|
There is probably nothing more difficult to rate in the world of sports simulations than a boxer. To begin with, the best that one can do is to base a fighter's ratings on what we term "intelligent speculation." There are no hard, fast statistics to dictate skills, no unadulterated numbers that provide a researcher with absolutes. As a matter of fact, boxing statistics (what few there are) can be highly misleading.
A major league pitcher who strikes out 750 major league batters in 900 innings pitched can accurately be deemed a strikeout pitcher, one who averaged 7.5 batters per 9-inning game. However, a professional boxer who knocks out 15 of 17 professional opponents may not be the big puncher that his numbers indicate. As a matter of fact, he may not be much of a puncher at all. The legitimacy of those 15 knockouts would depend greatly upon the level of competition provided by the opponents who he stopped. In the face of the obstacles presented by the lack of statistics and the lack of veracity in those that exist, someone who wishes to rate a boxer must speculate; and the accuracy of those ratings will depend upon just how intelligently he does so. Once significant research has been done on a fighter, ratings can be derived. But those ratings serve only as the foundation for the final ratings needed to accurately portray a fighter in a simulation. To take the raw data and form it into "playable" ratings, it becomes paramount that one understands the rating categories and how they interact. To gain a better understanding of the categories and the symbiotic relationship they have with one another in Title Fight 2001, the Companion presents an in-depth look at each rating area:
THE CORE CATEGORIES
These categories make up the main aspects of the fighter being created. Many of them are integrated with each other, one enhancing another, to define the basic skills and attributes of the fighter in question.
Category |
Definition and Examples |
|
Style |
Boxer, Slugger, Either. This is more than just a "color" category. Because some fighters have difficulty against a certain style, determining if a boxer is mainly a boxer, slugger or both a boxer/slugger is important. The temptation is to make most fighters "Either." To achieve an "Either" rating, a fighter should be equally adept at both styles and frequently employ both styles. If a fighter can fight both ways but strongly leans toward boxing or slugging, assign him one of the latter. Arturo Gatti can box . . . but he won't, for example, and should be labeled as a Slugger. |
|
Control Factor vs Boxer or Slugger |
This is all encompassing category that is one of the most important if not the most important in the simulation. It represents a fighter's ability to control the tempo of a fight, and to carry out his fight plan at the expense of his opponent's. Never lose sight of the fact that virtually nothing can be done offensively if a fighter isn't in control. That being the case, it is also the prime category for tweaking a fighter who is either over or under-performing. Trial and error have shown that fighters with both high CF ratings and above average punching power can't be beaten be exceptional boxers with little power unless the latter's CFs are bumped upward - sometimes as high as 15. An average CF is 8. A CF of 9 or 10 usually indicates a serious contender, while CFs of 11 or higher usually indicate championship caliber fighters. Low CF ratings like 5 or 6 will typically result in journeyman fighters or indicate a very young fighter who is still far from his prime. CF ratings should not dip below 4. |
|
Hitting Power |
This category indicates one-punch power: the ability to take out an opponent with a single shot or turn the course of the fight around with one punch. It's pure concussive power, not accumulative blows, not wear-them-down power. Keep in mind that this category, while obviously important, requires two other ratings to reach its maximum efficiency: CF and Punching Accuracy. A fighter with a CF 7, HP 10 and PA 38 fighting fifty opponents with chins of 3 will not score as many stoppages as a fighter with a CF 10, HP 8 and PA 38, fighting the same fifty opponents. Likewise the fighter with CF 10, HP 8 and PA 38 will not score as many stoppages as a fighter with a CF 10, HP 7 and PA 42. This is also one of the prime categories that must be subjected to a thorough analysis of the competition. A general formula that we can recommend would be to divide (stoppages) by (total bouts) minus a percentage for the (competition factor)/10 rounded up and add +2. So a fighter with 100 fights and 50 stoppages has a .50 knockout factor, has fought weak competition (-20%) = 30, divided by 10 = 3, plus 2 = HP 5. |
|
Chin vs. Knockdown |
A fighter's chin is a funny thing. So much of it is mental as well as physical. Often you'll see a fighter "lose" his chin, just like that. You can't hurt him with a wrecking ball and then he runs into the perfect punch and gets dropped. After that he seems to go down every fight. A fighter like a Jake LaMotta may be one of the rare "0" chins. A fighter who has gone down early in his career and proven to have a great chin thereafter, like Ali, might be the prototype for a 1. Most fighters who have "good" chins are a "2". When you start giving a fighter a "3" chin, expect him to be dropped on occasion. A "4" indicates a weak chin and much worse indicates a real glass jaw. |
|
Recovery |
Fighters who hit the canvas and bounce right back up and take the fight to the opponent (Felix Trinidad comes to mind) are usually the victims of poor balance or a lucky shot. Their KD2 (recovery) rating should be a 0 or 1. This number is literally added to the KD1 so tread carefully. The typical rating in this category is a 2. A fighter who normally goes down a second time after being dropped once should be given a 3 or even a 4. Anything higher than a 5 is overkill. The KD2 (or Recovery) rating lasts the remainder of the round and may carry over into the next round. The chances of the effects lasting into the next round are dependent upon a fighter's TKO rating, how long he was down from the previous knockdown and a random factor. |
|
Chin vs. Knockout |
This category is a logical extension of "Chin vs. Knockdown." It's a fighter's susceptibility to going down and staying down. A good rule of thumb is to make this number at least one lower than "Chin vs. Knockdown." There are exceptions. A rare number of fighters where extremely difficult to knockdown but once down, didn't get back up. To rate a fighter in that fashion requires intimate knowledge of the boxer. There are a goodly number of fighters, however, who were knocked down with some regularity during their prime but seldom, if ever, stopped for the count. A KD1 of 3 and a KO of 1 is not an anomaly. |
|
Killer Instinct |
When looking at this category, ask yourself "How good of a finisher was/is this guy?" Joe Louis, possibly the best at ending a fight once he had an opponent hurt, clearly deserves a 10. Some fighters, however, either don't know how to end a fight or don't particularly want to end the fight. Emile Griffith was a deadly finisher before his bout against Benny "Kid" Paret that resulted in Paret's death; likewise, Ezzard Charles wasn't the same after killing an opponent in the ring. Both of these fighters either consciously or subconsciously held back at times. Killer Instinct ratings of 6 or 7 would be suitable for them. Other fighters get overly excited when they have an opponent hurt and simply flail away ineffectively. Finally, you have those fighters who have no power to speak of and land a lucky shot to hurt an opponent but, logically, don't have the tools to follow up effectively. |
|
Punching Accuracy |
This category speaks for itself. Ratings are in increments of 2, ranging from a low of 26 to a high of 46. Common sense dictates that you can win a fight without hitting an opponent, and you can't hurt a fighter with hitting him. The more accurate a puncher, the better the chance of scoring points and possibly a knockdown/knockout. Another direct effect of punching accuracy is the likelihood of inflicting a cut or causing swelling around an opponent's eyes, inducing damage to the body and causing arms to lower, etc. Punching accuracy is enhanced by a high Control Factor; conversely, Punching Accuracy enhances Power. It simply makes sense: the more that you are in control, the better the chance you'll throw a punch. If you throw a punch, the higher your punching accuracy, the better the chance you'll land the punch; and the more often you land a punch, the better the chance you'll have of doing more serious damage, like knocking down an opponent. |
|
Counter-Punching |
The most important thing to understand is that counter-punching does not directly correlate to punching accuracy because the number of times counter-punching comes into play is much less. Because Title Fight 2001 must in some ways be presented as an abstraction of the real sport, counter-punching comes into play after an opponent misses with a punch. The basic theory is that the fighter has feinted his opponent into missing with the blow in order to counter-punch. Each time a fighter misses with a blow, his opponent has the opportunity to counter. This category does not completely take into account a fighter's true ability to land counters. The aspect of counter-punching that entails beating an opponent to the punch, etc. is built into punching accuracy. |
|
Endurance |
It is impossible to overemphasize how important this category. The Endurance number directly correlates to rounds. An Endurance rating of "8" would indicate that under if a fighter takes a normal amount of punishment during a fight, he'll begin to tire after the 8th round. The key to understanding Endurance is the phrase "normal amount of punishment." After thousands of fights being tracked, we have arrived at a formula that multiplies the average points scored by the Endurance rating to achieve a final endurance number. The points scored by an opponent reduce that number until it reaches "0" at which time a fighter's endurance is gone. If a fighter normally begins to tire after eight rounds but takes much less damage than normal, he may well stay fresh for the entire fight. If he takes more damage than normal, he'll lose his endurance sooner. Once Endurance is gone, control factor, power, chin, punching accuracy, and defense are all negatively affected at varying rates. Obviously, then, the Endurance rating affects more areas than any other single category. Several other important notes on Endurance are required for one to thoroughly understand the category: (1) Rate all fighters as if they were going to fight a ten round bout because the program automatically pro-rates the number for 12 and 15 round bouts to simulate pacing; (2) There is a small chance, depending upon the Pre-Fight Conditioning of the fighter, that he might catch a "second wind" and have some endurance restored. If you are rating a fighter and plan to fight him in bouts under ten rounds, give him an Endurance rating of "5" for bouts scheduled between 3 and 6 rounds and "6 or 7" for bouts scheduled for 8 rounds. |
|
Defense |
This is the dominant non-offensive category and can't be underestimated in importance. While a fighter's chin is certainly a major factor, it only comes into play when a potential knockdown/knockout punch has landed. Defense is factored in on every punch thrown by an opponent, including counter-punches. Considering the fact that a punch has to land to score points, produce knockdowns, cuts, etc., the ability to avoid punches becomes extremely important. The Defense category takes into consideration many factors. It can be based upon a fighter's quickness and reactions, his strong fundamentals, his ability to block punches, slip punches, roll with punches, smother blows, or any combination of the preceding. A fighter's defense rating might also be predicated on his overwhelming offense. Some fighters have horrible defenses but don't get hit much because their offense is some potent that the other fighter is seldom in control. A fighter with a Defense of +2 but CF's of 12 will not take the damage of a fighter with a Defense of +2 and CF's of 8, for example. Defense ratings range from -6 (Best) to +6 (Worse) in increments of two. True defensive wizards are -6; excellent defensive fighters are -4; good defensive fighters are -2; average defensive fighters are 0; below average defensive fighters are +2; poor defensive fighters are +4; and horrible defensive fighters are +6. |
|
Aggressiveness |
The Aggressivness rating determines who presses the action and always give the fighter with the higher aggressiveness rating the first opportunity to gain control of the round. Considering that landing even one more two point punch can be the difference between winning a round outright or having the computer judges possibly give the round to the opponent, every opportunity to gain control is highly important. If using a "Bias" in which a judge or judges favor an aggressive slugger over a slick boxer, this rating takes on added significance. |
|
Resistance to Cuts |
This rating indicates a fighter's susceptibility to being cut from either a punch or a head-butt. The range here is only 1-4, with a 1 indicating that the fighter seldom bleeds and a 4 indicating that he opens up almost every fight. No cut is good but the severity of the cut and its location are major factors in just how detrimental a cut is or becomes. |
|
Absorb Punishment |
Here is another rating that is often misunderstood and overlooked. Again, the range is only 1 through 4 but this rating should be very carefully assigned. It indicates a fighter's willingness to take punishment in order to win a fight. Some fighters have a high threshold for pain; others are front-runners and quit as soon as they are hurt. A fighter with a TKO rating of 1 will take an incredible amount of punishment before he'll stop fighting back. A fighter with a TKO rating of 4 will look for a soft spot on the canvas the minute he takes a few hard shots in a row. |
|
Fast Starter |
The number assigned to this category is literally the number of rounds it takes a fighter to hit his stride. Some fighters need a round or two to warm up; others are ready to fight from the opening bell but choose to measure an opponent for a round or two. Of course, others come out with "guns blazing" from the get-go. The range for this category is 1-4 and indicates the round in which the fighter will be at his full CF. For each round prior to this number, the fighter will fight at 1 CF lower than his assigned rating. For example, a fighter with a F/S of 3 and a CF of 10/10 will fight as a 9/9 for rounds 1 and 2. A F/S of 4 should only be assigned to notoriously slow starters. This rating is not pro-rated based upon rounds! If you are fighting less than 10 round bouts, you may wish to adjust this number downwards, assuming that your fighter will recognize that he has less time to get started. |
|
Fight on Ropes |
The In Corner/On Ropes category indicates just how well a fighter fights off the ropes or when trapped in a corner. Typically these are very dangerous positions in which to be caught. The range here is, again, 1 through 4. The assigned number is added to the opponent's CF! If you assign a fighter a Corner/Ropes rating of 3 and his opponent has a CF of 9 for the fight, that opponent will become a CF12 for as long as he has your fighter trapped against the ropes or caught in a corner. The minute that a fighter "escapes," the opponent's CF returns to normal. A typical rating is a 2. Good defensive fighters and slick movers should be given a 1. Inexperienced fighters or slow footed fighters might well receive a 3. A 4 rating should be used rarely. There are rare fighters who do excellent work off the ropes and sometimes, intentionally go to the ropes in an attempt to lure an opponent inside. These fighters would still receive a 1 rating. |
|
Fouls |
A fighter is assigned a foul rating of Seldom, Normal, or Frequent. This indicates the fighter's propensity to commit an act outside the rules. The reason for that act is moot. It could be a case of being overly aggressive, being clumsy, or being dirty. Regardless of why, fighters with a reputation for committing fouls should be tagged with a Frequent label. Some fighters, especially defensive boxers, foul less because stylistically, they are not in the position to commit as many fouls as a fighter who makes war inside, where elbows and shoulders and head become potential weapons. You might wish to assign a fighter like that with a Seldom rating. All others would be assigned a Normal label. |
|
Punching Effectiveness (3 point punches) |
A fighter's 2-point and 3-point punches must add up to 100. The key factor is not how you assign the points by category (Jab, Hook, Cross, etc.) but rather how many 3-point punches are assigned. Again, the program uses a rather comprehensive formula determine how many 3-point punches are assigned. Here is a simplified but fairly accurate table to use as a guideline:
HP 1: 0 - 3
HP 2: 3 - 5
HP 3: 6 - 9
HP 4: 10-12
HP 5: 13-15
HP 6: 16-20
HP 7: 21-25
HP 8: 26-30
HP 9: 31-36
HP 10: 37-42
HP 11: 42-44
HP 12: 45-47
HP 13: 48-50
HP 15: 51-54
The way that you assign the number of punches the various punch types is, in practicality, for cosmetic purposes only. If you have done your research and know that a particular fighter throws a deadly right cross and throws a lot of combinations, then you'll want to emphasize those punch types so that your fighter will more strongly represent his actual style and preferences. |
|
Punches Missed |
Here is yet another under-estimated area. It's simple: the greater the range of numbers comprising the Punches Missed category, the greater the opportunity for an opponent to counter punch. A fighter whose Punches Missed Range goes from 45 to 59 provides an opponent with a range of 15 numbers that can result in a miss, not factoring in the opponent's defense. A fighter whose Punches Missed Range goes from 42 to 63 gives the same opponent a range of 22 numbers that can result in a miss. That's 7 more potential chances each time the program checks for a fighter's action to miss a punch and 7 more opportunities for a counter punch to land. Multiply that times the number of times a fighter is in control, times the number of rounds in a fight, times the percentage of counter-punches that an opponent can reasonably land and you see the potential for a lot of points being scored off missed punches. The range of numbers assigned for Punches Missed should be between 57 and 64. |
|
Clinching and Ring Movement |
These two areas should be considered together. The number range allotted to these categories will vary and can be calculated by determining how many numbers are available between the number assigned to Punches Missed and 78. For example, if 57 has been assigned to Punches Missed, 21 numbers are left; if 64 has been assigned to Punches Missed, only 14 numbers are available. Split the remaining numbers between Clinching (which is an exposed category) and Ring Movement (which is a behind-the-scenes category). If your fighter has 14 numbers left, doesn't clinch much and moves well in the ring, you might assign him 5 numbers in his Clinching category, leaving 9 numbers for Ring Movement. If the opposite is true, you might reverse matters. In extreme cases, you might want to create a fighter who is very economical with his punches, avoids clinching at all costs and has a reputation as a runner. To simulate this, you might reduce his Punches Missed to 54, leaving 24 numbers, set his Clinching to 59 and leave the remaining 18 numbers (60 to 78) for Movement. If you aren't certain about how to divide the numbers, the safest and best procedure is simply to split them between the two categories. In very rare cases, too much movement or too much clinching over the course of a bout can result in a slight points penalty for a round or rounds, deducted before the judges score the given round. |
Strategies
The use of strategies is the most direct way of interacting with a fighter. By selecting a specific strategy, you are attempting to either take advantage of your fighter's strengths or your opponent's weaknesses. However, using a strategy can drastically alter the expected outcome of a fight. Many regulated categories are affected once a strategy is applied so if outcomes vary from the expected, don't be surprised. Using strategies allows you to try different approaches with a fighter and perhaps spring an upset or at least perform better than the fighter did in real life.
Strategies have taken on much more sophistication in Title Fight 2001. To begin with, any fighter can be ordered to follow any strategy in any round. Whether or not that strategy if followed and how well it is followed will depend upon (1) the fighter's physical ability to perform the chosen strategy; (2) the fighter's ring intelligence, his ability to make in-fight adjustments; and (3) the ability of his corner man.
If a selected strategy stays visible during a round, that strategy is being followed. If a selected strategy returns to "Normal" for the round, the strategy is not being followed.
Note that for Fighting Outside and Knockout strategies, one number for each type of strategy covers both aspects of that strategy (i.e. the number assigned for Fighting Outside is used whether you fight outside offensively or defensively):
|
|
|
|
Fighting Inside |
Fighting Inside is a strategy used to attempt to wear down an opponent and sap his endurance. While the points scored are computed at face value for the purpose of scoring the fight, they take away 50% more endurance points than normal. For example, if your fighter scores 10 points, 15 points will be deducted from the opponent's endurance, provided that the fighter followed the Fighting Inside strategy. The downside of Fighting Inside is that the fighter employing this strategy is more likely to be hit as he works his way inside and may even be outworked once he's there, if his opponent is better then he is on the inside. Assuming that your fighter, is adept at fighting on the inside, it can be a good strategy to use early and often, especially if you wish to sap an opponent's accuracy and power. Make sure your fighter has the chin and or defense to make it work, however. |
|
Fighting Outside Offensively |
This strategy maintains a bit of a defensive posture without sacrificing a lot of offense. It increases the fighter's ability to control the action during the round and make use of punching accuracy but sacrifices some power in return. The fighter who fights outside offensively may be attempting to minimize his opponent's offensive firepower. It's also a sound strategy to use if one know that he probably has a fight won on points and wants to reduce the chances of his opponent getting back into the fight via a knockdown or stealing the fight with a desperation knockout. Fighting outside offensively still provides a decent chance of winning a round. |
|
Fighting Outside Defensively |
This strategy sacrifices almost any chance of scoring a damaging blow but greatly decreases the chance of being hit with a knockdown or knockout shot. Using this strategy, there is only a minimal chance of winning the round but it is a good choice if the fight is clearly won. This is also a strategy that can be used in place of an all-out Cover Up. If there appears to be a good chance, for example, that there will be a knockdown effect carry-over, Fighting Outside Defensively will help reduce the chances of getting hurt again before you are fully recovered. |
|
Cover Up |
This is the only strategy that will automatically go into effect if possible. If a fighter has been knocked down, there is a chance based upon his Cover Up rating that he will go into a complete defensive shell to weather his opponent's Killer Instinct phase. The strategy can also be selected prior to any round. However, it negates almost any semblance of offense while increasing defense greatly. |
|
Going for a Controlled Knockout |
By attempting to score a knockout while still maintaining some control, a fighter basically loads up on every punch but is still aware that he can be hit and hurt. It's a strong strategy if an opponent has a weak or weakened chin and not much of a punch to begin with and can produce early knockouts or add the finishing touch when an opponent is still hurting from a pounding taken in the previous round. Some defense is ignored in favor of emphasizing the offense, which needs to be considered when selecting this strategy. |
|
Going All-Out for a Knockout |
The "throw caution to the wind" all-out attempt to score a knockout is feasible in two diametrically opposite situations. It's the strategy of choice when the only way to win is by a knockout. However, it can also be a great choice in the early rounds if your opponent is a "tune up" or a sacrificial lamb. When you are going against an opponent with a bad chin, no defense and no punch, Going All-Out for a Knockout carries little risk and greatly increases your chance for a first or second round knockout. No regard is given to defense when you choose to go all-out for a knockout so it's often a case where a fighter is willing to be carried out of the ring on his shield if it means getting a chance at landing one big shot. |
Other Ratings
A number of other ratings go into polishing a fighter's profile. Four new categories were added in Title Fight 2001, as a matter of fact, and the others either useful for commentary purposes or necessary for the functionality of other modules.
Category |
Definition and Examples |
|
Left Handed |
If a fighter is a left-handed fighter or a southpaw provides him with an advantage over an orthodox fighter. A left-handed fighter gains a CF advantage over a right-handed fighter and punching accuracy is also affected. A left-hander fighting another left-hander is also a bit unusual and both fighters receive a minor ratings penalty. |
|
Male/Female |
In reality this affects only the pronouns displayed in the commentary and has no affect on the outcome of a bout. |
|
Overall Rating |
This presents a real dilemma. The Overall Rating is calculated, using a very complex algorithm that weights each category and produces a single number that represents the totality of all the categories. That number is then subjected to yet another formula to produce the final Overall Rating. Because the actual formulas used in the simulation are proprietary, they cannot be released. The best way to arrive at this number is to check out some of the thousands of rated fighters and find those who are similar, statistically, and assign the fighter that rating. |
|
Draw Power |
This rating (1 through 10 with 10 the best) indicates what kind of money the fighter generates at the gate. It doesn't always correlate to talent. Weight class has much to do with it and charisma has much to do with it. A charismatic heavyweight is an incredible draw but even a decent heavyweight contender would probably have more drawing power than a champion strawweight. Occasionally, there's a flamboyant fighter in the lower weights (i.e. Oscar De la Hoya, Naseem Hamed) who rise above his weight class and turn into a major money maker. More often there are excellent fighters who simply don't capture the public's attention: Bernard Hopkins and even Roy Jones come to mind. This rating affects the amount of the purse in the Fight Card Module (which has no affect on the outcome of the fight), and can affect the Judges scoring if he is assigned a Popularity Bias (which can have a major affect on the outcome of a bout). |
|
Intellect |
A fighter's intelligence inside the ring does not, in terms of this simulation, have any correlation to the fighter's intelligence outside the ring. A fighter's Intellect rating (1 through 10 with 10 being the best) indicates how well he follows his pre-fight plan, follows instructions from his corner, and adapts to what is taking place in the ring. It only becomes a factor when Strategies are used. |
|
Proficiency |
This category indicates whether a fighter is a 4 round, 6 round, 8 round or 10+ round fighter. It is meant to be used as a guideline and does not directly affect the outcome of a bout unless it is specifically used in conjunction with the fighter's assigned Endurance Rating |
|
Conditioning |
Previously, Conditioning was a global variable that was extremely simplistic in its application and generic in its approach. With the release of Title Fight 2001, Condition has been greatly enhanced. There are 12 possible conditions that can be assigned to a given fighter. For details, see the following section dedicated to this category. |
Conditioning Ratings in Title Fight 2001
The following table lists the twelve possible conditions that can be assigned to a fighter and explains their general function within the boxing simulation. While Comp-U-Sports does not make public its official algorithms, this table also provides an approximate percentage of the time when no ratings will be affected to give a better feel for the ramifications of each condition assigned. Be aware that the attributes affected will differ, depending upon the problem being experienced by the fighter. For example, a fighter who has weight problems may be penalized in the area of Endurance, where a fighter who is having managerial problems, might be penalized via his CF rating because mentally, he simply isn't ready to fight.
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
Near Perfect: Mentally and physically, this fighter almost always comes into the ring at his peak. |
10% |
|
2 |
Well Conditioned: Mentally and physically, this fighter comes into the ring in peak shape the majority of the time. |
20% |
|
3 |
Borderline Condition: Mentally and physically, this fighter comes into ring in peak shape more often than not. |
30% |
|
4 |
Weight Problems: This fighter often has to battle weight problems, either because he is trying to fight in a division too low for him or simply has control problems or issues that affect his weight. |
35% |
|
5 |
Party Animal: This fighter loves the nightlife and all that it implies. He may have a reputation for breaking training or really letting go between fights. |
30% |
|
6 |
Aging, Inconsistent Veteran: Self-explanatory for the most part, this fighter has bouts where he is very close to his peak and other bouts where he looks like he should seriously consider retirement. Physically, he usually looks fine but often he discovers that his body simply can't do what it used to. |
35% |
|
7 |
Inactive Fighter: This is the fighter who fights once a year or three times in two years. He usually needs three or four rounds to shake off the ring rust and often performs below expectations and reputation. |
35% |
|
8 |
Fights Too Frequently: Don't use this rating for a fighter who, early in his career, is fighting every other month. Usually those fights only last a few rounds and are against easy opposition. This rating is best applied to trial horses who take bouts on short notice, often serve as fill-ins, etc. |
35% |
|
9 |
Head Case: Often this fighter is bothered by real or imaginary problems that have little to do with his physical state. He may be a fighter who freezes against a certain type of opponent, or one who allows minor disruptions to upset him and throw him off his game. |
40% |
|
10 |
Malcontent: This fighter is frequently overly sensitive and his usual demeanor is one of dissatisfaction. It could be that he is having managerial problems; it could be that he is unhappy over the size of his purse or maybe just over the fact that his opponent's name is bigger than his on the publicity posters. Be aware that some fighters (like Bernard Hopkins) are motivated be what they consider disrespect and it improves their performance. Fighter of that ilk should not be assigned this rating. |
30% |
|
11 |
Physical and Mental Problems: The fighter has a physical problem that could be anything from weight to minor injuries suffered during training to wear and tear. However, these problems are compounded by some form of anxiety as well. The mental problems could be concern over the physical or something unrelated but additional |
50% |
|
12 |
Seldom if Ever Trains: Boxing is this guys second -- or third -- job. He takes fights for the sake of the money only and even if he has (or had) some innate skills, they are wasted because of attitude and disinterest. |
70% |
|
|
