<P> Around the time the Gold Version was released, Nintendo of America's founder and former president Minoru Arakawa attended a boxing match featuring future heavyweight champion Mike Tyson . While watching the boxer fight, Arakawa became so astonished with the athlete's "power and skill", he was inspired to use the athlete's name and likeness in the upcoming port of the Punch - Out!! series to help the game sell well . Tyson was rumored to have been paid $50,000 for a three - year period for his likeness . This was something of a risk for Nintendo, as it occurred before Tyson won the World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight championship from Trevor Berbick on November 22, 1986 . </P> <P> Punch - Out!! features a boxer known as Little Mac, fighting his way up through ranks of the World Video Boxing Association . After facing a series of colorful fictional opponents in three circuits, the goal is to win a final "Dream Fight" against a highly skilled boxer--the real - life Mike Tyson, then - World Heavyweight Champion, in the original release; or the fictional Mr. Dream in the later version . </P> <P> Little Mac has a limited repertoire compared to most of his opponents . His punches are limited to left and right jabs, left and right body blows, and a powerful uppercut . The uppercut can only be used once the player earns a star, which is typically accomplished by counter-punching the opponent directly before or after certain attacks are launched . The player can acquire up to three stars . To perform the uppercut, the player needs to press the start button once a star is earned . To defend, Mac can dodge left or right, duck, and block punches by putting up his guard . </P> <P> Little Mac also has a heart counter, which decreases upon being hit, blocking a punch, or throwing a punch that the opponent dodges or blocks . When the counter decreases to zero, Little Mac temporarily turns pink and appears exhausted, leaving the player unable to attack but still able to dodge, duck, and block . At this point, Mac can regain some hearts (and his normal color palette) only by avoiding the opponent's punches . He immediately loses all of his hearts upon being knocked down, but can regain some by getting up . </P>

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