On the boxing section of this website, I started a thread a few years ago asking if Fight Night Champion Protagonist Andre Bishop was a real boxer, would he be an all-time great? The discussion among fans is pretty divided, both stating good opinions on why he is or isn't. However, one way to determine if he was the real deal or not is to see how he does head to head with some of the greatest heavyweight champions. 

Muhammad Ali would embarrass Andre the way he did most of his opponents. Too fast, too pretty. Andre was a very capable boxer, but what does he bring to the table that could help him beat Muhammad Ali? For starters, I don't see how Andre could cope with Ali's speed. Granted, Andre would be too smart to wear himself out trying to blast Ali with lunging haymakers the way Sonny Liston did. I don't think Andre would leave himself open for too many counters. But he would lack offensive opportunities against Ali. No way does Andre knock Ali out, especially considering Ali had one of the best chins of all time and Andre was not the world's biggest slugger. Andre would not give up, but I see Ali winning a boring decision over Andre, who would patiently try to press and catch Ali but not land enough punches to make a dent or score points.

Winner: Muhammad Ali by unanimous decision

Andre would show a lot of heart against Rocky Marciano, but that may be the exact thing that gets him killed. I would personally pick Andre to beat a lot of sluggers. But not Marciano. Unlike Isaac Frost, Marciano would not tire. No matter what strategy Andre attempts, Rocky is going to keep coming. To make another Isaac Frost comparison, Isaac got weaker and weaker as the fight progressed; Marciano had a habit of getting stronger. Due to Andre being a counter-puncher, it is possible that he takes advantage of Rocky's crude swings and hurts him with counters. Like Ezzard Charles, Andre could alternate between brawling and countering, which frustrated Rocky to a degree because he didn't know what to expect at any time. That would be Andre's best strategy.

But Andre never faced anyone quite like Rocky. Both guys had heart, but Rocky's was bigger. I don't see Rocky giving in and staying on the floor in a fight against Raymond Bishop the way Andre did. I dunno. This would be a fast-paced war of attrition that Andre would not be prepared for. I see Andre doing OK against Rocky in the early rounds, but once Rocky finds his rhythm, Andre would be unable to keep Rocky off of him and would take a beating, leading to a late round stoppage. I imagine this fight would be similar to Rocky's fights with Archie Moore and Ezzard Charles.

Winner: Rocky Marciano by TKO during the late rounds

I don't see any way for Andre Bishop to beat Joe Louis. He may surprise him with a good right hand, but that wouldn't be enough. Joe was arguably the best finisher of all time, sometimes setting you up for the knockout as early as round 1 and you wouldn't know it. In each round he's working you over at his own subtle pace.

​Joe would sometimes end things early if his opponent hurt him (Tony Galento, Max Baer) or if he viewed him as a threat - (Max Schmeling, John Henry Lewis, Buddy Baer, etc). Given Andre's reputation for winning fights with a broken hand, knocking out Isaac Frost, I believe Louis would see him as a threat and not waste time once the bell rings.

Once The Brown Bomber hurts Andre with his first significant punch, it would be the beginning of the end. That's when Louis would put his finishing blows together and put Andre to sleep. Andre can't out-slug Louis nor can he out-box him. Andre may get a good lick in here or there, but this fight only lasts as long as Joe wants it to.

Winner: Joe Louis by Knockout

I think Andre is capable of beating Lennox Lewis, just as the old version of Holyfield nearly did in late '99. I'm not saying it would be an easy task, however. Andre would have to get past the long telephone pole jab of Lewis and be aware of that right hand or uppercut when he gets in range.

But I feel that Andre could be smart enough to pull off a victory here. Lewis had a habit of abandoning his jab when guys repeatedly hit him in the body. (See his battle with Ray Mercer and his rematch with Holyfield for references). If he employs a constant body attack early on, Andre would be able to manipulate Lennox into a close-range brawl, which works to Andre's advantage. It's possible that maybe he'd counter Lewis and sneak something past him to get a knockout, but most likely he'd win a close decision in a toe to toe war. If old Holyfield and Ray Mercer could nearly push Lewis to the brink by forcing him into a shoot-out, then I think Andre has a real chance here.

Winner: Andre Bishop by decision, but it could just as easily go the other way.

This would be basically the same as my prediction on a bout between Andre and Rocky Marciano. Joe Frazier would be swarming all over Andre. I doubt Andre would be able to fend off an attack from Smokin' Joe.  Watch Joe Frazier at his peak during the years 1970-71. The way he cut the ring, combined with the fierce and relentless tenacity of his attack, makes him one of the best heavyweights ever. He fought at such a frantic pace that not many guys would survive.

Like Marciano, Frazier does not tire. So any hope of wearing Frazier down for a late stoppage is futile. Andre doesn't have the big punch of a George Foreman to stop Joe, and he's not built for a nose-to-nose 15 round slugfest with him either. Joe works him over with big hooks and body attacks, eventually stopping him with a thunderous left hook. Andre would be too battered and beaten to continue.

Winner : Joe Frazier by late TKO

I don't see Andre being able to cope with Larry's jab, stamina and toughness, both mental and physical. With big wins over men such as Shavers, Cooney, Norton, Witherspoon, etc, Larry has enough experience under his belt to make Andre look like an amateur. I just don't see Andre posing a threat to him unless he exposes Larry's weakness of dropping his left hand after the jab and cracking him with an overhand right. But if Larry could survive a near-fatal knockdown from Shavers (and keep in mind that it took THREE knockdowns from a peak Tyson to keep Larry down) then Andre doesn't have a puncher's chance of stopping Larry. Larry would give Andre a boxing lesson and Andre would not be able to keep up.

Winner: Larry Holmes by unanimous decision

Two counter-punchers. In this fight, Andre would be forced to fight as the aggressor. He can't sit back and try to counter Johnson. He'd have to lead, and it wouldn't go well for him. Jack (like Ali and Louis) has too much in his bag of tricks for Andre, who would be in far over his head in this fight.

But on the other foot, Andre has a puncher's chance against Johnson, who had a suspect chin. I think Johnson would slap Andre silly for the most part, but Andre has a puncher's chance and had a history of outsmarting some of this opponents. Would it work against Johnson? I'm not sure. Johnson might just be too tricky for Andre. But in a 12-15 round fight, Andre would find a way to set up the big punch he needs.

Winner: Andre Bishop by knockout

 Evander Holyfield is probably the best heavyweight to compare Andre to. Both guys had great strategies and ring intellect to make up for their lack of size, both were natural counter-punchers, and both achieved huge shock victories as underdogs. But Evander had more experience than Andre. Much more. And he beat much better competition than Andre, whose biggest victory was over Isaac Frost. The Evander Holyfield of '96-97 would find a way to beat Andre in a competitive fight while it lasts. The well-conditioned Andre Bishop who defeated Isaac Frost was a very patient fighter who has a legit chance against almost anyone, but the Evander Holyfield who demolished Mike Tyson and Michael Moorer in the late '90s was a more proven warrior with enough ring experience to get the win.

Winner: Evander Holyfield by TKO during the late rounds.

To make it short, the Klitschkos would beat Andre. They were a little too patient for Andre to find anything to play off of. While Isaac Frost was similar in size to the Klitschkos, he fought a predictable and stupid fight, trying to blast Andre out of the ring during the early rounds. The Klitschkos would bide their time and counter. With a lack of punches to counter and play off, Andre wouldn't be able to bring anything to the dance. He would be on the outside of their long jabs all night. Andre could attempt to work them over with body shots, a'la Isaac Frost, but the Klitschkos wear their trunks up so high that he might get disqualified for "hitting low." There's just too much against Andre in a battle with these guys. He loses by decision or maybe a knockout if the Klitschkos decide to later in the fight.

I realize that Wlad and Vitali are two different fighters and fans of theirs may be offended that I grouped them together. After all, Vitali is a more awkward fighter, but has the better chin and is more comfortable in a slugfest if the opportunity arises. Wlad, on the other hand, is more of the classic boxer-puncher type. He arguably hits harder than his brother, but doesn't take a punch as well and avoids aggressive encounters as much as possible. But to save time here, the Klitschkos would beat Andre the same way, which is why I put them together in this list.

Winners: The Klitschkos by Unanimous Decision or late TKO

Sorry to group these guys together, as they all had different styles. But I'm confident that Andre knocks them all out. Foreman and Liston were big, crude men who hit like trucks. But they could be outsmarted (as Muhammad Ali proved) and they faded during the later rounds. Ultimately, Andre facing them would be repeats of his battle with Isaac Frost.

​Max Baer had better stamina than Liston and Foreman, but his crude haymakers would leave him open for counters from Andre.

Tyson and Dempsey were smaller than Baer, Liston and Foreman, but they were at their best during the early rounds. Andre was smart enough to avoid getting caught up during their early blitz and would take them apart when they slow down after round 4 or 5.

Winner: Andre Bishop by late knockout

​I realize that Andre is a fictional video game character and these fights naturally will never happen, but the guy was quite tough. I have him going 7-8 against the top heavyweight champions of all time, which isn't terrible by any means. And I pick him to put on a good show against most of the men that would beat him. Also, here is the thread on my boxing site where we discuss Andre's legacy. If you're a Fight Night Champion fan, take a look and share your thoughts!

     Like the rest of the world, I was shocked by the untimely death of Michael Jackson on June 25, 2009. Being a huge Michael Jackson nerd, I was excited when it was announced that his final rehearsals were being edited into a "rockumentary." I've always been a fan of watching my favorite musicians create their art, both in the recording studio and on stage.  I wanted to see how Michael's creative mind worked as his crafted his show. Unfortunately, there isn't a lot of footage of Michael recording in the studio or creating his stage shows, so This Is It was going to be a rare treat. However, just knowing that these were Michael's last days on earth made the movie bittersweet. Regardless, I found my ass sitting in the movie theater that fall during the movie's opening night.

   In March 2009, Michael launched a press conference in London, announcing a series of concerts there. This was news to me, as Michael had told Ebony Magazine two years prior that he would not tour again.  However, a comeback was definitely looming. There were stories floating around that Michael was recording a new album, working with artists like Neyo and Will.I.Am. Michael Jackson fan sites erupted in 2008 when a duet between Michael and Akon leaked to the internet, confirming that new music was indeed being recorded. So, new music was coming and a new tour was officially announced. The King of Pop was coming back! Who's Bad? 

The film opens with heartfelt introductions by Jackson's dancers, which gives way into a performance of the pulsing Wanna Be Starting Somethin.  Right away, you see that Mr. Jackson moves as confidently as ever and still has command of the stage. Halfway through the song, we witness Michael announce the concerts at the previously-mentioned press conference and oversee the auditions for dancers. (I was in my last semester of college at the time. I seriously considered auditioning, but I chose to graduate instead).

As the film progresses, you can't help but forget Michael's controversies and find yourself drawn more and more into his talent.  You stop noticing his pale skin and gaunt figure and remember why you fell in love with Michael Jackson in the first place. While many people praise Michael for his dancing and showmanship, some of brilliant performances in This Is It will remind viewers that the man could sang.  At times, his voice sounds as pure and confident as it ever has. Listening to his falsetto soar on Human Nature proves that Jackson hadn't lost a note.  I Just Can't Stop Loving You is another example of the performer not needing theatrics to entertain his fans; he can move you with his voice alone. In my opinion, his voice sounded as if it were about to peak again. 2009 Michael Jackson sounded just as phenomenal as 1983 Michael Jackson.

​Though more than once in the film he holds back vocally, stopping to say, "I'm trying to warm up my voice." He rarely went all out during these rehearsals because he wanted his voice to be at its best for the shows.

The same is true with his signature dancing. While he still moved with flawless precision, he noticeably held back a bit at times. However, there were times when he stepped it up a notch, particularly during his electric performance of Billie Jean. Overall, Michael's dancing was as funky, sensual and eye-opening as it's ever been. 

​  As was always the case with Michael Jackson productions, there are innovative surprises. Smooth Criminal opens with a vignette where Michael is digitally inserted into the 1946 film Gilda. After Rita Hayworth flirts with him, he is then chased by a jealous Humphrey Bogart in a gun-chase. It's fresh, fun, and not something you expected to see. Thriller also features a new vignette which includes a creepy house, ghouls, zombies and a foggy graveyard. At the climax of the song, Michael emerges from a giant black widow spider and dances with the undead. 

Many of the star's big hits are performed in the film, ranging from Jackson 5 songs like I Want You Back to later songs like Earth Song. Though his talent was ever-present, the passage of time reveals some minor changes in Michael's persona. Fans may notice that his speaking voice had underwent a change. The falsetto whisper has been replaced by a more resonant tone. Likewise, Michael still had plenty of energy, but it was less "childlike" than previous years. This Michael Jackson appeared more like your hip uncle than the man-child we're used to seeing.  Watch him strut into the press conference with the gangsta stroll!! lol.  

Before I forget, take a look at the full Smooth Criminal vignette below.

* Though I commend the film's producers for the superb editing job they did in the short time they were given, it's obvious at times that some of the performances were uneven. Sources close to Michael have said that he could barely make it through a single song, which is why there are times when he is wearing two or three different outfits for a single performance. Also, some songs combine live vocals with pre-recorded album vocals or even vocals from demos recorded long ago. People who aren't Michael Jackson fans may not notice this, but it didn't fool me.  This is a minor con, though, as they had to do whatever they could to make the sketchy performances appear complete.

* I was disappointed that there was no new music. Performing old hits made Michael appear to be living off old glories. The show looked like it would be great, but new music would have been a plus.  

 I really hate that Michael died. That sucks, and what pours salt in the wound is the timing of his death. People got so caught up in his personal life, physical appearance and allegations that they completely forgot what a great entertainer he was. This show would have reminded people why he was Michael Jackson in the first place.

But the This Is It film accomplishes this feat also. It sucks you in and you get caught up in the magic of Michael Jackson. His charisma, his mystique....you become a fan during these two hours. There are no little children around. No chimps or other exotic animals. No controversy. Just a mega-talented man working and motivating his crew to create the greatest show on earth. 

I gotta rate this 5 stars out of 5. 

This Is It *****