Pros: The graphics and fight system are unprecedented. Perfect for duking it out with a friend.
Cons: Several unforgivable flaws, especially in career mode.
The bottom line: The best in boxing, but a mediocre game in the end of the day. For $60, you won't find as much replaybility as other games.
++The Good++
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The Graphics: I've read a plethora of reviews hailing this game as the posterboy for X-Box 360 on HDTV. Well, I don't have an HDTV, and I still cannot fathom a clearer image than what my T.V. projects. When you load the game, you see a movie labeled "real game footage." You won't believe it when you see it, but when you actually play the game, you'll be blown away. The fighters look like pre-rendered objects from a cut-scene. Or, more specifically, they look like real people--being controlled entirely by you. The crowd, too, are completely life-like, albeit their motion becomes rather repetitive.

Other effects, such as sweat and blood, are equally astounding. Honestly, and I said this when the original X-Box came out, but I'm even more convinced now, I don't see systems getting any better than this. At least in terms of graphics. Perhaps a reduction of loading times and information capacity, but the graphics in this game are flawless.

The Dynamics: The fighting system makes what I originally thought as a boring game--boxing--actually very fun. Instead of simply mashing buttons, punches are entirely dictated by the thumb stick. A right hook requires swinging the thumbstick from the right side to the up side, just as the left hook requires moving it from the left side up. A jab is a quick flick to the corner of the side you want to punch with. And hold the L shoulder button causes you to aim for the body (opposed to the face). The more you emphasize the motion, the harder, though slower, the punch. It really gives you full control of your fighter, and gives a near infinite list of possibilities.

Most impressive is how deep the fighting system actually is. It actually allows the player to choose from several strategies to win a match. My first boxer was extremely fast, but not too powerful. Because knockouts were hard, I developed a style which involved focusing almost entirely on one side of the face. I would throw distraction punches all around, only to finish off with a hook on the designated location. Rinse and repeat. By the 2nd or 3rd period, that particular location would be bleeding more than anywhere else. Well, the system works that if a fighter is fighting with a bloody eye (or nose etc.), then that section is more vulnerable. Furthermore, if it gets bad enough, the ref will soon call the match to protect the fighter. Well, if my fighter could survive past the 4th or 5th round, in time my opponents eye would/should have swollen shut. Often enough, the match would be called like that.

There are other strategies, too, however. You can concentrate on the mid-section to knock the wind out of your opponent. Having done this, they probably won't last too long. Or, you can just rely on hard, slow punches to try and get that quick knock-out. Although not mentioned in the manual, there is a myriad of calculations being made behind the scene that take into account everything: a swolen eye means that fighter won't be as fast to block is another example.

What I love about the game is that it does not follow the beaten-to-death system of having two fighters with a life-guage and the first to run out loses (or is knocked down/out). This game has none of that. Just two fighters and a ring. No numbers, no guages to look at. What this all adds up to is a fight that is constantly exciting. Never are you absolutely lost. I have won fights when I was clearly behind with a sudden succession of strong combos.

++The Bad++
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Career Mode: This is the downfall of the game, in my opinion. It's fine by anyone's standards, but I am grading this game by the benchmark that it has already set. The career mode is the heart of the game in that it provides the most replayability. You create a fighter (or choose a "legend" to revive his career) and you start in local gyms, only to fight your way up. With wins come money, and with money comes the option to improve your gear (and consequently your stats). Pretty basic.

The downfall is the lack of variety. You fight a match, you win (or lose), and you fight another match. EA Sports tried to rectify this with a rivalry system. And failed miserably. You see, the rival is supposed to be a fighter that adds a sense of story to your journey. The problem is it is completely out of your control and, in the end, laughable. I have gone through story-mode twice, and the self-acclaimed rival system adds nothing to the fun-factor. Both times I demolished my rival in our first bout, and somehow we still became rivals (the beginning sparked by the announcement by the commentator). It makes you wonder how this rivalry started. Since, certainly, your opponent proved nothing in terms of matching your ability.

Then, to top of the downfall, every time you face your rival in a big match, there will be a short fight during weigh-ins. The first time was cool; I admit. But after the 4th or 5th time this happens, you wonder why they allow you to weight in together if he is going to sucker punch you every time.

Finally, and this flaw is unforgivable, but the training inherent in career mode is always a burden. Not only does it disrupt the flow of the game, occuring in between every match, but it is essential that you actually go through it (since opting for it to automatically be done achieves half the effect). And the three options of training are incredibly dull. You can either lift weights, by moving the thumbsticks up and down in timing to on-screen prompts. Next is a punching doll which you have to hit in a specific order, not unlike the classic game of Simon. Thirldy is a punching bag, which you simply punch as fast as you can. Each game has it's own flaws, but ultimately none are fun. And when the inherent point of any game is to have fun, it baffles me when a company includes something such as this, which is in no way fun, at all.

++The Ugly++
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The commentators: A complete joke compared to everything else in this game. I realize that it's difficult to organize an engaging system of commentation in a game as basic as boxing, but EA failed miserably in this respect. For one, the commentators often say the same thing twice in a row. And I don't mean things like "And a beautiful punch!" or something like that. I mean lengthy monologues describing the art of boxing, usually, but not always, pertaining to the situation of the match. To hear something like that twice only reminds you that you're playing a video-game. Secondly, they often talk about things that are ridiculously false. Mostly when pertaining to your rival. After a while the game gets incredibly simple, and I never had a problem with my rival. In fact, not once did he last past the first round. But still, and every time, the commentator gets ecstatic when discussing our match, telling how exciting it is whenver I am matched with my rival. This hardly-applaudable speech of his is then replayed in full during our next equally-boring/easy match. Every time.

The game's difficulty: For the first few days of playing, the game difficulty is fine. Medium difficulty serves well in the beginning, and once you grasp the basics, Hard is perfect. But once you go beyond the basics, even Hard, the hardest difficulty allowed, is even too easy. Way too easy. Out of boredom, I started another Career mode today, and went 40-0-0 with 40 knockouts. This is all in Hard, and never did a match go to the third round. Hardly ever did they go to the 2nd round. However, this also says two things: one, is despite this obvious "flaw" it says a lot about this game that I can still have fun playing 40 matches in a sub-par career mode (the fighting system is just that good). Secondly, it speaks to an imbalance in the game, which is unfortunate. You see, my speed fighter, while just as high in stats, has a slightly difficult time winning matches, while my power fighter just walks through everyone. I wish there was a better balance, but the imbalance isn't that bad.

O V E R A L L
If you often have friends over, or a brother, that enjoy games such as this, it would be wise to look into this game (rent it first). It offers great two-player action, as well as something to do if you have a few minutes to kill during the day. The fighting system is near flawless, and the graphics alone merit consideration.

The game, however, is not perfect, and such flaws should definitely be dealt with before the next installment. Therefore, assuming the positive sides of this game will stay, it may be wise to wait for the next game (Round 4). The flaws, though very annoying, are (just as annoyingly) easy to fix. However, if you are a boxing fan and don't want to wait, then this is the best boxing game out there, bar-none.

Final rating:
As a boxing game: 9/10
As a game: 7/10