The people. Every fighter has a hometown, stance, height and reach, a temperament that decides what he says at the weigh-in and after, and up to two traits — iron chin, bleeder, late starter, dirty fighter and so on — that change how he fights and what your cornerman tells you. Fight the same man twice and it is a rematch with a bigger purse and a grudge. Hover a name in the rankings for his story.

Career. Create a 20-year-old prospect and spend 60 points across seven attributes. Each month you either train (two attributes, primary and secondary) or take one of three fight offers. Wins move you up the world rankings; beat the number one and you get a shot at the champion over twelve rounds. Purses buy a head trainer, cutman and team doctor. Hard fights cost you months on the shelf; three straight stoppage losses cost you your licence. The game keeps score of your legacy when you retire.

In the ring. Before every round pick a strategy: Box (jab, move, safe), Pressure (volume, body work), Counter (make him lead), Go for KO (load up, open yourself), Cover up (survive). Then ring the bell. Between rounds the corner slate shows the unofficial cards, both fighters' condition and your cornerman's advice. Three judges score ten-point-must; a knockdown is a 10-8 round. Fights end by KO, TKO (referee, doctor or corner), three knockdowns in a round, or decision.

Exhibition. Pick any two fighters from a division and fight, or watch the computer corners box each other.

Your career saves in this browser automatically after every month and every fight. Every fighter in the game is fictional.