Best-Selling Boxing Franchise Brings to Life an Elite Cast of Legends, Past and Present

The Knockout Kings franchise features 40 of today's top boxers and boxing legends and is known for featuring the most extensive line-up of boxing talent in the genre. Knockout Kings 2001 also has a distinguished list of exclusive boxers like Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Sugar Ray Leonard, Oscar De La Hoya, Lennox Lewis and Shane Mosley. Plus, this year in Knockout Kings 2001 the women move in and take center stage. Mia St. John, Christy Martin, Lucia Rijker and Regina Halmich will all be in Knockout Kings 2001 and bring a fresh new look to the game.

Each fighter comes with his or her own personal biography detailing their career and their approach to the "sweet science" of boxing. And, as always, EA SPORTS delivers the sport's realism. Each fighter's strength, weight, height, speed, reach, and stamina are factored into the artificial intelligence (AI) to ensure a realistic boxing experience. EA SPORTS has also incorporated individual fighting styles and signature moves, which were provided by many of the boxers for the game. Utilizing motion-capture technology, a process where boxers wear a computerized suit that measures body movements, the production team captured all their moves and re-created them in the game.

In addition, to truly capture the look of the boxers in Knockout Kings 2001, the production team used a precision set of 3D cameras to scan the fighters' faces and bodies and record their images for the game. The cameras captured a detailed 3D likeness of the boxers, not missing the smallest detail of today's hottest boxers.

An enhanced career mode allows gamers to create and train a boxer in their image, manage their career and ultimately get a shot at the title. After creating your boxer, selecting skin color, facial hair, trunks, weight class, fighting style, and more, you must work your way up from small club fights to the larger venues and eventually the hollowed grounds of Madison Square Garden®. The training segment of the career mode will help hone fighting skills as gamers learn to counter-punch, block and throw combinations.

New to Knockout Kings 2001 is Dynamic Punch Control™, a feature that allows a player to control every punch in a combination, carefully blending the different punches without losing speed or timing. This level of control, in addition to the breathtaking graphics, gives the game a new level of realism and depth. ``Signature moves'' give individual boxers' their own knockout punch or defensive move that leaves the opponent swinging at air. Better footwork, faster button-response and quicker punch and blocking moves make the user feel he truly is controlling everything the boxer is doing in the ring.

10 different hip-hop artists contributed original tracks from their latest records to the incredible Knockout Kings 2001 soundtrack. Some of the top artists and songs include, Tony Touch, ``Super Heavyweight,'' Dilated Peoples, ``The Main Event,'' Tash, ``Destruction'' and the Black Eyed Peas with the original title, ``It's On.'' These songs come on randomly throughout gameplay, but they also can be selected in the ``Slugfest'' mode if a gamer likes a particular song and wants to have it on when they fight.

In addition to the music soundtrack, the production team brought other audio elements to new heights in order to bring a feeling of realism to the game. Exciting commentary and analysis from Al Bernstein, Max Kellerman and Teddy Atlas keep the gamer informed on what is happening from a strategic standpoint. Referees in the game include Mills Lane and Richard Steel, and they help keep things fair by calling out low blows, rabbit punches, and other illegal moves that can lose a fighter points from a judges card. Jimmy Lennon Jr. makes ring announcements to give the fight a big time feel.

Knockout Kings 2001 for the PlayStation 2 is rated ``T'' (Teen) by the ESRB. Consumers may purchase the game directly by going online at (http://www.eastore.ea.com) or by calling toll free at 877-EA GAMES (877/324-2637). The game has a suggested retail price of $49.95.

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