EA’s original plans to bring back its Fight Night boxing franchise have been canceled, according to a new report from Insider Gaming executive editor Mike Straw.
Citing sources with knowledge of the situation, Straw first revealed the news on the latest episode of Insider Gaming Weekly before publishing a written report on September 18. Per those sources, the decision was made around a year ago, and work on the game had already been paused by the time it came down.
The project had moved past the talking stage. Straw reported that development got beyond pre-production before it was shelved.
Why the Door Isn’t Closed
The wild card is ownership. EA completed its $55 billion sale to a consortium led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund on August 4, with the PIF taking a 93.4% stake. Straw’s sources say that ownership could open the door to a complete restart of the series.
Saudi Arabia is already deep in boxing. Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the country’s General Entertainment Authority, bought The Ring magazine in November 2024, and the kingdom has spent billions staging marquee fights. Straw reported that new discussions about a Fight Night return are expected, though his sources were clear that “anything that happens will be brand new.”
Any revival also has to work on paper. The buyout left EA carrying $20 billion in debt, and Straw’s report says a new boxing game would need to justify itself against that backdrop.
A Long Road Since 2011
Fight Night has been dormant since Fight Night Champion released in March 2011. EA later put the series on hold in favor of its UFC franchise, with the Fight Night team at EA Canada moving over to the UFC games.
In October 2024, Straw reported that Fight Night was back on the table and would follow EA Sports UFC 6, provided development wasn’t paused again. UFC 6 launched on June 19, 2026. The boxing game that was supposed to come next no longer exists in its original form.
