The Best Boxing Video Games Ever!

By Jalil Dawson

Do the names Glass Joe, Kid Quick and Mr. Sandman mean anything to you? If they do, you are probably a GenXer, a boxing fan, and a former or present video game addict. I am proud to say that I fit all of the criteria. If you can not relate, you will read my words, gain some further insight into the mind of a "child of the 80s," and may even want to buy or rent a video game. If you can relate, you will read this and hopefully join the debate.

Dust off your old PlayStation, plug in your new PS3, read my rankings, and you decide if you agree with them or not.

The Top Five Boxing Video Games of All-Time:

5. Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! -
In 1987, the star power of Mike Tyson and the brand name of Nintendo Entertainment's Punch Out joined to form one of the more popular video games in recent memory. It was a match made in heaven, but any fight that involved Mr. Sandman was not too shabby either.

4. Fight Night (2004) -
This game is the natural evolution of Knockout Kings, making it the natural leader in the boxing video game space. Its graphics and fighter directory are unmatched (for now).

3. Boxing (Atari 2600) -
Cheesy? Yes. Primitive. Sure. Classic. Most definitely. Although not the first of its kind, this early entrant into the boxing gaming world was the first credible boxing game. For me, this is where it all started.

2. Knockout Kings -
At the time of the first release of this series, it was perhaps the most comprehensive, visually-appealing boxing video game ever created. Not only were the graphics great, but it was the first game to include a "who's who" of the sport's greatest fighters in the game. Who would win in a mythical matchup between Sugar Ray Robinson and Marvelous Marvin Hagler? Here, you could find out.

1. Punch-Out!! -
This game got its start in the arcade before it made its way into the friendly confines of gamers' homes. It spawned as many sequels as Star Wars, and was the first boxing video game that had true cross-over appeal. The phrase "body blow, body blow" still resonates to this day.

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