighters in this game if his attributes and ratings are spot on and accurate. Mark my words.
Sugar Ray Robinson
Born Walker Smith, Jr., Robinson will be forever known as one of the All-Time pound-for-pound greatest boxers of all time across all eras. He had the rare ability of possessing everything needed in the ring. Great offensive, solid defense, ring generalship and all the other intangibles you just can’t teach in a boxing gym. Robinson amassed an astonishing 109 knockouts in over 200 bouts and was never knocked out in a professional boxing match (his loss to Joey Maxim was a retirement in a fight in which he was clearly winning). His career record was documented as 174-19-6 with a 91-fight winning streak during his career. Robinson was in a different class from his peers due to possessing amazing power (both hands), speed, accuracy, boxing skill and defense. He was truly a once in a lifetime boxer.
Muhammad Ali
Considered to the “The Greatest” first by himself and eventually by millions of boxing fans, Muhammad Ali will always be associated with the term G.O.A.T! Born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr in 1942, the young Clay would dedicate himself to the sport of boxing at a very early age. Winning AAU and Golden Gloves titles in 1959 and 1960, he would go on to win the Gold Medal in the Rome Olympics of 1960 in the Light Heavyweight Division. It became known rather quickly that Clay possessed unbelievable hand and foot speed for someone his size and weight. Clay’s style of defense and stinging jab-strong right combination started to get notice when he ran through a slew of top contenders. Along with the skills, Clay was a one-man show possessing swagger and confidence that may have annoyed few but was loved and embraced by many. When Clay went into his championship fight with Sonny Liston, many thought he wouldn’t last a round. Not only did he last a round, but he went on to win by forfeit to become Heavyweight champion of the world and announcing to the world Muhammad Ali was here to stay. However, Ali was stripped of his title and placed in exile until his “Fight of the Century” with Joe Frazier. Ali went on to reclaim his title numerous times with his amazing boxing skill and heart. With arguably one of the greatest jab-straight right combinations in the history of boxing Ali’s speed, his footwork and ring smarts proved to a difficult combination to deal with in the ring.
Bonus: Canelo Alvarez
One a little late to the party to be properly included in this list but still deserve mention is Canelo Alvarez. Via an official announcement on YouTube, ESBC revealed Canelo Alvarez as a playable boxer.
As the video suggests the face of boxing is now the face of the video game, heavily insinuating Canelo as the game’s cover athlete. Canelo touts a 56-1-2 record with 38 knockouts. This includes a victory over Billy Joe Saunders in the eighth-round. Alvarez is also the WBA, WBC, and WBO super middleweight champion, adding more star power to an already unbelievably stacked roster.
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