Anime has the incredible ability to tackle the impossible where nothing is off limits, whether it’s fantastical adventures, giant robot mayhem, or even a deconstruction of popular sports and recreational pastimes. Anime embraces every sport imaginable, no matter how niche, but there’s been a surprising amount of series that explore the highs and lows of boxing.

Boxing is in the middle of a cinematic renaissance after movies like Creed III, Big George Foreman, and Prizefighter. Anime has respected this demanding activity for decades and it’s fascinating to look back on the medium’s diverse history with the sport, as well as which boxing anime deserve to be crowned heavyweight champions.

Updated by Sage Ashford on November 30th 2023: This list has been updated to offer more information on the best boxing anime.

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