Chinese Humanoid Robots Fight in San Francisco, Sparking New Boxing League Plans

The new king of the ring may be made of metal, following a San Francisco company’s robot boxing show.

The high-tech bout served as an early signal of what could be a new global sport. According to the publication Rest of World, enthusiastic spectators paid about $60 to $80 to watch the 4.5-foot Unitree humanoids trade blows, confirming the commercial appeal of robot combat. 

Delighted with the turnout, Rek’s founder, Cix Liv, revealed plans to roll out a major robotic boxing league in the near future. Their plans include featuring some six-foot, 200-pound robots that will compete beyond the United States.

The technology and mechanics behind this match

China dominates the robot manufacturing market, and the match’s two combatants came from one of the country’s industry leaders, Unitree. The modified G1 humanoid robots, priced upward of $13,000, stand 4.5 feet tall and weigh 80 pounds. They impressed the crowd with jointed, human-like hands built for powerful jabs and sharp punches.

While this isn’t the ideal weight and height of an average professional human boxer, the robots still delivered a thrilling show. And the match’s success has spurred the company to accelerate its development.

Rek will now focus on rolling out a new class of dedicated combat machines, including a six-foot, 200-pound robot. These powerful new competitors will replace the modified Unitree G1 humanoids, moving to machines engineered specifically for a professional league.

Reactions from the match

Fans embraced the robot match, aligning with a similar ongoing event.

In China, the world’s first combat league with humanoid robots was recently launched. The winner will take home a staggering $1.4 million. Shenzhen-based robot maker Engine AI created the league, showcasing their T800 series, which costs around $40,000 and can kick, throw punches, and jump.

The show won over residents like David Hatch, a San Francisco-based tech designer and self-proclaimed “sci-fi nerd.” Hatch told Rest of World about the crowd’s excitement, confirming the sport’s appeal:

“I do see more people really getting into seeing robots fight — you can see how the crowd here got excited, and there were some rousing moments.” 

He also emphasized the unique possibilities from this, saying: “You can do a lot of things with robots — there can be a lot of customization, it can be a lot more participatory with VR glasses.”

Commenting on the issue of injury, Hatch also expressed delight that no one got hurt. “You can repair the damage more easily with robots,” he added.

A robot fight, with humans in the loop

Although it was all robot kicks and punches, humans remained involved.

A human referee mounted the bells and whistles, while two commentators spiced up the experience and did their usual hyped introductions, and cameras flicked from different angles. The report also noted that the robots still required human intervention to get up after falling.

VR served as the primary interface for the competition. Two human pilots, one a former UFC fighter, controlled the robots from behind the scenes using VR headsets. The match concluded, with 13-year-old Dash defeating the more experienced pilot, underscoring how VR skill triumphed over traditional combat experience.

Also read: China’s Lunar New Year gala turned into a robotics showcase as humanoid robots from Unitree and other startups performed martial arts, dance, and comedy segments that went viral.