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#REDIRECT [[Characters of the Street Fighter series#Balrog]] |
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{{About|Balrog the boxer, known as "M. Bison" in Japan|the character known as "Balrog" in Japan|Vega (Street Fighter)|the character known as "M. Bison" outside Japan|M. Bison}} |
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{{Infobox character |
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| name = Balrog |
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| series = [[Street Fighter]] |
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| image = Balrog (Street Fighter).png |
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| caption = Balrog in ''[[Street Fighter IV]]'' |
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| first = ''[[Street Fighter II: The World Warrior]] (1991)'' |
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| last = ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'' (2018) |
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| creator = |
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| designer = |
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| portrayer = {{Plainlist| |
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* [[Grand L. Bush]] (''Street Fighter'' film) |
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* [[Michael Clarke Duncan]] (''Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li'') |
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}} |
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| voice = {{Plainlist| |
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* '''English''' |
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* [[Joe Romersa]] (''SFII: The Animated Movie'', ''SFII V'' (Animaze dub)) |
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* Werner Richmond (''SFII V'' (ADV dub)) |
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* [[Paul Dobson (actor)|Paul Dobson]] (animated series) |
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* Bob Carter (''Street Fighter IV'', ''Street Fighter X Tekken'', ''Street Fighter V'') |
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'''Japanese''' |
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* [[Jōji Nakata]] (''Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie'') |
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* [[Tomomichi Nishimura]] (''Street Fighter II V'') |
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* [[Kōichi Yamadera]] (''Street Fighter Zero 3'', ''Capcom vs. SNK'' series) |
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* [[Sōnosuke Nagashiro]] (''SNK vs. Capcom'') |
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* Satoshi Tsuruoka (''Street Fighter IV'', ''Street Fighter X Tekken'', ''Street Fighter V'') |
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* [[Shin-ichiro Miki]] (''Real Battle on Film'') |
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* Seiji Chihara (Japanese dub of ''Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li'') |
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}} |
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| motion_actor = Grand L. Bush (''The Movie'' games) |
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| fighting_style = [[Boxing]] ([[heavyweight]]) |
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| origin = [[United States]] |
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| nationality = [[Americans|American]] |
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}} |
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{{R with history}} |
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'''Balrog''' is a [[character (arts)|fictional character]] in [[Capcom]]'s ''[[Street Fighter]]'' series.<ref>"''Street Fighter IV'': Return of the World Warriors", ''Game Informer'' 178 (February 2008): 90.</ref> He made his first appearance in ''[[Street Fighter II: The World Warrior]]'' in 1991. In the series, he is a disgraced boxer and antagonist who works for [[M. Bison]]'s organization, Shadaloo. |
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{{R to section}} |
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==Conception and development== |
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Balrog is depicted as an [[African Americans|African-American]] [[boxing|boxer]] wearing blue trunks with white trim and a torn white shirt under a blue tank top, wearing red boxing gloves and boxing shoes. In Japan, the character of Balrog is named M. Bison (with the letter being an initial for "Mike") after real-life boxer [[Mike Tyson]]. However, when the developers of ''Street Fighter II'' were working on the overseas versions, they rotated the names of three of the [[boss (video games)|boss characters]] for the English localization, fearing that naming the boxer character "Mike Bison" might be a legal liability.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamesradar.com/street-fighter-iv-character-profiles/ |title=Street Fighter IV character profiles, Street Fighter IV Xbox 360 Features |publisher=GamesRadar |date=2009-01-14 |access-date=2011-11-05}}</ref> Ironically, years later, Mike Tyson revealed that he was unaware of the character, but was honoured by the homage.<ref>{{Citation |title=The Legend Mike Tyson - Playing abit of Mario Kart and Discovering Balrog(SF2) for the First Time!! |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6Fjiu2E8cs |language=en |access-date=2022-09-21}}</ref> At {{height|m=1.98|precision=0}},<ref>{{Cite web |title=CAPCOM {{!}} キャラクター バイソン {{!}} STREET FIGHTER V CHAMPION EDITION 公式サイト |url=https://www.capcom.co.jp/sfv/ |access-date=2022-07-19 |website=www.capcom.co.jp}}</ref> Balrog is a tall, massive, heavy built fighter in the ''Street Fighter'' series. As a comparison, Tyson is only {{height|m=1.79|precision=0}} tall. In his ''Alpha 3'' intro, Balrog's weight is listed as {{convert|135|kg|lb}}, the same as Tyson in [[Mike Tyson vs. Clifford Etienne|his last victory]]. He is simply known as Boxer for international tournaments. |
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A character named Mike, who was also an African-American boxer, appears in the original ''[[Street Fighter (video game)|Street Fighter]]''. Although recognized as a separate character,<ref>''Street Fighter: World Warrior Encyclopedia Hardcover'', page 143</ref> Mike is considered to be a prototype of Balrog due to their similar names (when one considers Balrog{{'}}s Japanese name of Mike Bison) and gameplay.<ref name=aac340>''All About Capcom Head-to-Head Fighting Game burat ratbu |
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'', page 340</ref> |
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==Appearances== |
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===In video games=== |
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Balrog appears in ''[[Street Fighter II]]'' as the first of four CPU-controlled opponents at the end of the single-player tournament. Balrog would become a playable character in subsequent revisions of the game, beginning with ''[[Street Fighter II: Champion Edition]]''. Balrog is characterized as a belligerent street-raised boxer seeking the "[[American Dream]]" and one of the "Four Devas" ([[M. Bison|Shitennou]], ''"Four Heavenly Kings"'') of Shadaloo. |
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His next major appearance was in ''[[Street Fighter Alpha 3]]''. Balrog was a CPU-controlled sub-boss in the arcade version who faced only certain characters and was only playable after certain requirements were met, but also selectable as a playable character via secret code. He was made into a regular playable character in the arcade update and subsequent home versions and given his own in-game plot, home stage and endings. This incarnation of Balrog also appears in ''[[Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000|Capcom vs. SNK]]'' and ''[[Capcom vs. SNK 2]]''. Balrog also appears in ''[[SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos]]''. |
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Balrog appears in ''[[Street Fighter IV]]'' and ''[[Super Street Fighter IV]]'', once more serving Shadaloo in the hopes of making easy money. He appears in the crossover fighting game, ''[[Street Fighter X Tekken]]'', with his official tag partner, [[Vega (Street Fighter)|Vega]]. Balrog reappears in ''[[Street Fighter V]]'' as one of the game's initial six DLC characters, released in July 2016. |
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====Gameplay==== |
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As a boxer, Balrog generally does not fight with his feet. This makes him unique among the game's characters. Instead of possessing three punch attacks and three kick attacks like the rest of the cast, he has six punches, with the kick buttons generally (but not always) used for low blows while the punch buttons are used for high blows. He also has no projectile attacks, unlike many ''Street Fighter'' characters. Many of his special attacks, super combos and ultra combos consist of dash punches, some of which can pass through projectiles.<ref>{{cite web|author=Ryan Clements |url=http://ps3.ign.com/articles/949/949456p1.html |title=Street Fighter IV: Balrog - PlayStation 3 Preview at IGN |publisher=Ps3.ign.com |access-date=2011-11-05}}</ref> |
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===In other media=== |
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In the 1994 anime film ''[[Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie]]'', Balrog is portrayed as one of Bison's three top men like in the ''Street Fighter II'' games, serving as a representative and informant for Bison during a drug deal in Las Vegas and ends up fighting against E. Honda during the final battle. Honda defeats him off-screen and later carries him to safety. He is presumably handed over to the authorities after Bison is defeated by Ryu and Ken. In battle, he wears dark green cargo pants instead of his boxing trunks, and lacks his boxing gloves. He is voiced by [[Jouji Nakata]] in the original Japanese version and [[Joe Romersa]] in the English dub. |
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In the 1994 live-action film version of ''[[Street Fighter (1994 film)|Street Fighter]]'', Balrog is portrayed by [[Grand L. Bush]] and is a supporting protagonist, more specifically the [[videographer]] in [[Chun-Li]]'s news crew. Like the other members (Chun-Li and [[Edmond Honda|Honda]]), Balrog holds a grudge against the Shadaloo Tong, headed by Sagat, for ruining his boxing career, after apparently refusing to throw a match for them. Near the end of the film, he dons a purple variation of his regular outfit from the games and aids Guile, Chun-Li, Ryu and Ken in rescuing the hostages, and personally breaks the lock to the hostage chamber to free them. In the AN forces' files, he is listed as "'''Balrog, G'''"; what the "G" stands for is not revealed, though it is possibly a homage to Grand L. Bush's first name. Balrog also appears in the arcade and home versions of the ''[[Street Fighter: The Movie (home video game)|Street Fighter: The Movie]]'' game. |
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The 1995 anime series ''[[Street Fighter II V]]'' features a significantly altered depiction of Balrog where he is a Shadaloo spy who has infiltrated Interpol. Balrog hires Cammy to assassinate Chun-Li{{'}}s father Dorai, under the false pretense that Dorai is the Shadaloo spy. Though Cammy carries out the assassination, Balrog later learns from his superiors that Dorai survived and Interpol are covering it up to lure the spy up. In a panic, Balrog demands that Cammy finish Dorai off, which leads to a fight between her and [[Fei-Long]] inside Dorai's hospital room, during which Cammy learns of Balrog's treachery. Balrog is later confronted by Cammy and he attempts to kill her, but with help from Fei-Long and the Interpol chief, he is subdued and arrested. Unlike in the games, Balrog never actually fights in the TV series and only appears in wearing boxing gear in concept art and during the show's second opening animation. He was voiced by [[Tomomichi Nishimura]] in Japanese, while Joe Romersa reprises his role from ''Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie'' for the English dub. |
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In the 1995 ''[[Street Fighter (TV series)|Street Fighter]]'' animated series, Balrog appears as a computer programmer working for Bison. He appears in one episode only ("Medium is the Message"), where he was voiced by [[Paul Dobson (actor)|Paul Dobson]]. |
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In the 2009 ''[[Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li]]'', Balrog is played by [[Michael Clarke Duncan]]. He serves as Bison's bodyguard, and a feared gangster. He is killed by [[Chun Li]]'s mentor [[Gen (Street Fighter)|Gen]]. |
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Lincoln Blake played Balrog in the fan film ''Street Fighter: Enter the Dragon''.<ref>{{cite web|date=April 30, 2021|title=Street Fighter: Enter the Dragon Live-Action Short Film|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcioOciRZk4|access-date=April 30, 2021|website=YouTube}}</ref> In the fan film ''Balrog: Behind The Glory'', Balrog's origin is elaborated on with the ''Mike Bison'' name his given name. He was played by Les Jennings. <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1948526/ | title=Balrog: Behind the Glory | website=[[IMDb]] }}</ref> |
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==Reception== |
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Balrog was voted 18th in [[Capcom]]'s own popularity poll of 85 characters for the 15th anniversary of ''Street Fighter''.<ref name="web.archive.org">{{cite web|url=//www2.geestore.com/sf15th2/sf15rank/ninkichara.html |title=キャラクターランキング |date=2005-12-19 |access-date=2011-11-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051219091936/http://www2.geestore.com/sf15th2/sf15rank/ninkichara.html |archive-date=December 19, 2005 }}</ref> [[IGN]] ranked Balrog at number 15 in their list of top ''Street Fighter'' characters in 2008, noting his similarities to Tyson as well as his role as one of boxing's representatives in fighting games.<ref>[http://stars.ign.com/articles/895/895027p1.html Top 25 Street Fighter Characters - Day III]. [[IGN]]. Retrieved on 2008-08-15</ref> In 2009, [[GameDaily]] named him one of gaming's greatest black characters, noting that while not the deepest character on the list, he had significant longevity as a ''Street Fighter'' series character and received praise for representing boxing in the game "alongside flashier martial arts".<ref>Swiderski, Adam (2009-02-25). [https://web.archive.org/web/20090422212227/http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/galleries/black-history-month/?page=3 Gaming's Greatest Black Characters]. [[GameDaily]]. Retrieved on 2009-02-26</ref> [[UGO]] ranked him as 12th on a list of top ''Street Fighter'' characters in 2010.<ref>{{cite web|last=Furfari |first=Paul |url=http://www.ugo.com/games/top-50-street-fighter-characters?page=4 |title=Top 50 Street Fighter Characters |publisher=UGO.com |date=2010-08-25 |access-date=2014-06-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131225044501/http://www.ugo.com/games/top-50-street-fighter-characters?page=4 |archive-date=December 25, 2013 }}</ref> [[GamesRadar]] wrote in a list of gaming's most satisfying uppercuts, "while it’s hardly Street Fighter’s most iconic or famous uppercut, the Dash Upper still packs a pretty nasty wallop."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamesradar.com/gamings-most-satisfying-uppercuts/?page=2 |title=Page 2 of Gaming's most satisfying uppercuts, Street Fighter x Tekken Xbox 360 Features |publisher=GamesRadar |date=2010-09-28 |access-date=2011-11-05}}</ref> [[Bleacher Report]] listed Balrog as the 10th best fictional boxers, but criticized him by calling him "one of the worst video game bosses ever", citing that he could only punch.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/125335-the-10-greatest-fictional-boxers-of-all-time/page/2 |title=The 10 Greatest Fictional Boxers of All Time |website=Bleacher Report |date=2009-02-17 |access-date=2011-11-05}}</ref> |
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On the other hand, ''[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]]'' stated however Balrog "seems a little useless" in light of [[Dudley (Street Fighter)|Dudley]], a boxer introduced in ''[[Street Fighter III]]''.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.edge-online.com/magazine/feature-street-fighter-iv-unwrapped?page=0,1 |title=Street Fighter IV Unwrapped |magazine=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]] |author=Staff |date=2008-01-09 |access-date=2009-08-15}}</ref> In the official survey by [[Namco]], Balrog was the fourth-least requested ''Street Fighter'' side character to be added to the roster of ''[[Tekken X Street Fighter]]''.<ref>[https://fb.namcobandaigames.com/fbtekken/statistics_user.php?sid=78423 Tekken vs Street Fighter] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120813063608/https://fb.namcobandaigames.com/fbtekken/statistics_user.php?sid=78423 |date=August 13, 2012 }}</ref> |
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==References== |
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===General references=== |
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*{{cite book|title=All About Capcom Head-to-Head Fighting Game 1987-2000|language=ja|date=September 2000|isbn=4-88554-676-1|series=A.A. Game History Series (Vol. 1)|author=Studio Bent Stuff|publisher=Dempa Publications, Inc.}} |
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===Inline citations=== |
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{{Reflist}} |
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==External links== |
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* Balrog's [https://web.archive.org/web/20090306041119/http://strategywiki.org/wiki/Street_Fighter_II/Characters/Balrog Street Fighter II], [https://web.archive.org/web/20090306063630/http://strategywiki.org/wiki/Street_Fighter_Alpha/Characters/Balrog Street Fighter Alpha], and [https://web.archive.org/web/20090414102711/http://strategywiki.org/wiki/Street_Fighter_IV/Characters/Balrog Street Fighter IV] entries at [http://strategywiki.org/ StrategyWiki.org] |
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{{Street Fighter series}} |
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{{Mike Tyson}} |
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[[Category:Capcom antagonists]] |
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[[Category:Black characters in video games]] |
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[[Category:Fictional African-American people]] |
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[[Category:Fictional American people in video games]] |
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[[Category:Fictional professional boxers]] |
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[[Category:Fictional characters from Las Vegas]] |
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[[Category:Fictional criminals in video games]] |
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[[Category:Fictional gamblers]] |
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[[Category:Fictional henchmen in video games]] |
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[[Category:Fictional mercenaries in video games]] |
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[[Category:Male characters in video games]] |
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[[Category:Male video game villains]] |
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[[Category:Street Fighter characters]] |
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[[Category:Video game bosses]] |
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[[Category:Video game characters based on real people]] |
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[[Category:Video game characters introduced in 1991]] |
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[[Category:Cultural depictions of Mike Tyson]] |
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[[Category:Fictional boxers]] |
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Latest revision as of 11:31, 22 September 2024
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