Posted in: Games, Indie Games, Interview, Video Games, Ziggurat Interactive | Tagged: World Championship Boxing Manager 2, Ziggurat Interactive

Sue "Tiger Lily" Fox Talks World Championship Boxing Manager 2

Recently, Ziggurat Interactive revealed that famous women's boxer Sue "Tiger Lily" Fox would be in World Championship Boxing Manager 2. The former World Welterweight and Super Welterweight champion will be part of the game's storyline as one of the coaches putting you through the wringer in order to reach greatness. We were given an exclusive interview with her about her career and being able to participate in the game.

BC: For those who aren't familiar with your history, can you sum up your boxing career for us?

SF: Like many of the past pioneer female boxers, there was the good, the bad, and the ugly in the sport. It was a struggle when first getting into professional boxing, but sticking with it ultimately made me proud of being part of a sport that was new for females and breaking barriers when female boxing was not cool at the time.

What got you interested in boxing?

It was totally accidental. I was a karate instructor at the time and was actually paying fees to compete in many karate tournaments throughout the Northwest. One day after teaching a class, I turned on the TV, and there was a news station talking about a couple of female boxers fighting at the Expo Center in Portland, Oregon, and they were saying that these women were getting paid to do it. My initial thought was, "I am paying to fight while they are being paid to fight!" So I immediately made calls to a boxing gym in Portland, Oregon, to see if I could get a boxing trainer to help me become a boxer.

Were there any specific fights you found to be your most memorable?

The most memorable fight that I had was with Gwen Gemini in Portland, Oregon. As I said to those that do know my history—I had a very rocky beginning in the sport and learned a lot through the process. The female boxer who I was mismatched with in the beginning of my career was one of the top professional female boxers at the time—she lost to Gemini. So when I fought Gemini a couple of years later after learning the ropes in boxing, I had a draw with her. That fight is what ultimately brought me to #1 in the world as a super welterweight in 1979.

You've had a diverse and impressive career, from competitive martial artist to pro boxer to police officer. Is there anything, sport-specific or not, that you wish you'd had a chance to try out? Anything you're still planning to try out?

If anyone knows me at all… they have said many times that I am a cat with nine lives. I have ventured into so many avenues in life—it would be hard to say I could have fit any more variation of what I have done all of these years… I guess, though, with that said, I had a great opportunity when I was boxing when a promoter from Las Vegas saw me fight. He offered to have me switch sports to ultimately become a professional tennis player. He offered to pay for the training, and pretty much everything if I would move to Vegas and switch to that sport – but I didn't, and maybe that would have been one road I should have taken.

How did you get involved in World Championship Boxing Manager 2?

One day I received an email, an inquiry from Mega Cat Studios, asking if I would be interested in being in an episode of that game. I was surprised at this, and contacted them, telling them that they may want a modern boxer for that episode. I was actually a pioneer boxer, and I had struggled through some of the sport to get to where I eventually got into boxing. They said that they wanted a historical female boxer from the past and so the match was perfect.

Is this your first experience with being a character in a video game? Have you seen yourself in the game yet? If so, how'd it feel to see a digital representation of you? Did it feel weird seeing yourself in a game?

It is my first experience, and I am so looking forward to seeing myself in the game! I saw the character artwork that was done for the game, and Mega Cat Studios was spot on with how they portrayed my image.

Now that you've taken part in one video game, do you plan or hope to be included in others?

If ever I receive more opportunities in the future to take part in a video game, I would be very interested. I think that it is a great honor to be included in the World Championship Manager 2, and along with some great male boxing figures that were icons in the sport throughout history.

Do you enjoy watching boxing or martial arts tournaments now? Any favorite competitors?

I not only enjoy watching boxing, but I also enjoy covering it ringside at events. It is difficult for me to name only a few boxers, female or male, because I have a lot of boxers that I follow and enjoy watching them fight.

What were you uniquely known for in the ring?

I was one of the few female boxers who was a "southpaw" (left-handed boxer) – most female boxers were "Orthodox" (right-handed) at the time. I had at least one opponent turn down a huge fight that would have taken place in Las Vegas because she did not want a rematch with me after we had a controversial draw in her hometown. She told the promoter, "I don't like fighting Southpaws."

What's your favorite boxing move?

The uppercut was one of my favorite moves – along with timing my opponent when they jumped up and down to set themselves up to throwback combinations – that was the exact time I would land my shots. I was taught in Martial Arts that if an opponent is jumping up and down that they will not be throwing combinations during that time. I have a memory of fighting Gwen Gemini, where she began to do the "Ali Shuffle." As soon as she began doing that maneuver, I immediately threw a jab followed by combinations, and I don't recall her doing any more "shuffling."

What excites you about being part of World Championship Boxing Manager 2?

What excites me about being a part of World Championship Boxing Manager 2 is the originality of the game, and the creative and unique ideas that are going into the production of it. It is an honor to be a part of such an exciting project, and I look forward to seeing it come to life!

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