Barry McGuigan World Championship Boxing

Barry McGuigan World Championship Boxing - the 1985 boxing sim for
Commodore 64 from Activision.

Train a custom fighter, work the rankings, and take the belt by
beating Barry himself. Your between-bout training shapes stamina,
power, and speed in the ring.

Core loop
- create a boxer and pick style and appearance
- choose ranked opponents and schedule the next bout
- train between fights, then win by knockout or on points

Systems and items
- training menu - roadwork stamina - weights strength - light bag speed
- spar time - improves recovery between exchanges
- purse money - earned after fights, mostly bragging rights
- two-player - simultaneous bouts on one screen
- roster - climb a circuit of contenders to earn a title shot

Level design and feel
Side-on ring with crisp, readable sprites and a strong sense of impact.
Guard high or low, jab to set up hooks, and manage fatigue as rounds
pile up. KOs bring flashes from the crowd.

Why it is notable
- released in the US as “Star Rank Boxing”
- from Gamestar/Sportsware Productions - Activision’s sports label
- Zzap!64 issue ¹⁰⁄₈₅ scored it 91% - later reissued by Mastertronic Plus

Tips
- build stamina first with roadwork, then add heavy bag for power
- work the body early to sap their energy, headhunt when they slow
- drop guard briefly to step in, but don’t walk into hooks

At a glance
Year - 1985
Developer - Sportsware Productions, Inc.
Design and programming - Troy Lyndon - concept by Doug Barnett - produced by
John Cutter - Scott Orr
Graphics - Doug Barnett
Music - John A. Fitzpatrick - Tommy V. Dunbar
Publisher - Activision
Genre - Boxing sim
Players - 1 or 2 simultaneous
Controls - Joystick in port 1