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The thrill of the ring, the feel of the canvas under the feet, and massive punch in the face - it's all found in the latest sports sim released by Sega. Starring James "Buster" Douglas, the former World Champion, this is a one or two-player game with the aim being to knock seven bells out of the opponent.

In one-player mode, Buster fights five boxers, each successively tougher. The pugilists have four statistics: Power, which determines the strength of punch; Recovery, which shows the speed of damage reduction between rounds; Footwork, the quickness of the boxer's movement, and Super Punch, the number of mega-blows available.

The buttons control the left and right punches, and the joypad adds further options - for example, pushing down-right while punching makes a head blow. Holding down both buttons builds up a Super Punch, which can smash the opponent right across the ring (unless he's sensible enough to get out of the way!).

Victory comes through a knockout, a technical knockout, or a Judge's Decision, in other words on points. So put on the gloves, step through the ropes and put in the mouth guard - fifteen rounds can be a long time...

Boxing is a truly international sport, especially popular in Latin America and Africa. The United States continues to dominate the field, producing champions like Rocky Marciano, Muhammed Ali, and Mike Tyson. Britain has never achieved huge successes, with its boxers usually more famous for who they got beaten by than who they've defeated. Still, we've a better track record than the French.

Each round is scored at the end, with the boxers getting up to 10 points each. This is judged by the number and severity of blows landed, and a running total is displayed. This is often crucial, because if there's no deciding knockout the match is won by Judge's Decision. So make sure you land as many blows as possible, and keep your guard up!

I've really enjoyed playing this, especially when I wiped the floor with Gary Harrod! It's easy to get to grips with, and the moves are comprehensive and animated to a high standard. Despite these recommendations, I can't honestly say this provides value for money. There are only five opponents to beat, and the distinct lack of options seriously damages the game's long-term prospects. The two-player option is great, but as the only choice is Douglas versus Santana, it's not a great one - Santana will kick ass nine times out of ten. Borrow or rent this, but don't buy it.

This is almost a very good game. The graphics are excellent, with brilliantly drawn and animated boxers, and the action is fast and furious. But unfortunately there are only five different boxers to challenge you, and it doesn't take very long to beat them all. With two players it's a similar story, this time the fun is marred because you always fight with the same boxers, and one has an advantage over the other. As a consequence, Heavyweight Championship Boxing is great fun for an hour or two, but it doesn't take long before the game becomes predictable and dull. And that's not what you'd expect for a game that costs £35.00!

Presentation 74%
Digitised pictures of "Buster" Douglas help to provide the sorely-needed atmosphere.

Graphics 85%
Excellent animation, with the pugilists reacting and fighting in a realistic fashion.

Sound 59%
The sounds are pretty basic, with no music and a few spot effects.

Playability 73%
Easy to get into and fun two-player mode...

Lastability 29%
...but with next to no options and only five boxers, this doesn't hold your interest for any length of time.

Overall 46%
A potentially brilliant boxing game ruined by the lack of long-term appeal and challenge.