Man, how things change over a matter of months. A few months ago, I had the opportunity to review Fight Night Round 2 for the Xbox, and I was mesmerized by how improved it was. What really drew my attention, however, was the fact that the game featured extraordinarily detailed graphics, particularly during the slo-mo replays when some poor schlep got his jaw relocated courtesy of a right hook. Now here I am, still recovering from the hard work I put into last week's trip to E3, and still trying to shake off the after-effects of EA's showcasing of their forthcoming Fight Night Round 3 for PlayStation 3.

You heard that correctly. The third round is due to begin sometime next year, and with it, EA Sports will bring forth the next evolution in boxing. EA was gracious enough to show off the next-gen effort at Sony's E3 2005 press conference, where the PS3 took front and center with Sony and third parties showing dedication behind the new gaming platform. During this presentation, they showed two no-name boxers sparring in the middle of the ring, located inside a warehouse in the middle of the afternoon.

And I tell you, the detail was staggering. One could sit there and talk about the lighting all day, and how it came into effect on the boxers themselves. But that's just the light part of it. The fighters themselves moved with great fluidity and realism, just like their real counterparts. And the details stepped up, particularly in facial structure, sweat effects, and all sorts of neat little tricks, right down to the exact sense of shimmer coming off a glove as it speeds towards its target.

But this was just the beginning. During the presentation, EA showed the after-effect of a punch, showing a poor guy once again having his face rearranged by the result of a massive left hook. They replayed it back and forth to show off every little detail, like the sweat that exploded off of his face on its sudden movement and even the slight jarring of his lower jaw, snapping out of place and then right back and leaving the boxer stunned to the point that he collapsed on the floor. The look of the fighter after a devastating punch was unbelievably captured, and done well.

Although EA didn't really give too many further details besides this technical demonstration, one can only imagine how much better the game's really going to get. I mean, can you imagine a boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Evander Holyfield using counterparts that look so much like their real models that it's almost like watching a pay-per-view affair? Or how about giving Lennox Lewis that match against Mike Tyson that so many boxing fans are clamoring for? The possibilities are endless, depending on the boxing roster, and the results could make the sport somewhat exciting again...and justifying the $60 price tag that will probably be asked for the final product.

Fight Night Round 3 still has a ways to go before it can be considered the next great boxing game, as it hasn't even been given a full release date as of yet. Hell, we don't know if it's even going to be online as of yet...or if it's bound for other next-gen consoles like the Xbox 360 and the Revolution. But one thing's for sure, it's building power. And once it delivers, even the most jaded of next-gen zealots will step up and feel the impact. Man, I still can't get over that guy's lower jaw. If he would real, boy, would that hurt...