According to a simulation done by the game, Manny Pacquiao will defeat Miguel Cotto in tomorrow's fight

Nov 13, 2009 08:13 GMT  ·  By

Tomorrow, Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto will face each other in the ring, and odds seem to be in Pacquiao's favor. The predictions don't come from sports commentators or from the bookies, but from EA Sports and its Fight Night Round 4. Both boxers are part of the game's roster and simulations of the match have declared a victory for Pacquiao. According to the boxing simulator, there will be no K.O., but Cotto will go down at one point and eventually lose ten out of the 12 rounds. The description of the simulated match is quite elaborate and EA seems pretty confident in its prediction.

“According to the simulation, Cotto's defensive prowess and methodical approach to attacking Pacquiao's body kept the opening rounds extremely close. As the fight approached the middle rounds, Manny countered Cotto's strategy with his blinding speed, keeping out of range and forcing Cotto to keep moving forward. Forced out of his defensive strategy Cotto leaves himself open and Manny takes advantage by raining down quick combos while maintaining his range.”

“The combos begin to take their toll on Cotto as the fight approaches Round 8, as he is bleeding and visibly slowing down. Cotto continues to attempt to pressure the body, but the damage he has taken throughout the fight slows him down so much that he can't get close to Pacquiao. Manny, who seems as fresh as when he started the fight, sends Cotto to the mat with a weaving left hook at the end of the 10th. Despite beating the count, Cotto is never able to recover and loses the bout by unanimous decision.”

The simulation makes use of the R.E.A.L AI, or Record, Evaluate, Adapt, Learn Artificial Intelligence, which is build to recreate each fighter's ring strategies. Implemented with an adaptive logic, the system recreates the fighter's different approaches during the match, according to the tactics that seem to be efficient against his current opponent. Exactly how well an AI can predict a human's behavior and potential as fighting output remains to be seen, but, if logic and numbers can come to an exact analytic conclusion, the chances that the program can anticipate things like a lucky shot or rigged matches are, without a doubt, zero. So, if you feel like running off and betting all of your possessions based on R.E.A.L.'s predictions, try to refrain yourself.