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• Jason Thompson

Weighing In: Adjustments

POSTED: Feb 16 2009, 03:36 PM

by Jason Thompson

In looking forward to Fight Night Round 4 (FNR4) one of the things the EA SPORTS Producers are capturing is the real-life to game play component of adjustments.  To be an effective boxer you have to be willing and able to adjust your tactics during a fight and sometimes between fights if you are getting beat.  The boxers that can not, or will not, make these adjustments will not succeed because there is always a boxer out there whose style will require an adjustment and either you adapt, or you taste the canvas.

For the video interview with Lennox Lewis speaking on Adjustments click play below:
(it may take a few seconds to load depending on your connection)

Hopefully you have seen the first video of Lennox Lewis, Sugar Ray Leonard and Winky Wright - if not take a look its on this site.  In this video the question of adjustments - during a fight and between fights - was posed by Brian Hayes, the FNR4 Game Play Producer.

I liked how Lewis made a point of highlighting the difference between a lucky punch and adjustments made in a fight that open up the perfectly planned punch.  His explanation reminded me of how Corey Sanders knocked out Wladimir Klitschko on a wild looping hay-maker in 2003.  One of the things that the Fight Night games have always had that no other game really requires as much is the need to adjust your style.  Sure you can get lucky but the other 99% of the time the more skilled player wins in Fight Night.

If you don't think adjustments in fight are required to win, listen to Winky Wright when asked about his fight against three-time world champion Tito Trinidad.  Winky talks about how Trinidad never adjusted to his jab in 2005 and Winky just kept sticking his jab in Tito's face.  He dominated that fight because Trinidad never made any adjustments.

Sometimes it is not during, but between fights that you have to adjust.  Have you ever had a Fight Night opponent get in your head and make you mad?  I have and I usually lost.  I have to admit that I have lost a Fight Night fight or two versus a computer opponent in dynasty mode because I got knocked out in the Pre-Fight Weigh-In.  It was really cool to hear the great Sugar Ray Leonard say it has happened to him too.  In my last blog I talked about Leonard-Duran I and Leonard-Duran II.  In the latest video Leonard said he got so upset with Duran before the first fight that he brawled with Duran and that is why he lost.  It was his adjusting between fights, recognizing that if he stood toe-to-toe with Duran in the second fight he would probably lose again, that lead to the victory in the "No Mas" fight.  In the history of boxing there is probably not a better example of the need for adjustments between fights than the style change by Leonard in his two fights with Duran.

Who was/is the best fighter at changing-up his style during a fight?  In my opinion it is Oscar De La Hoya.  I know he was just dominated by Manny Pacquiao, but no amount of adjusting would have allowed De La Hoya to win that one.  Pacquiao was just quicker and stronger.  Historically though, I think De La Hoya was the best at listening to his corner (Emanuel Steward) and changing style during a fight.