Undisputed in 2026: Bigger, Better and Unbeaten

I have been in Undisputed’s corner since the early access days, back when it still went by eSports Boxing Club. I have watched it grow from a rough, promising prototype into the biggest boxing game in a generation, and last August I finally reviewed the finished article and handed it nine out of ten. Nearly a year on, with the game now arriving on Xbox Game Pass and boxing sitting as the second most popular sport among young people, I have come back to see whether that verdict still holds. The short version: the game I scored has only become a heavier hitter.

Bigger

When I reviewed it, the roster sat at around seventy fighters and felt generous. It now runs past one hundred, the largest line-up boxing gaming has ever seen. The DLC packs keep widening the dream-match pool, and two of my recent favourites are The Senator, which adds Manny Pacquiao, and The Mexican Monster, which brings in David Benavidez. Add the base-game names, Ali, Fury, Usyk, Canelo, and yes, even Jake Paul, and you can stage bouts history never gave us. I have spent more late nights than I should admit doing exactly that on the sofa with a mate.

Better

Bigger would mean little if the boxing had not improved, but it has. Update 2.0 last October was the turning point. Blocking rewards patience now rather than punishing it, the stamina system reads more fairly, and the AI picks its moments instead of charging in. On Series X the presentation sits closer than ever to a Saturday-night broadcast. The four-way targeting that overwhelmed newcomers at launch has been smoothed without losing its depth, which makes couch versus with a friend the most fun it has ever been.

Unbeaten

Here is the part that still amazes me. Undisputed has no competition. EA shelved Fight Night well over a decade ago and never came back, so this remains the only licensed boxing simulation on the shelf. Unbeaten by default, perhaps, but it has earned the belt on merit. More than five million players have stepped in, across over two hundred million fights. For a small Sheffield studio that began as three brothers and a prototype, that is some story, and as someone who followed it the whole way, a satisfying one to tell.

What comes next

The other headline for 2026 is where Steel City Interactive goes from here. The studio has confirmed it is pouring its energy into a sequel, rebuilt from the ground up in Unreal Engine, chasing the most advanced sports-combat game it can make. I have mixed feelings as a fan, because part of me wanted the roster to grow forever. But there is something clean about a game reaching its final, complete form while the team swings for something bigger. What sits on my Series X today is the definitive version, and that counts for plenty.

So, does the nine still stand?

It does, and if anything it has aged into the score. The version I reviewed was strong. The version on Game Pass today is more complete, better balanced and deeper in fighters, and it is the one new players will meet. A steep learning curve and the odd inconsistent AI moment still keep it shy of a ten, but as a package it has only grown.

The timing could not be better, because as of the eighth of June, Undisputed is on Xbox Game Pass. If you have ever been curious about the only licensed boxing game going, this is the moment to throw your first jab at no extra cost. Bigger, better, and for now at least, unbeaten.

If you want the background, my original review and the Undisputed FAQ are both still up.