Five great boxing movies: Creed, Rocky, Southpaw and more

‘Giant’ will tell Hamed’s inspirational story from a working-class background in Sheffield, to international stardom in the boxing ring.

The film will also touch on the issues of racism and Islamophobia which were rife in the UK during the 1990s.

The featherweight fighter was known for his flamboyant personality and showmanship, as well as being a deadly knockout artist, winning 31 of his 36 victories via KO.

Brosnan, most well-known for his roles in James Bond and Mamma Mia, will play the role of Hamed’s Irish boxing trainer Brendan Ingle.

The main role of Hamed will be played by El-Masry, who has featured in The Crown and Vigil previously.

With the highly-anticipated film now in production, Planet Sport’s Ed Moss takes a look at his five favourite boxing movies.

 

Creed  

Released in 2015, Creed was the first spin-off from the classic Rocky series, and certainly did not disappoint.

Michael B. Jordan played the lead role of Adonis Johnson, the son of boxer Apollo Creed who died in a boxing match in Rocky IV.

Wanting to follow in his father’s footsteps, Johnson seeks out the help of Rocky Balboa, who eventually agrees to take the unpolished fighter under his wing.

Whilst all three Creed films are great, the first in the series is by far the best, and a must-watch movie for any sports fan out there.

 

Rocky 

Rocky is an absolute classic, and is the first movie in arguably one of the most iconic film series of all time.

Brought to life by legendary actor Sylvester Stallone, who is producing ‘Giant’, this film follows the story of a small-time boxer called Rocky Balboa.

When he is chosen to fight in an exhibition match against the Heavyweight Champion of the World, Apollo Creed, Balboa faces an uphill battle to prove just about everyone wrong.

All of the Rocky films are well worth a watch, but the first film is a great place to start and will certainly not disappoint.

 

The Fighter  

Based on the true story of Micky Ward, The Fighter portrays his journey to escape the shadow of his troubled older half-brother Dicky Eklund, who was also a boxer.

This movie offers a dramatic and brilliant insight, not only into Ward’s journey within boxing, but also into his relationships with his family.

Mark Wahlberg, who plays Ward, does an excellent job, and his performance cements this film as one of my all-time favourites.

 

One Punch: The Eddie Copeland Story 

This film is slightly different – and shorter – than the others on this list.

Eddie Copeland was an upcoming fighter in the late 1970s, and took the boxing world by storm, even being spoken about in the same bracket as Muhammed Ali at one point.

However, he was forced to give up boxing at just 24 years old, after he suffered a career-ending injury against George Feeney in 1981.

This documentary sees Copeland look back on that fateful night that ended his career, and the people who helped save him.

It also focuses on his daughter, Stacey Copeland, who he coached as she followed in his footsteps as a professional boxer.

This is a slightly-unknown film, but one that I heavily recommend.

 

Southpaw  

Southpaw is a thrilling film and tells the story of Billy Hope, the undisputed Light Heavyweight Champion of the World.

Following the death of his wife, Hope loses everything, including his house, possessions, and custody of his daughter, as well as being banned from professional boxing for a year.

This film follows him as he looks to rebuild his life and career from rock bottom.

Jake Gyllenhaal stars as the main character, and his excellent performance led to Southpaw receiving rave reviews.