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Our Favourite Fictional Boxers

Boxing is an excellent topic for filmmakers and anyone wanting to create an engaging narrative. From classic stories like boxers overcoming the odds to more in-depth analysis of the surrounding aspects in the world of boxing, there are many ways that artists can swing.

But what are some of the best fictional boxer characters ever produced? We take a look right here.

What Makes a Good Fictional Boxing Character?

Boxers come in all shapes and sizes, quite literally. So, what makes one fighter better than another. In terms of real fighting, speed, stamina and heart all come into play. But in the world of fiction, the most complete boxer is not always the most interesting. As an audience or as gamers playing boxing video games, we tend to prefer when the fighter is not perfect and needs to improve or do something to succeed.

Four of the Best Fictional Boxers

#1: Balrog

Balrog is a man mountain from the Street Fighter series, which did his first appearance in the sequel game titled The World Warrior released in 1991. He was a disgraced boxer that packed a monumental punch. Notably, the character’s dimensions seem off with giant fists. The Street Fighter series is still popular today. Despite being at its peak in the 1990s, fans still tune back in for every new release. Balrog has laced up his glows for a comeback in Street Fighter V for PS4 (2016) and Street Fighter 2: The World Warrior released for online casinos in May this year.

#2: Little Mac

Any Nintendo fans in the house? Little Mac is the protagonist character from Punch Out, played on the Nintendo console. Despite being the youngest and smallest of all the game’s boxers, he is one of the best. The signature move of Little Mac is his star uppercut. He has made multiple appearances across related games and can be most recently found (at the time of writing) on the Punch Out title for the Wii console.

#3: Butch Coolidge

Any Pulp Fictional fans will have been waiting for the name Butch Coolidge to pop up. Bruce Willis played this boxer. The role being an ageing guy who wrestled with the fight outside of the ring as well as in it during the Gold Watch chapter of the show. Butch agrees to lose a fight for a bribe, which is one example of how boxing fiction can be just as entertaining when most of the drama is not within the rounds.

#4: Rocky Balboa

The jury is still out if Rocky was actually a fictional character. Most people would argue that he is, although a lot of people believe the character is somewhat based on Chuck Wepner who fought for 15 rounds against Muhammad Ali in his only fight. And others have questioned whether Rocky has any connection to Italian-American Thomas Rocco Barbella, who was also known as Rocky. In any case, Rocky was one of Stallone’s most iconic characters and is a fictional boxing legend.