Boxing fans are excited following the news Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk are ready to meet in a winner-takes-all battle at heavyweight. The two fighters share major honors in the top division, but with fight fans worldwide eager for one true champion, there’s a need for a unification bout. And it now seems a matter of time before the rivals share the ring.
England’s Fury and Ukraine’s Usyk are unbeaten as professional fighters, which adds a little extra spice to the occasion. But which man will remain unbeaten following this contest? The leading apps dealing with online sports betting in Las Vegas offer generous odds and exciting markets, but who gets your vote?
Fury is the pre-fight favorite, and the Brit has been a popular pick during the early exchanges. He is the naturally stronger and bigger fighter, which should make all the difference in the later rounds. Usyk is a skillful southpaw boxer, but can he hold his own against such a formidable opponent? We must wait to find out.
If you can’t wait for your boxing fix, we have some great movie suggestions to keep you interested until the first bell of Fury vs. Usyk. Keep reading to find out more.
Hollywood loves boxing
Hollywood loves the fight game, and its best writers continue to honor boxing by putting the noble art on the big screen. From Rocky Balboa and Creed to Million Dollar Baby and The Fighter, boxing is a mainstay in the movie business, but some titles are bigger hits than others. Capturing the fight game’s brutality, passion, and escapism is no mean feat.
Which is your favorite boxing movie? Think hard, and you’ll realize it’s not a simple question. Do you go for the feel-good Rocky or the awkward Raging Bull? There are many contenders to the crown of best boxing movie of all time, the Muhammad Ali of fight films, and you’ll find most available on Netflix.
How do you prepare for fight night? If you’re looking for a must-see boxing movie, we have five of them. Our team of movie writers and sports fans put our heads together to create a list of our favorite boxing movies. We hope the suggestions below provide readers with at least one gem.
Settle down and choose your favorite boxing movie from the list below. We guarantee entertainment, drama, and excitement. You may even get inspired to dig out your running shoes and undergo grueling training. But these movies will keep you busy in the meantime.
Rocky
We will group all the Rocky movies here so you can have a Rocky Balboa marathon. Watching all six movies may take a few days, but it could be time for you to rediscover the Rocky tale. Most movie lovers know the story of the fighter who won against all expectations, but have you ever followed the story by watching the movies back-to-back? You’ll see Rocky, Adrian, Mickey, and Paulie in a new light.
The first Rocky movie is our favorite; if you’re busy, it’s the one you must watch. Rocky is the most realistic and authentic of all of Sylvester Stallone’s boxing creations, and we love the comments in the gym. Watch Rocky’s struggles from chief thug for a money-lender to challenging Apollo Creed for the world heavyweight championship.
Million Dollar Baby
The Million Dollar Baby movie encouraged thousands of young girls to try boxing. Today, female boxing is big business with championship bouts and a competitive ranking system at major weights. But things were slightly different when Million Dollar Baby, starring Hillary Swank, was released in 2004. Women’s boxing was less popular than it is today.
Despite Million Dollar Baby encouraging a generation of female fighters, that wasn’t the movie-maker’s aim. The film does everything to discourage anyone from seeing professional boxing as a way out of hardship or a shortcut to a better life. It’s as ugly, heart-wrenching, and emotional as the professional fight game. Far from a feel-good movie with a happy ending, you’ll find with Rocky, Million Dollar Baby is painfully realistic and difficult to watch. And it doesn’t get any easier the more times you watch.
Creed
Like Rocky, there’s more than one Creed movie to watch, but we group them for this article. The original Creed introduces viewers to the son of Apollo Creed, Rocky’s opponent in the first two movies, and the man he took the title from in the early days.
Released in 2015, some consider this Rocky 7 as Balboa has a hand in training young Adonis Creed in the amateur boxing ranks. Rocky can see some of his dad’s famous magic but must polish those raw skills to make him a champion. You may remember Apollo died in the ring in Rocky 4, making this an emotional journey for Rocky, Adonis, and the viewers.
The Fighter
Released in 2010, The Fighter is something special. The movie covers the true story of Micky Ward, an Irish-American fighter who would become a huge name in professional boxing following a memorable trilogy with Arturo Gatti. The Ward – Gatti fight goes down in boxing folklore, but The Fighter tracks Micky’s life and career before the first meeting with Gatti.
With a star-studded cast featuring Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale, The Fighter is another uncomfortable watch. It may be a movie about a boxer, but the fight game is just one area of Micky’s life covered in the story. It tackles drug addiction, poverty, family issues, jealousy, and more.
Ali
There are a few movies based on the late great Muhammad Ali. Which actor could play the Greatest of all Time? It had to be Will Smith as he was the only black actor famous enough and athletic enough to face the challenge in 2001.
Smith plays Ali, capturing the bold, fast-talking, confident young fighter who shook up the world. Unfortunately, it wasn’t anywhere near as big a hit at the box office as you’d expect, but don’t let that put you off watching it if you still need to.
