Becoming a better boxer with Fight Night?

You've probably seen the stories about the guys trying to lose weight by playing Wii.  Well, I've decided that I will incorporate Fight Night Round 3 for the 360 into my training regimine.  Having spent a fair bit of real world time in the boxing gym, I can tell you that this game does a lot of things right and a few things not so right.  I've also found that I box in the game in much the same way I box in real life.

One of the things FN3 does a very good job of portraying is the effectiveness of the parry.  It's a terribly underutilized move in boxing.  It's underutilized by me as well -- both in the game and in real life.  A parry is simply the quick swatting away of your opponent's punch -- usually downward.  It is most effective when immediately followed by a counterpunch to that same side.

Let me tell you, being parried is an experience that will take you completely by surprise.  And if you can do it, you can confound and frustrate your opponent.  Most people think the jab is a very safe punch to throw.  It's a set-up punch.  When your opponent throws a jab, and you swat it down with your right hand and immediately follow it with a right cross to their unprotected head in one fluid motion, the look of shock on your opponents face is priceless.  I've sparred against guys who were so effective with the parry that I actually became reluctant to throw a punch.  If you can instll that sort of doubt in an opponent, you've won.  It's something I have to get better at.