It's been a long time, but boxing fans have another reason in Undisputed to step into the squared circle and duke it out with some of the greatest boxers ever. Gamers still have Fight Night Champion and its active community to play with, but with EA's boxing series seemingly dead in the water, they need something new.
It's worth noting that Undisputed - formally known as eSports Boxing - is still in Early Access on Steam, and needs significant work to be at the same level as the Fight Night series. However, the combat is still fluid and tactical enough to please fans of that classic boxing series. A significant aspect of a good boxing game is the ability to defend and counterpunch incoming attacks. This guide will outline the best ways to land counterpunches in Undisputed.
Currently, Undisputed does not support keyboard and mouse controls. It only supports controllers such as the PS5, PS4, Switch, Xbox, and other generic controllers. The in-game settings indicate that Undisputed was developed with the Xbox controls in mind.
Counterpunches In Undisputed
Landing successful counterpunches in Undisputed is vital to learn if one wants to get victories by knocking opponents out quickly, or playing the long game and draining their stamina. Hitting the counter is indicated by a screen flash and an audible yet satisfying thump. The counter will do extra damage to parts of the face and the body, setting up a knockdown or a KO.
Practicing The Counterattack
There are various ways to hit the counter. The following is the best way to set them up, but beforehand it's a good idea to select a fast fighter with a long range like Muhammad Ali and pit him against a lower-rated fighter like Eddie Hall, who's slower, but still dangerous and powerful with his one punch knockout power. In addition to being good on the outside, Ali is quick and can mix it up in the pocket or against the ropes - replicating his rope-a-dope tactics from his fight with George Foreman in the Rumble in the Jungle.
Counterattack From The Block
Probably the most tricky way to land counters, but it's worth mastering the ability to land an attack after blocking. The trick is to fire back with a punch immediately after guarding against a hit.
- Press and hold R2 to block a punch to the face, then immediately follow up with a jab or a hook to the body.
- Press R2 and down with the R Stick to block a shot to the body. Then hit back with a punch to the head.
Of course, a counter works whether the player lands on the body or the head, but it's easier to counter low when blocking high and vice versa.
Counterattack From The Weave
The weave is better suited to faster out-boxers with a decent reach or big and tall fighters like Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder.
- Press and hold the L2 and the L stick to weave in and out to avoid punches. When the opponent misses, fire back with a job or a hook to land a counter. Note that the boxer's feet are stationary, so don't overuse them.
Counterattack From The Slip
The slip looks similar to the weave because it allows the fighter to avoid punches using body movements from the hips. It's faster, but the gloves are low and can leave a boxer vulnerable to a well-timed hit.
- Click the and hold the L stick and move it in any direction to avoid attacks. When the opponent misses, attack with straight or hooks for the counter. Fighters like Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Roy Jones Jr. Are perfect for this style.
Counterpunch From The Outside
The easiest way to land counters is to stay outside the pocket and move at all time s. Whether the player's boxer is backing away or moving left or right, doing so has a better chance of making the opponent miss while landing quick and devastating counterattacks.
- Double tap the L stick in any direction to make the boxer quick-step out of danger. When the opponent starts to throw punches and misses, fire back and hit the counter.
- Hold up or down to move the player's boxer away from the opponent's left or right attacks. This is one of the most effective ways to get behind or out of range of an opponent's jab and land a solid counterattack.
- Click the D-pad upward to activate free-flowing movement. This is an effective way to back peddle and stay away from fighters while landing fast counterpunches. However, the gloves remain low and at the hips, leaving the player's fighter vulnerable.
Fighting against the AI is the best way to perfect the counter, but one should also be aware that the computer has a habit of being a perfect counterpuncher and focuses on the body to drain stamina. The way to defeat the AI in its own game is not to stand in front of the opponent and trade blows. The boxing game is very good at reacting to the player's attacks. So mix it up as much as possible and try all the above techniques when one method stops working.
Undisputed is available now on Steam for the PC in Early Access.