The first documented Punch-Out!! NES prototype sold for $45,000.

Punch-Out!! - PSA Certified Prototype Cart [Black Box Label], NES Nintendo 1987 USA

Pre-Mike Tyson Era Prototype with Full-Color Black Box-Style Label An extraordinary developmental artifact, this is the earliest known Punch-Out!! prototype for the NES-an exceptionally rare first-party Nintendo example from the system's formative years and only the second first-party NES prototype we have ever offered (the first being Super Mario Bros. 3 in 2021). Presented simply as Punch-Out!! and predating the later Mike Tyson branding that would transform the title at retail, the cartridge features a handmade, full-color mock-up label executed in Nintendo's traditional Black Box style used for its earliest releases. The artwork depicts Glass Joe, copied from a Japanese promotional flyer for the original arcade game, reinforcing the title's pre-licensing identity. The label concept aligns with a 1987 flyer illustrating early packaging ideas, offering a compelling glimpse of what Punch-Out!! might have looked like had it received a standard Black Box launch. With only one example currently known, it is a singular and historically significant discovery-an especially meaningful opportunity for collectors seeking to elevate or perhaps fully complete a Black Box NES lineup. The program content further confirms its early developmental status. Opponent A.I. is notably basic, most special moves are absent, and fighter behavior does not evolve throughout each bout. All opponents share identical dialogue, and there is no music. Only four boxers-Glass Joe, Bald Bull, King Hippo, and Don Flamenco-are present, repeating in the same order four times to complete the game. The ending screen features additional text not seen in the finished retail version.