Ever since EA announced the return of the Fight Night series, there’s been a ton of questions and speculation. One question fans may have is related to the cover. Which fighter will be on the cover of Fight Night when it returns? There’s a good chance the answer is plural; which fighters will be on the cover? Let’s talk Fight Night.
Who Could Be on the Cover of EA Sports Fight Night?
Bank on the roster of the game being heavy with Zuffa fighters. The thing is, Zuffa may not have one or two fighters signed who are big enough stars to carry the cover. Among the fighters EA could realistically land, Ryan Garcia is the only one who would be a big enough name to carry the load on his own. The roster will also have its share of fighters who have worked with Turki Alalshikh too.
The issue there is that Steel City and Undisputed have exclusive rights deals with some fighters. If Undisputed has an exclusive deal with Canelo Alvarez, he’s the one guy EA wouldn’t mind putting on the cover of their game. If Canelo is free, EA will probably get him. If not, I lean more toward a cover that features Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney and Shakur Stevenson.
Could There Be a Fight Night Legends Edition?
There’s another possibility, perhaps for a legends edition, with Mike Tyson, Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. on the cover. All of those fighters should be accessible for EA too. In any case, fight fans will be thrilled to see Fight Night return.
Fight Night Cover Candidates: Zuffa and Turki Alalshikh Connections
Zuffa Boxing’s signings include Conor Benn, Jai Opetaia and Richardson Hitchins. Riyadh Season’s multi-fight agreements have covered stars such as Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney and Oleksandr Usyk. Shakur Stevenson signed with Zuffa this year but announced on Oct. 19 that he had been released.
| Fighter | Connection | Note | Chances |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conor Benn | Zuffa Boxing | Re-signed multi-fight deal in 2026 | Unlikely |
| Jai Opetaia | Zuffa Boxing | Signed in January 2026 | Very Possible |
| Richardson Hitchins | Zuffa Boxing | Signed in April 2026 | Unlikely |
| Shakur Stevenson | Zuffa Boxing (former) | Released Oct. 19, 2026; free agent | Very Possible |
| Ryan Garcia | Riyadh Season agreement | Golden Boy fighter; beat Zuffa’s Conor Benn | Possible (social media controversy could hurt his chances) |
| Devin Haney | Riyadh Season agreement | WBO welterweight champion | Very Possible |
| Canelo Alvarez | Riyadh Season promotion | Faces Christian Mbilli Oct. 31 in Riyadh | Very Possible |
| Terence Crawford | Riyadh Season agreement | Signed with Riyadh Season | Unlikely, likely locked in with Undisputed |
| Naoya Inoue | Riyadh Season agreement | Signed with Riyadh Season | Very Possible |
| Oleksandr Usyk | Riyadh Season agreement | Exclusive to Undisputed, per Steel City | Won’t Happen |
We should hear specifics about the next Fight Night before the end of the year. Keep an eye on the biggest upcoming fight weekends for boxing before New Year’s Day.
That’s October 31 when Canelo takes on Christian Mbilli. The next one, which could be the real date to watch is December 11. That’s when Tyson Fury takes on Anthony Joshua with the biggest heavyweight fight of the year on Netflix. That would be a great spot for the next piece of info on the game.
This article was originally published on Forbes.com