Moore defends Tyson Fight Night cover

By Johnny Minkley Published 30 April, 2009

"Athletes are human beings."

EA Sports president Peter Moore has sought to explain why boxer Mike Tyson, a convicted rapist, was chosen to appear alongside Mohammed Ali on the cover of Fight Night Round 4.

Moore, speaking to Eurogamer in London last week, admitted that he had to make "hard choices" in relation to the talent the company chooses to work with, explaining: "I actually made that decision because of the respect I have for Mike Tyson as a boxer."

He added: "He is on the cover of Fight Night Round 4 because he's one of the greatest boxers of all time. He's on the cover because what our fans have told us and the feedback we got since Fight Night Round 3 is, what is the ultimate boxing match you would want to see if you could take a fighter in his prime versus another fighter in his prime? And overwhelmingly it's Iron Mike Tyson - the Mike Tyson I remember as a kid out of New York - versus Mohammed Ali in his prime."

Moore acknowledged that Tyson's criminal past presented a problem, insisting: "I fully understand people's issues with that and you know, the challenge you have with athletes is that they're human beings and you look at what you do, and you make some hard choices."

Tyson was convicted of the rape of Desiree Washington in 1992, serving three years in prison, before making a comeback in 1995 and spending another 10 years in the ring. The cover art to Fight Night Round 4 depicts Tyson in his '80s heyday as world champion.

Asked whether there was anything that would preclude a top sports star from being considered as an EA Sports cover athlete, for instance, a record as a drugs cheat, Moore cited the complex nature of the issue, using baseball as an example.

"There's a period where performance-enhancing drugs were not tested for, or the testing was kept private and so there is clearly a large percentage of baseball players from a particular era that used performance-enhancing drugs," he said.

"And many of them have been exposed, some of them have admitted to it, and it's really difficult to pick through all of that. Athletes are human beings. You look at some of the decisions we have to make and they're not easy to make, so it's a case-by-case situation for us."

Fight Night Round 4 is coming to PS3 and Xbox 360 on 26th June, with a demo - featuring Brit brawler Ricky Hatton - due pre-release.

Picture of Johnny.

About Johnny Minkley

Eurogamer TV's Johnny Minkley is a veteran journalist with a lifelong passion for games and the games industry. He uses Twitter more than most people use air.

Read more articles from Johnny by visiting the Johnny Minkley archive page.

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Comments (43) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Golgo #1 3 years ago

    Athletes = human beings

    Ergo

    Human beings = cheats and rapists

  • Skooch #2 3 years ago

    I am surprised by EA's decision to use a convicted sex offender to sell a game. Didn't think they would do that.

  • Ninja_Tino #3 3 years ago

    But abortion isn't murder, Nick. And neither is rape actually. Sorry, what's your point?

  • monkeylite #4 3 years ago

    I wasn't even aware this was a problem...

  • DrDamn #5 3 years ago

    Bottom line - if we have Tyson on the front we think we will sell more copies.

  • bu5hhead #6 3 years ago

    well its a sure fire way of drumming up free publicity

  • sickpuppysoftware #7 3 years ago

    "And overwhelmingly it's Iron Mike Tyson - the Mike Tyson I remember as a kid out of New York - versus Mohammed Ali in his prime."
    Rapist Vs Shaky man doesn't have the same ring to it does it.

  • Entity #8 3 years ago

    Moore, Moore, Moore! How do you like it, how do you like it?

    bbl, when it's not just his mug and words over the site.

  • swede #9 3 years ago

    Tyson...Best boxer of all time? Haha - you are kidding?

    George Foreman will destroy Ali!
    Joe Frasier will destroy Ali!

    Best boxer of all time... Marciano, followed closely by Ali.

  • rotmm #10 3 years ago

    @Ninja,

    Nick doesn't have a point. Nick is only farticus' alter-ego.

  • Santino #11 3 years ago

    its Muhammad not Mohammed, he's only one of the greatest athletes the world has ever seen, could at least get his name right!

    This is a good decision, none of us know for sure what happened with that woman, but as a fighter he is undoubtebly one of the greatest heavyweights of all time, of course he should be on the front cover with Ali. I didn't even expect that to be an issue at all when i saw it i'm sure EA didn't either.

    "Best boxer of all time... Marciano, followed closely by Ali. "

    i think you misspelt Sugar Ray Robinson, followed closely by Sugar Ray Leonard, Ali fits in somewhere after that but ahead of any other heavyweights and way the hell in front of Marciano. He was tough as they come but his record was a bit of a joke really.

  • homerramone #12 3 years ago

    No - Im the best boxer of all time and so is my wife.

    :-)

  • KreyAtiv #13 3 years ago

    Will Mike Tyson have the "Bite Ear off" as his illegal move? Then you get to choose where to spit it out?
    Have the whole lot in slow motion and using the new physics to show where the blood goes and such. :D

  • schnide #14 3 years ago

    Marciano Fanboy vs Boxers Called Sugar Ray Fanboy fight! It's the new 360/PS3!

  • swede #15 3 years ago

    Yes, I meant Marciano as best heavyweight of all time.

    I agree - Robinson - best ever boxer pound for pound.

  • DrDamn #16 3 years ago

    At a stand up comedy gig I went to they had a caption competition in the interval and the image was Tyson addressing a crowd at an event. My vaguely clever "Friends, Romans, countrymen ..." was just pipped by a rather crass "This man is a ******* rapist ****!".

  • Deckard1 #17 3 years ago

    Its muhammad ali, not mohammad

  • Calgon #18 3 years ago

    Every fighter has someone that would have beat them in their prime so its not a matter of just choosing someone that would beat Ali for instance, the best boxer is the one who has the best combination of boxing skill and physique.

    Tyson just had great physique, he relied on his power more than his boxing skill and thats why when ever he met someone who could match him physically AND box he lost. Holyfield doesnt get enough credit, he didnt attract the same attention to boxing as Mike did but Holyfield has a more impressive resume. I can see why people say Tyson was one of the greats and all, he gave people what they wanted, knockouts and he was so popular in his time people who didnt usually watch boxing took notice of him... he was a big draw in and out of the ring and the media loved him. Personally I dont rate make anywhere near the best of all time but it doesnt really matter we all have favourites for different reasons.

    Ali had skill but he also relied on his atheleticism heavily, Jones Jr same deal, boxers who never relied on their reflexes or power totally never have as many problems late on in their career.

    Edit: Oh yeah, as for the cover; I dont buy the "he's human" excuse, he should have said lets just concentrate on the sport this game is representing and well... Tyson was one of the biggest "names" in boxing... or if they were really honest "we justed wanted Tyson on there because most people will instantly recognise him and might be more interested in the game, we didnt put much thought into it other than that".
    Edited by 3 at 30/04/09 @ 13:34

  • JJrabbit #19 3 years ago

    @Nick

    But people have valid opinions pro and against abortion. However, rape is a bit different in that only morons can even think of any pros. Therefore, you're point seems to be moot.

  • EvilBob_leeds #20 3 years ago

    Tyson was an awesome boxer in his prime, and given that Ali always had problems fighting Frazier, it seems quite likely that Tyson, who fought with a very similar style to Frazier probably would have won. Probably. It's pretty stupid to ask which boxer was best though - different boxing styles will fare badly against others.

    As for Marciano - he might have been a lousy boxer terms of technique and finesse but in terms of raw punching power and stamina he's probably the best that ever was. And he does have the greatest heavyweight record of all time - 49-0-0.

    ...and could the pro-lifers kindly fuck off and not come back. Thanks.

    On the original point - if Tyson wanted to spend his time stamping on babies heads outside of the ring then that's his lookout, but doesn't make him any less of a legendary boxer. Both Jack Dempsey and Sonny Liston where lousy human beings outside of the ring, but that doesn't mean they were'nt great boxers either.
    Edited by 1 at 30/04/09 @ 13:46

  • Bigglesworth #21 3 years ago

    Wow. Really wasn't expecting a blindsiding by a pro-life argument in the comments thread for a boxing game.

  • TheGoose126 #22 3 years ago

    IMhumbleO

    Tyson in his prime would have beat any other heavyweight Ali included, Ali has to be the most overrated boxer of all time he was involved in some great fights but got lucky plenty of times. Tyson just destroyed people in the ring (insert own jokes here!)

  • Calgon #23 3 years ago

    No way... I think Tyson is the most overrated personally, he was apparently shit scared of Foreman for instance. Like I said on his skills alone Tyson wasnt anything special it was just his power and physique... there were people that would match him physically and utterly pown him on speed, footwork and just general boxing skill so I dont see how you can even begin to call him the best of all time.

    Also Id say there were more good heavyweights in Ali's era not that its Tysons fault but the people who Tyson destroyed wouldnt be in the ring with a champ if they were around back then IMO, point being its not a good thing for Tysons resume that he wasnt given as many tough fights/opponents. I mean look at the Heavyweight division now, its way easier for someone half decent to dominate.

  • VicViper #24 3 years ago

    @Bigglesworth

    My exact same thought, I was thinking woah there Nick theres a time and place and that place is not a comments thread in Eurogamer.

    On the topic of the game if its about the fights fans have wanted to see in the sport they love some things need to take a back seat and people should just focus on boxing unless theres inapporpiate mini games like a ear biting QTE etc

  • Calgon #25 3 years ago

    Also nobody does interviews/comments quite like Mike anymore it has to be said.

  • Santino #26 3 years ago

    totally agree with calgon regarding the level of competition, ali dominated over 2 generations of heavyweights. I disagree with regards to tyson tho, in terms of speed i think he is comparable to Ali, and in terms of technique and skill he was very good, just in a focused and ferocious way.

  • Calgon #27 3 years ago

    Santino ah well I just dont rate his skills and history showed he didnt know what to do when he was matched physically... he was out boxed.

  • Santino #28 3 years ago

    yeah but holyfield was a very special fighter, starting at cruiser weight and becoming a great heavy in a decent era is amazing.

    on the topic of tyson though i'm talking more about his prime, which i think was a very short time of maybe 3 years, and cleaning up the division in the process. speaking of that I wish somebody would come along and clean up this current joke of a heavyweight division!

  • mikeck #29 3 years ago

    ^ Well Haye seems to think he is the one to do it... (he's been training at the same gym I use recently and he is massive and looking in pretty good nick too)

  • linksdad #30 3 years ago

    Hitler was pretty 'handy' in his youth, apparently.

  • Marshall2008 #31 3 years ago

    Apparently Tyson chewed Moores ear off to get on the cover.

  • effinjamie #32 3 years ago

    "its Muhammad not Mohammed, he's only one of the greatest athletes the world has ever seen, could at least get his name right!"

    His Momma called him Clay! I'm gonna call him Clay!
    Edited by 1 at 30/04/09 @ 17:54

  • UncleLou #33 3 years ago

    WHAT'S HIS NAME?

  • ronuds #34 3 years ago

    Tyson... best boxer of all time?

    :D

    Being the best of all time means having a career that's worth being proud about - and one that stands the test of time. Tyson can make claim to neither of those things.

    Maybe a couple of his fights could have been considered the "best boxing of all time" but he is certainly not the best boxer. That's an insult to a lot of guys who know self control.
    Edited by 1 at 30/04/09 @ 20:31

  • felastica #35 3 years ago

    Yeah, Mike, you raped a woman, but its cool. The important thing is you're great at being violent to men as well - here's a cheque!

  • kangarootoo #36 3 years ago

    "This is a good decision, none of us know for sure what happened with that woman, but as a fighter he is undoubtebly one of the greatest heavyweights of all time"

    Well, we kind of do know what happened with that woman. Tyson raped her.

    I'm not saying he shouldn't or should have been on the cover, but lets not start trying to pretend that didn't happen just 'cos he was a good boxer. To carry the analogy made above, I believe Hitler was pretty good at painting. Would you then start to deny the holocaust, because you are also a fan of watercolours?

    People are complex, we shouldn't have to try and settle on whether someone is a devil or a saint. Somebody with some otherwise admirable abilities or traits can also have some deeply deplorable ones. And some might suggest that being very good at a sport isn't quite enough to make up for also being a prior rapist. By all means recognise the sporting ability, but don't pretend it somehow reduces the horror of the act of rape. They simply aren't connected.

  • kangarootoo #37 3 years ago

    "Maybe a couple of his fights could have been considered the "best boxing of all time" but he is certainly not the best boxer. That's an insult to a lot of guys who know self control."

    Very well put.

  • jonsaan #38 3 years ago

    Wowser, most of us think nothing of playing mass murderers in games like Manhunt or shooting a couple of hundred conscripted Germans in the head. But playing as a boxer who has a rape conviction?! Outrage! etc.etc.

  • swede #39 3 years ago

    @zero_cool

    Read the entire thead before you say 'bollocks' to me....



  • kangarootoo #40 3 years ago

    @jonsaan

    "Wowser, most of us think nothing of playing mass murderers in games like Manhunt or shooting a couple of hundred conscripted Germans in the head. But playing as a boxer who has a rape conviction?! Outrage! etc.etc."

    You have clearly lost the ability to distinguish between fiction and reality.

  • DrDamn #41 3 years ago

    @jonsaan and Coin-Op
    You don't think there is a bit of a distinction here as Tyson is making some money out of this? They tend not to pay Nazi's and murderers when they are included in games.

  • swede #42 3 years ago

    Don King has his own full fecking game...

    From wikipedia:

    King was convicted of second degree murder for the second killing in 1966 after he was found guilty of stomping to death an employee, Sam Garrett, who owed him $600.[2] In an ex parte meeting with King's attorney, the judge reduced King's conviction to nonnegligent manslaughter for which King served just under four years in prison.[3]

  • suj #43 3 years ago

    In 1993, Washington's high school friend Wayne Walker alleged that in 1989 she had accused him of rape, but that the accusation was groundless and that she had admitted so afterwards. Washington's lawyer described these allegations as "categorically false, and it is totally irrelevant to the central question of what happened in that hotel room in July of 1991". The Indiana Court of Appeals ruled that this was not sufficient grounds to allow Tyson's bid for a retrial.