Browse by Tags
All Tags »
Jason Thompson (
RSS)
POSTED:
Jul 16 2009, 01:47 PM
In case you haven't visited the EA SPORTS Beta Media Lounge, we've collected all the FIGHT NIGHT Round 4 Hints and Tips videos and posted them here.
Are there parts of your game that you need improving or not sure how to master? If it's not listed here, let us know and we'll see if we can provide some help in the near future.
Corner Tips
Learn how to master the Double End Bag training exercise
Learn how to master the Heavy Bag Combo training exercise
Learn how to ace the Maize Bag training exercise
Learn how to master the Stay on Your Feet training exercise
Learn how to master the Sparring training exercise
Learn how to master the Heavy Bag Push training exercise
Producer Mike Mahar talks with Jason and Rob about how to be successful in Legacy Mode - Part 1
Producer Mike Mahar talks with Jason and Rob about how to be successful in Legacy Mode - Part 2
Meet the Heavyweights - Jason Thompson breaks down the Heavyweight Division
Meet the Light Heavyweights - Jason Thompson breaks down the Light Heavyweight Division
Meet the Middleweights - Jason Thompson breaks down the Middleweight Division
POSTED:
Apr 13 2009, 04:37 PM
By Jason Thompson
It just keeps getting better. The latest reveal of the Fight Night Round 4 (FNR4) boxing roster has taken me from excited to… downright giddy. Would I pay $100 for this game? Yep. $200? Probably. I can admit this because I have been assured that regular video game pricing will be applied for FNR4. (If they only released four or five FNR4 games and eBay-ed them I would go broke). Anybody that knows me knows that this release would be my favorite. Kelly Pavlik is my favorite boxer and I was very worried he would not be in the game. I am worrying no more. Will “raczilla” Kinsler and I have spent hours arguing over who is better, Pavlik or his favorite Jermain “Bad Intentions” Taylor. Raczilla refuses to acknowledge history (PAVLIK IS 2-0 VERSUS TAYLOR WILL!) but now, with the newest roster reveal, we both know we will settle this debate where it needs to be settled… in FNR4. BRING IT WILL!
What do I think of the latest five boxers that will be in FNR4? Glad you asked.
Check out Jason's recap with screenshots on the Inside EA SPORTS Blog: Weighing In: 2nd Roster Release
POSTED:
Apr 04 2009, 07:12 PM
By Jason Thompson
“Some boxers like to fight outside and use their reach to their advantage.”
This sentence makes perfect sense to me as a life-long boxing fan but the more time I have spent talking about Fight Night Round 4 and its new very realistic mechanics and how “reach” will be a factor, the more I am realizing that the concept of “reach” is not a term everyone understands. So here is how I describe “reach” to some of my friends.
Consider that boxers come in all shapes and sizes and one of the differences is the length of fighter’s arms measured from arm-pit to fist - the longer the arms the longer the “reach”. Theoretically, a fighter with longer reach should be able to punch his opponent without getting touched. Typically, a fighter with longer reach will box from a distance or “outside” rather than up-close to his opponent or “inside” because, by fighting on the outside he can reach his opponent and stay untouched. These fighters are typically described as “boxers” because they “box” or jab and throw combinations from range while moving around the ring keeping the shorter armed opponent at a distance. Shorter armed boxers, or boxers with shorter “reach”, usually counter this technique by cutting off the ring, trapping the longer armed opponent and getting “inside” so that their shorter arms can reach their opponent.
To see what “reach” does visually, check out the Muhammad Ali photos from Brian Hayes’ blog titled “Fight Night Roung 4 – The Heavyweights”. In the first two shots you can see how Ali uses his reach with both a straight right and a jab punching his opponent while clearly beyond the reach of his opponent. If you have ever watched Lennox Lewis fight, you know that he was a master at out-boxing his opponents from a distance and punishing anyone who dared try and step inside of his jab.
Is a reach advantage an overwhelming advantage? Not as much as you might think. Boxers that rely on their reach advantage have to be agile, very accurate with their punches, and they have to be in excellent condition because it takes a lot of punches to keep an opponent at a distance. If a boxer wants to get inside his opponent’s reach advantage he usually only has to slip one punch and step forward. Once inside the power of the shorter armed boxer can take over. Consider that Tyson probably never had a reach advantage on any of his opponents.
POSTED:
Mar 31 2009, 10:58 AM
By Jason Thompson
The Fight Night Round 4 (FNR4) producers released a list late last week of Heavyweight boxers, past and present, that will be included in the game and I think they did a great job of emphasizing the contrasting styles of heavyweights.
As a Fight Night fan I think one of the best features of the game is making fights that were never made in real life. Like the cover, I really enjoy the prospect of Ali fighting Tyson. Clearly they were both elite but more than that, they were exceptional and dominant with wildly different styles. Which style would prevail? In FNR4 I will know.
That is what I love of about the roster so far. Sure, if I could make the roster I would include probably 100 current and former heavy weights but that is not realistic and would ultimately be a waste of time. What I want is to see how the contrasting styles would fair for me, if I chose to fight with that boxer, or against me as I fight with my own created boxer.
When you look at the list (Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, James Tony, Lennox Lewis and Eddie Chambers) what jumps out to me are the dramatically different styles each boxer brought, and will bring in FNR4, to the ring. I am already imagining how Jason “the BONECRUSHER” Thompson would fair against the speed and power of Ali, the brutality of Tyson, the brick that was George Foreman, the bull that was Joe Frazier, the intellect of Lewis, the guile of Tony and the quick and balanced Eddie Chambers. Each fighter will take a completely different set of offensive and defensive skills and game play to defeat.
When you look at the roster, ask your-self this, “When I create my own boxer and fight as a heavy weight in FNR4, and I beat Ali, Tyson, Foreman, Frazier, Tony, Lewis and Chambers, would I be the greatest of all-time?” In my opinion, any man who could beat this roster would be the best boxer in history.
POSTED:
Mar 23 2009, 01:53 PM
by Jason Thompson
Hopefully by now you have been picking up on some of the themes of Fight Night Round 4 (FNR4). Having seen some of the game play there are two phrases that fit this game perfectly - "No two punches are ever the same" and “One clean punch away from victory”. They define what will be the best boxing game ever and may very well be the best sports game of 2009. The technology, graphics, physics engine, and boxing knowledge all appear to have come together.
“No two punches are ever the same”. When you see the game play trailer its obvious that every punch is different. Some of the punches glance off of the shoulders or arms and some (fewer) hit the mark perfectly. In FNR3 any punch that landed was clean. The other punches were either blocked or parried. FNR3 was fun but that was not realistic.
“One clean punch away from victory”. The truth is, if two guys are fighting in a title bout, there are very few “clean” punches. If one guy can get to the other cleanly he will probably knock him out. Watching the trailer you can tell that clean punches are earned; they are set up round by round. The invisible wall that separated the fighters in FNR3 appears to have been removed as you can see both fighters working underneath some of the punches of the other with the last being a huge clean shot from Ali to Tyson’s chin.
These improvements over FNR3 are huge. This sets up the ability for each player to create their own truly unique style. Whether you like to get inside and brawl or use quickness and reach to keep your opponent off of you, your style will be unique to your fighter and your fighter’s physical abilities. The more you think of the possibilities the more you understand another phrase used by the FNR4 producers: “Height and Reach Matter”.
Sergio Mora told me at the Fight Night Community Day several weeks ago that he was going to fight Kelly Pavlik. I checked the boxing news outlets but did not see any formal announcements about this fight until last week. It looks like they will fight in late June or July in Atlantic City. This is a very interesting fight. Pavlik was going to fight Vernon Forrest but Forrest allegedly asked for too much money. Mora is 1-1 versus Forrest but thinks he will be better moving up from 154 lbs. to 160 lbs. for the Pavlik fight. Pavlik is coming off a loss to Bernard Hopkins at 170 lbs. and he is obviously better at 160. Pavlik is a puncher. Mora is a boxer. This should be a good fight. As they say in the FNR4 Game Play trailer… “Styles Make Fights”.
POSTED:
Mar 02 2009, 02:23 PM
by Jason Thompson
“Who in the hell is the Marquess of Queensbury?”
That is what I said when I heard Ian Sharpe mention this woman (is a Marquess a man?) when we were talking about boxing at the Fight Night Round 4 (FNR4) Community Day last Monday.
Ian then began to lecture me the way all Englishmen address Americans; as a toothless, rope-belted, uncultured hillbilly. As Ian explained the Marquess of Queensbury is merely one of the many things we Americans should thank the English for because the “Queensbury Rules” are largely credited with providing the basis for the modern rules of boxing. (He also explained to me that if it was not for the English, we from “the colonies” would all be speaking French.) After asking that he “give it up” because it was not my fault that the English “chose to wear red and stand in the open” I researched this gift from the UK and… he appears to be correct (about the rules not about the French thing). My brother Rob knew this little nugget of boxing wisdom without having to research as did Tyrone Kirk from www.maxboxing.com so they get credit for knowing more than I do.
Out of shear morbid curiosity I looked up the “Marquess of Queensbury Rules” (which sounds so girly and proper it really has no business being associated with boxing) and here they are:
1. To be a fair stand-up boxing match in a 24-foot (7.3 m) ring, or as near that size as practicable.
2. No wrestling or hugging allowed.
3. The rounds to be of three minutes' duration, and one minute's time between rounds.
4. If either man falls through weakness or otherwise, he must get up unassisted, 10 seconds to be allowed him to do so, the other man meanwhile to return to his corner, and when the fallen man is on his legs the round is to be resumed and continued until the three minutes have expired. If one man fails to come to the scratch in the 10 seconds allowed, it shall be in the power of the referee to give his award in favour of the other man.
5. A man hanging on the ropes in a helpless state, with his toes off the ground, shall be considered down.
6. No seconds or any other person to be allowed in the ring during the rounds.
7. Should the contest be stopped by any unavoidable interference, the referee to name the time and place as soon as possible for finishing the contest; so that the match must be won and lost, unless the backers of both men agree to draw the stakes.
8. The gloves to be fair-sized boxing gloves of the best quality and new.
9. Should a glove burst, or come off, it must be replaced to the referee's satisfaction.
10. A man on one knee is considered down and if struck is entitled to the stakes.
11. No shoes or boots with springs allowed.
12. The contest in all other respects to be governed by revised rules of the London Prize Ring.
There does appear to be one rule that does not seem to fit with the others. That rule would be No. 11. Were shoes or boots with springs a problem at some point in boxing history? Are shoes or boots with springs allowed under today’s rules? I am having a hard time imagining what sort of advantage “spring-boots” would even give you as a boxer. Sounds to me like a handicap. JJ “Punchingbag” Thompson has a 10 lb. advantage so he will have to wear the spring-boots for tonight’s match-up.
BTW – I have checked with the Fight Night Round 4 producers and they have assured me that there will be no spring-shoes or spring-boots in FNR4 specifically to adhere with Rule No. 11 of the Queensbury Rules.
POSTED:
Feb 20 2009, 07:05 PM
by Jason "PrimeTimeSA" Thompson
If Fight Night is my favorite title, Career Mode in Fight Night is my favorite feature. Career Mode in Fight Night is crucial. I actually think it is more important than Dynasty Modes in other sports games because it is just you in Career Mode. In NCAA Football/ Basketball you can have an injury or a bad recruiting year and the Dynasty suffers but it is not really your fault. Madden, NBA Live and NHL have similar issues. Don’t get me wrong, I love these games but Fight Night’s Career Mode is different. In Fight Night you have no excuses.
Back and better than ever is Career Mode in Fight Night Round 4 (FNR4). To capture the realism of a career the producers of FNR4 have been speaking directly to the community and to boxing legends like Sugar Ray Leonard, Lennox Lewis and Winky Wright. This is the fourth and I think the most exciting video we have released from these interviews leading up to our BIG FNR4 Community Day because it deals with Career Mode and the goal of every Fight Night fan: Defining a Legacy.
Check out the video below:
How do you define a boxer’s legacy? What are the factors that the professionals use in gauging whether, at the end of a boxer’s career, he is a legend or just another boxer? That is what FNR4 Producer Mike Mahar asked and the answers given by the panel are brilliant because they really nail the truth. The single biggest factor in defining a legacy is “Who did you fight?” Of course your record counts but all three seemed to be less impressed with the overall record than they were with a guy’s record against the best. I could not agree with Sugar Ray Leonard more than we he described fighting the best at the peak of their career because without these “defining moments” you can not be a legendary boxer.
This idea is at the very core of FNR4 and maybe even all of the EA SPORTS titles. You have to play the best to be the best.
All of this discussion had me thinking of Joe Calzaghe who retired earlier this month. For more than 10 years he held the WBO Super Middleweight Title and was 46-0 in his 16 year career. With three more fights (presumably wins) he would have tied Rocky Marciano’s 49-0 record. Is Rocky Marciano a legend? Clearly Marciano is the type of boxer we are talking about when we talk about boxing legends. So if that is true, my question is this: “Is Joe Calzaghe a legendary boxer?” I have met a lot of fight fans that say he is not. What do you think?
POSTED:
Feb 18 2009, 11:36 AM
by Jason "PrimeTimeSA" Thompson
Take a look at the video below as Lennox, Sugar Ray and Winky discuss recovering in professional boxing.
For 36 minutes you had one of the toughest dudes on the planet smash
his fists into your face and kidneys. Your face is swollen, your nose
is bleeding, your jaw is bruised and it hurts even to breathe. The good
news? The other guy looks worse than you. You have just won a title
belt and it feels great draped over your shoulder. The entire arena is
chanting your name and 50 sports journalist are fighting to hear
anything you have to say.
The bad news? Your manager is already asking you when you want to fight again. How much time should you take to recover?
In
the previous EA SPORTS Fight Night games the idea of recovery time was
not a big point of emphasis. There was a little spread in terms of time
before your next fight in career mode (4-8 weeks) and, if there were
consequences for fighting too soon, I never noticed any. Your goal was
basically to make as much money as fast as possible. That was fun but
not very realistic.In creating the best and most anticipated boxing
game of all-time Fight Night Round 4 (FNR4) is going to include the
very real issue that champions have to address in real life: How much
is enough time between fights?
FNR4 Gameplay Producer Brian
Hayes recently sat down with Lennox Lewis, Winky Wright, and Sugar Ray
Leonard and asked the question - "How long does it take you to recover
from a tough fight?" If you have not seen this interview, STOP READING
and watch it right now.
"...they had to use hypodermic needles to draw blood from my ear" - Sugar Ray Leonard.To
hear Sugar Ray Leonard say, even after a brutal fight, it may take him
"a couple of weeks" before he could physically fight again makes me
think these guys may not be human. (A couple of weeks?) Lennox Lewis'
point about the mental aspect was a good one. To be a truly great
champion, you have to invest everything - body and mind - to the
opponent. Just because your body has healed doesn't mean that you are
mentally prepared to defend your belt. For Lennox, even a short and
relatively easy fight still required a significant amount of time to
recuperate.
Sure it is tough on the Champ, but the emotional
investment can be even greater on the contender. Winky Wright's
description of the emotional investment he had in his first Sugar Shane
Moseley fight was very insightful. Imagine how tough it would be to
feel like you had to prove something in the ring and not just win the
fight.
So you have the physical component, the mental
component... and then there is the publicity component. It is easy to
forget that, to get in the ring for a championship bout, there are a
large number of press and promotional obligations that fighters have to
endure leading up to the big fight. Lennox went out of his way to
emphasize how hard this part is. It is exhausting, distracting and time
consuming but absolutely necessary. Without media, promotions, and
publicity you are a nobody.
So how much time is a realistic
amount of time to allow for recovery after a fight? In my opinion, the
time after a short, early-career or amateur fight is probably something
measured in weeks. For big-arena, main event, title fights it would
probably be measured in months. Add on to this the fact that every
fighter is different. There are some guys that just heal faster and
take less time to train. Winky Wright is one of these guys. There are
others, usually the more cerebral fighters like Lennox Lewis, who just
need more time off to fight effectively.
How much time do you think a fighter needs to recovery between fights?
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.