Golden Gloves Launches on Meta Quest Store, Establishing the First Official Esports Competition Pathway for Amateur Boxing
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 26 Jan 2026
USA Boxing-Sanctioned Virtual Competition, National Rankings, and Esports Memberships Bring the Sport of Boxing into a New Era
Tulsa, OK (January 22, 2026) -- Golden Gloves VR officially launches today on the Meta Quest Store, marking a historic milestone for both boxing and esports. More than a game, Golden Gloves VR debuts as the first officially sanctioned esports platform connected to USA Boxing and the Pan American Boxing Confederation, representing more than 30 countries across the Americas, and creating a legitimate competitive pathway from virtual competition to real-world recognition.
Powered by Meta’s virtual reality headsets, Golden Gloves VR blends authentic boxing technique, high-intensity conditioning, and large-scale competitive play into a single global platform, making elite boxing training and competition accessible to anyone with a headset.
Built by real fighters and coaches, the platform mirrors the fundamentals of the sport, including timing, defense, combinations, endurance, and ring IQ, without the barriers of gym access, travel, or physical contact.
“Golden Gloves VR is about breaking down barriers to the sport,” said Aaron Sloan, founder of Golden Gloves VR and USA Boxing coach. “You don’t need a gym membership, expensive equipment, or even a ring. And now there’s an official pathway to compete, be ranked, and be recognized, all from anywhere in the world without the risk of contact.”
Golden Gloves VR introduces an unprecedented competition pathway for both amateur boxers and esports athletes. Through the platform, users can compete in official eUSA Boxing online tournaments, earn national rankings, purchase official USA Boxing esports memberships, and qualify for national-level events with opportunities to travel and compete alongside their real-world boxing peers. For the first time, boxing’s governing bodies are formally recognizing structured, organized competition inside virtual reality—opening the door for a new generation of athletes to discover the sport through gaming.
“Boxing has always stood for discipline, confidence, and opportunity,” said Mike McAtee, CEO and Executive Director of USA Boxing. “Golden Gloves VR extends those values into esports in a meaningful way, creating a legitimate and organized environment where athletes and fans can train, compete, and connect with the sport.”
The launch includes a robust multiplayer tournament system built on cloud infrastructure capable of supporting dozens of concurrent competitions worldwide. Unlike traditional fitness or arcade-style boxing games, Golden Gloves VR is designed as a long-term competitive ecosystem, complete with rankings, officiating logic, and community governance.
Beyond competition, Golden Gloves VR gives players the ability to train together inside a shared virtual boxing gym. Using bags built with real-world physics that mirror their physical counterparts, athletes can work out alongside friends online in a way that feels authentic to real gym training. The result is not only realistic boxing preparation, but a fun, social gym environment that captures the energy, camaraderie, and community of a real boxing gym.
The platform also features updated visuals, improved matchmaking, and a one-to-one scanned recreation of Jake Paul’s personal boxing gym in Puerto Rico through a collaboration with Jake Paul’s Boxing Bullies, supporting youth empowerment through safe, no-contact boxing training.
Golden Gloves is available now for $14.99 on the Meta Quest Store.
For more information, visit Golden Gloves VR Website, YouTube, and Instagram.
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