How would you like to put your boxing skills to the test?
You can on Monday, March 28, at the Stuart C. Siegel Center if you participate in the “Fight Night Round 2” boxing tournament, a videogame played on the Playstation 2.
Monday’s game is the follow-up to a previous “Fight Night” game, and “Round 2” allows players to create their own boxers who have total boxing control during the game.
“Last year we held this same tournament but not a lot of people came out to participate so it was canceled. Hopefully, the turnout will be better this year,” said Constantine Alexakos, coordinator of informal recreation and special events.
Students, faculty, staff and others pay a $3 entry fee for the competition.
Montas Pierce, a junior business major, said he is excited and ready to play in the tournament.
“I have been playing ‘Fight Night’ for the past two years, but I like ‘Fight Night Round 2’ better,” Pierce said. “I play the game at least twice a day and I am ready for some competition.”
Individuals play in the tournament with their names chosen randomly from a hat. Four players compete simultaneously with two playing each other on the big-screen television, while the other two compete on the regular-sized television. Everyone plays at least two games.
“First bracket of games is played by everyone, and then the brackets are broken down based on winners and loser,” Alexakos said, adding that a player is eliminated after losing two games.
After the tournament, Alexakos said, the first-place winner receives a $50 gift certificate to the VCU bookstore and a T-shirt. The second-place winner receives a T-shirt.
LaTasha Rawlings, a junior clinical lab major, said she cannot wait to compete against some males in the tournament.
“I like playing videogames just like males do,” Rawlings said. ” I am sure some males are going to be surprised to see at least one female playing in the tournament because they probably think only males are going to participate.”
Alexakos, who has served as the program’s coordinator for the past two years, said he tries to offer at least six different tournaments for the school year. Past tournaments included “Madden ’05” and “Major League Baseball.”
In contrast to academic work, Alexakos said he likes offering students activities that get them away their books and out of their dorms.