Tyson’s Punch Equivalent of Getting Hit by a 16lb Sledgehammer

•  Sports Professor reveals true force of Tyson’s mighty punch

•  Equivalent to impact of 50mph car crash

•  85% chance of causing brain damage

•  Four times more powerful than the average man

New York – May 20, 2002 - With the imminent Tyson v Lewis fight fast approaching, the question the nation is asking is ‘Is Lewis tough enough to conquer a man who, according to 72% of the population, is the hardest man in the world?’  

In support of the launch of Mike Tyson Heavyweight Boxing on PS2, UK games developer and publisher Codemasters has linked up with Dr Matthew Pain Ph.D. (yes that is his real name!!!), a lecturer on sports biomechanics at Loughborough University, to investigate the force behind Tyson’s punch and the kind of damage that the fighter’s fists can inflict.

Tyson’s Touch

Close examination of Tyson’s punches has shown that just one punch has the potential to knock out and hospitalize the average man. In fact the force of Tyson’s knock out punch has an 85% chance of giving his opponent severe brain damage and is easily great enough to fracture any bone in the average human skull.  In his research Dr Pain compares this to the average man, who has a 2% chance of inflicting this kind of injury - no wonder people fear the force of Iron Mike’s fist.

To put this into context, Tyson’s punch impact and the momentum of it, which is nearly four times that of an average man, is the equivalent of hitting a car windscreen at 50mph  or of getting smacked by a 16lb wooden sledgehammer moving at 35mph . Could this be the reason why 68% of the population believes that they would only last one minute in the ring with Tyson?

Tyson’s Trauma

Even a great boxer such as Tyson cannot avoid the common injuries that occur while participating in this sport. So, while he may pack a mean punch in the ring and may beat Lewis at some point in his career, it is likely that he will sustain one of the following injuries: a detached retina, concussion, a brain hemorrhage, loss of hearing or a broken nose. On top of this he may also suffer a hand or wrist injury, broken bones or ligament damage – 50% of fighters end their career as a result of these injuries.

So, for those people that fancy themselves as the next Tyson and who think they have his toughness and temperament but don’t fancy their chances in the ring, Codemasters has created Mike Tyson Heavyweight Boxing.   The launch of this brawling PlayStation 2 and Xbox game gives wannabe heavyweights the chance to take on mighty Mike without the pain.  

Codemasters has managed to sign some of the biggest names from the world of heavyweight boxing, boasting an impressive line-up that includes Larry Holmes, Tim Witherspoon, Paolo Vidoz, David Tua and Audley Harrison.  The games company, renowned for realism in its games, has mastered the synergy between technology and an understanding of the sport, resulting in a game that offers a boxing experience as close to watching the real thing as you can get.

Each of the fighters in the game has his own signature punches, counter punches, hooks and jabs, as well as a full range of blocks, dodges and pushes - a total of over 600 moves are featured in the game.

The game also features commentary from ringside legends Bobby Czyz and Ian Darke and realism is heightened by real-time facial damage.  As the player rains jabs on his opponents, they will see his face start to redden and scuff and as the punishment continues, blood, sweat, tears and bruising all come into play.  The boxer animations were created using motion-capture techniques pioneered for the film industry and the company has created a unique facial damage engine called P&IN (Polymorphic & Interpolative Node-mapping) to deliver the most brutal boxing experience ever.

Players can also create unique custom fighters allowing them to throw the person of their choice into the danger zone!

Established in 1986, UK-based Codemasters is one of Europe's best-selling and profitable game-makers, developing and publishing titles for the console platforms and PC.  Codemasters’ products first appeared on US retail shelves in 1999 and since then they have continued to provide energetic, compelling and innovative entertainment to gaming fans of all genres.  The company’s 2001 offerings included Blade of Darkness and Operation Flashpoint, both of which met with critical acclaim and enormous consumer praise. Richard Darling, the company’s Design Director and co-founder, is renowned as one of the most prolific game designers and has been involved in the creation of 60 of the company’s staggering #1 titles in the UK.  In keeping with the company's mission to remain on the crest of the gaming wave, Codemasters is developing games for online and next generation platforms.  Additional information about the company and its products can be found at www.codemasters.com

1.  Online survey of 1000 people conducted by Codemasters in April 2002

2.  Dr. Matthew Pain, Lecturer, Sports Biomechanics, Loughborough University

3.  Research shows that force needed to break forehead bones is 4990N (Newtons). The highest realistic value predictable for Tyson’s punch is 7000N

4.  Estimated injuries as a result of impact pad test research carried out by Dr Pain

5.  Estimated injuries as a result of impact pad test research carried out by Dr Pain

6. President of Neuroscience, National Health and Medical Research Council

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