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Mike Tyson Speaks Out
The former champ talks Fight Night Round 4 and his love for God of War.
by John Gaudiosi
July 1, 2009 - Iron Mike Tyson may be best known for his pudgy body and singing talent this summer in the box office smash, The Hangover, but the former heavyweight champion of the world is back in fighting form in EA Sports' Fight Night Round 4. The new boxing videogame for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 allows players to pit Tyson against Ali for the first time.
Both pugilists appear in the game in their prime, offering a match that otherwise never could have happened. And both fighters take their distinctive in-ring strategies to the game with Tyson barreling into opponents for the quick knockout, while Ali dances and weaves from afar. Tyson took some time to talk about his own videogame experiences in this exclusive interview.
IGN: What was the first videogame experience you remember having?
Mike Tyson: The first videogame I ever played was probably Donkey Kong.
IGN: Back in the day, your partnership with Nintendo for Mike Tyson Punch-Out was a classic that remains one of the most beloved boxing videogames to this day. What was it like seeing yourself in that videogame at the time?
Mike Tyson: I never played that game so I don't know. I remember more of a variety of a good time playing this Fight Night 4 game. This is pretty awesome.
IGN: Since then, you've had your own boxing videogame for Xbox and PlayStation 2 and now you're working with EA Sports. How much have you kept up with what's going in the videogame space over the years?
Mike Tyson: I play games. I love God of War. So when the new one of that comes out (God of War 3). That's gonna be pretty awesome.
IGN: What videogame consoles do you own?
Mike Tyson: Well, I have PlayStation 3.
IGN: What games do you like to play?
Mike Tyson: I'm playing Ninja Gaiden and God of War. Those are the types of games I like. I like combative games.
IGN: What are your thoughts on the Nintendo Wii, which has boxing games like Punch-Out, and its physical nature with getting kids active while playing a game?
Mike Tyson: Well, that's what my kids are into. I haven't reached that level yet. My kids are into Wii.
IGN: What are your thoughts on how far the technology has come just between Mike Tyson Boxing and Fight Night Round 4?
Mike Tyson: Well, it's incredible. It's like the animation is actually like real fighters in there. The movement and the lucidness of the fighters moving their heads is like two real individuals and they're actually fighting one another
IGN: What's it like for you to be on the cover of Fight Night Round 4 with Ali?
Mike Tyson: Oh, I'm very grateful. He was a special champ, and I have the highest respect for him as a person and a fighter
IGN: What's it like to see yourself in your prime in Fight Night Round 4?
Mike Tyson: Yeah. It's really amazing. I have so much gratitude.
IGN: Can you talk about how you worked with EA to make sure your in-game character fight exactly like you fought?
Mike Tyson: No, cause it wasn't very difficult. All they had to do was look at fights and look at pictures and it wasn't complicated.
IGN: Have you played as yourself in the new game yet?
Mike Tyson: Well, I played myself and didn't do too well, but i played as Joe Frazier and kicked ass!
IGN: What do you think of the realism in terms of what it's actually like inside a real ring?
Mike Tyson: Oh, I don't know.
IGN: How big a role does real boxing strategy play in this videogame?
Mike Tyson: A great deal. You have to press the proper buttons to get the proper results.
IGN: What are your thoughts on this videogame allowing you and Ali to go toe-to-toe in both of your prime?
Mike Tyson: Yeah, man. It's great.
IGN: If this videogame scenario of you versus Ali had been allowed in real life, how do you think the fight would have gone?
Mike Tyson: I have no idea, sir. But now you can figure it out for yourself. Fight Night puts you right in that ring and gives you the gloves to settle the score.
IGN: What are some other dream boxing match-ups this videogame allows?
Mike Tyson: Well, we really played in the heavyweights. I know they have: Winky Wright, Manny Pacquiao, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Cesar Chavez, and Tommy Hearns.
IGN: What role do you see Fight Night Round 4 playing today around the world in potentially influencing and expanding the sport of boxing, especially with kids?
Mike Tyson: It's pretty interesting. I saw like a 7 or 8 year-old kid yesterday. He said, "Hey, that's Mike Tyson." I went to take my kids to school and I said, "How do you guys know who I am?" They weren't even born when I was fighting.
IGN: What are your thoughts on the state of boxing today?
Mike Tyson: Oh, I don't know. The heavyweight division is not doing too well, but I guess the only situation that has to happen is any of the superstars…once they get a superstar guy beating everybody and knocking everybody out and doing it in a spectacular fashion, then they'll be on top of the game again.
The former champ talks Fight Night Round 4 and his love for God of War.
by John Gaudiosi
July 1, 2009 - Iron Mike Tyson may be best known for his pudgy body and singing talent this summer in the box office smash, The Hangover, but the former heavyweight champion of the world is back in fighting form in EA Sports' Fight Night Round 4. The new boxing videogame for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 allows players to pit Tyson against Ali for the first time.
Both pugilists appear in the game in their prime, offering a match that otherwise never could have happened. And both fighters take their distinctive in-ring strategies to the game with Tyson barreling into opponents for the quick knockout, while Ali dances and weaves from afar. Tyson took some time to talk about his own videogame experiences in this exclusive interview.
IGN: What was the first videogame experience you remember having?
Mike Tyson: The first videogame I ever played was probably Donkey Kong.
IGN: Back in the day, your partnership with Nintendo for Mike Tyson Punch-Out was a classic that remains one of the most beloved boxing videogames to this day. What was it like seeing yourself in that videogame at the time?
Mike Tyson: I never played that game so I don't know. I remember more of a variety of a good time playing this Fight Night 4 game. This is pretty awesome.
IGN: Since then, you've had your own boxing videogame for Xbox and PlayStation 2 and now you're working with EA Sports. How much have you kept up with what's going in the videogame space over the years?
Mike Tyson: I play games. I love God of War. So when the new one of that comes out (God of War 3). That's gonna be pretty awesome.
IGN: What videogame consoles do you own?
Mike Tyson: Well, I have PlayStation 3.
IGN: What games do you like to play?
Mike Tyson: I'm playing Ninja Gaiden and God of War. Those are the types of games I like. I like combative games.
IGN: What are your thoughts on the Nintendo Wii, which has boxing games like Punch-Out, and its physical nature with getting kids active while playing a game?
Mike Tyson: Well, that's what my kids are into. I haven't reached that level yet. My kids are into Wii.
IGN: What are your thoughts on how far the technology has come just between Mike Tyson Boxing and Fight Night Round 4?
Mike Tyson: Well, it's incredible. It's like the animation is actually like real fighters in there. The movement and the lucidness of the fighters moving their heads is like two real individuals and they're actually fighting one another
IGN: What's it like for you to be on the cover of Fight Night Round 4 with Ali?
Mike Tyson: Oh, I'm very grateful. He was a special champ, and I have the highest respect for him as a person and a fighter
IGN: What's it like to see yourself in your prime in Fight Night Round 4?
Mike Tyson: Yeah. It's really amazing. I have so much gratitude.
IGN: Can you talk about how you worked with EA to make sure your in-game character fight exactly like you fought?
Mike Tyson: No, cause it wasn't very difficult. All they had to do was look at fights and look at pictures and it wasn't complicated.
IGN: Have you played as yourself in the new game yet?
Mike Tyson: Well, I played myself and didn't do too well, but i played as Joe Frazier and kicked ass!
IGN: What do you think of the realism in terms of what it's actually like inside a real ring?
Mike Tyson: Oh, I don't know.
IGN: How big a role does real boxing strategy play in this videogame?
Mike Tyson: A great deal. You have to press the proper buttons to get the proper results.
IGN: What are your thoughts on this videogame allowing you and Ali to go toe-to-toe in both of your prime?
Mike Tyson: Yeah, man. It's great.
IGN: If this videogame scenario of you versus Ali had been allowed in real life, how do you think the fight would have gone?
Mike Tyson: I have no idea, sir. But now you can figure it out for yourself. Fight Night puts you right in that ring and gives you the gloves to settle the score.
IGN: What are some other dream boxing match-ups this videogame allows?
Mike Tyson: Well, we really played in the heavyweights. I know they have: Winky Wright, Manny Pacquiao, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Cesar Chavez, and Tommy Hearns.
IGN: What role do you see Fight Night Round 4 playing today around the world in potentially influencing and expanding the sport of boxing, especially with kids?
Mike Tyson: It's pretty interesting. I saw like a 7 or 8 year-old kid yesterday. He said, "Hey, that's Mike Tyson." I went to take my kids to school and I said, "How do you guys know who I am?" They weren't even born when I was fighting.
IGN: What are your thoughts on the state of boxing today?
Mike Tyson: Oh, I don't know. The heavyweight division is not doing too well, but I guess the only situation that has to happen is any of the superstars…once they get a superstar guy beating everybody and knocking everybody out and doing it in a spectacular fashion, then they'll be on top of the game again.
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