Ex-boxing champ sues Electronic Arts, Sony, and Nintendo

Proving he still has some fight left in him, former boxing champion Alexis Arguello is suing three of the biggest names in the video game business: Sony, Nintendo, and Electronic Arts. The suit stems from the inclusion of the 51-year-old Nicaraguan Hall of Famer in EA's popular Knockout Kings games, which were released for the GameCube, PlayStation, and PlayStation 2 (as well as the Xbox).

The Knockout Kings games let players put on the gloves of many real-life boxing legends, including Muhammad Ali, Oscar de la Hoya, Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, and Naseem Hamed. However, Arguello, who was a light- and featherweight champion in the 1970s, had no idea he was among the games' illustrious fighters. According to the Los Angeles Times, Arguello only learned of his inclusion in the games three years ago, when a young fan asked him to autograph a copy of Knockout Kings 2001.

Arguello is now suing Electronic Arts, Sony, and Nintendo for using his name, identity, and boxing style without permission. Terms of the suit were not disclosed, and attempts to contact the various game companies had not proved fruitful as of press time.

According to the Times, Arguello has not actually played any of the Knockout Kings games, although his son has. "He told me that he beat (heavyweight) Mike Tyson with me in the game," Arguello said. "I told him, 'In your dreams.'"