Upcoming boxing title Undisputed explains changes to punching
By Brian Allen
Undisputed is an upcoming boxing game from publisher Steel City Interactive. It will feature more than 200 boxers including Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier and Sugar Ray Leonard. There haven't been a lot of boxing titles recently, so here's hoping this one hits hard. You see what I did there?
As a neat touch, boxers who appeared in different weight classes in their career will have those options in the game. Roy Jones, for example, can fight in the middleweight, light heavyweight, heavyweight and cruiserweight divisions.
Ten women will step into the ring as well as in Undisputed, including Katie Taylor and Alicia Napoleon. Since it has been while for mainstream boxing titles, the progress women have made in the sport hasn't been captured recently.
Undisputed has been receiving help from the players in its early access to tweak some things ahead of its planned October release. In its latest update, developers explained some of the changes to punches.
Stationary jabs and straights have been changed, adding more torque to straight right hands. Fighters now bend their knees when throwing body straights, which if timed right can get under the opposing fighter's defenses.
Players noted uppercuts could be thrown from long range, so now they've been updated. Step-in jabs and straights were a little floatier than they should be, so now they've been tweaked. All the changes being mentioned here are being tested with combos to make sure they flow together realistically. Your corner man wants to see punches in bunches, big dawg.
I have high hopes for this title. From Mike Tyson's Punch-Out to Fight Night, I have loved games that represent the sweet science. This one seems like it's being done with that same kind of love. We'll find out soon enough as Undisputed releases Oct. 12 on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation, and PC.