EA Sports immensely popular boxing franchise, Fight Night, is stepping back into the ring.  As  hard as it is to believe, the graphics look even better this time around.  As you can see Manny’s rarely battered face to the right, the effects of taking a pummeling has taken a step up compared to its predecessor, Fight Night Round 4.

EA SPORTS Fight Night Round 4 was a genre defining game, and led the way as the industry transitioned to physics-based sports games. EA SPORTS Fight Night Champion will again forge new ground and deliver a sports experience unlike anything seen in the genre to date.

EA Vancouver is touting the single player experience to be unrivaled in all of sports gaming.  While Fight Night Round 4 certainly had an entertaining single player, it was not without faults.  You can our full Fight Night Round 4 review here.

Fight Night Champion will break the mold of what is expected in a single-player sports game. Players will be introduced to an entirely new way to step between the ropes and experience the drama, emotion, excitement and tragedy of world championship boxing.

Featuring a refined physics-based animation system that incorporates improved locomotion, punching and stamina mechanics, Fight Night Champion will enable users to move, attack and dodge with the speed and power of the best champions, contenders and pretenders in the world of boxing. In addition, an all-new control scheme, dubbed Full Spectrum Punch Control, will deliver the most realistic punching system ever seen in a simulation fighting game, while still delivering an accessible experience that will make Fight Night Champion the most user-friendly title in the franchise’s history.

There are still some details that are kept under wraps, but it will be a full retail release and not just an expansion.  It is slated for a 2011 release date, but nothing is set in stone for the time being.