China held the world’s first robot boxing match on Sunday as part of the “Mecha Fighting Series.” This historic event showcased the advanced combat capabilities of humanoid robots, including delivering powerful punches, effectively blocking blows, and quickly regaining balance after being hit.

Participation in this tournament was limited to Unitree’s G1 robots. While this restriction might have reduced the thrill of competition between different developers, it allowed equally matched robot teams to compete under the supervision of four human operator teams. These operators oversaw the robots’ participation in a series of boxing matches designed to mimic traditional tournaments.

Videos circulated on social media platforms showing the robots exchanging blows with precision and skill. However, not all movements were perfect; some robots were seen punching in the wrong direction while their opponent stood elsewhere, reflecting the nascent stage of these robots in the sport.

A bipedal robot wearing a black head covering claimed the final title, skillfully blocking its opponent’s powerful punches. In contrast, the rival robot, sporting a green head covering, failed to maintain its balance and fell to the ground.

This event highlights China’s significant advancements in artificial intelligence and robotics. The participating robots, standing 1.32 meters tall, boast improved flexibility and agility, enabling them to execute straight punches, hooks, side kicks, and even spinning aerial kicks, in addition to their ability to get back up after falling.

Events like this help evaluate robot performance and rapidly develop their capabilities, allowing them to learn and adapt to various work environments. This, in turn, accelerates the evolution of the field.