The best boxing movies: list, actors and roles

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Sports dramas most often attract viewers not with a specific type of martial art, but with a demonstration of the struggle of characters, overcoming oneself and achieving high goals. Boxing movies are like that too. The list below is subjective and does not claim any laurels.

Rocky

The 1976 film that made Sylvester Stallone famous was a real bombshell in cinema. He has won many prestigious awards, including three Oscars.

The best boxing movies are usually based on real events. This has its own drama. Rocky is one of those films. The film is based on the fight between Ali and Wepner.

And the plot is as follows. A simple guy Rocky Balboa lives in Philadelphia, during the day he works as a bouncer for his mafia boss, and in the evening he performs in the ring, because he is a novice boxer.

World Champion Apollo Creed decides to give some rookie a chance to fight him, because his supposed opponent in the fight for the title will not be able to enter the ring. Creed loved itnickname is Rocky, and he chooses it.

Balboa starts training hard and walks into the ring on fight day with great confidence. And in the very first round, Creed gets a knockdown from a beginner. Yes, he did not expect this! All fifteen rounds there was an almost equal fight, but in the end, Creed survived and won on points.

The best boxing movies are not just about a fight, but about the fiery heart of a boxer who believes in his victory and thanks to this he succeeds.

Fighter

This picture is also based on real events and tells about two boxer brothers. One has already retired from the sport, the other continues to participate in competitions. Their personal drama is brought to the fore. The fact is that Dicky's older brother once showed great promise and was a real star of his town. But he was mired in questionable relationships, used drugs and became a frequent visitor to the police station. Mickey also dreams of conquering the top of the boxing Olympus. Dicky, who is training him, pulls his brother down, interferes with his realization. The guy makes a difficult decision for himself and starts training on his own, because of which the whole family turns away from him.

The film received many positive reviews, film awards and accolades.

Starring Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale. And they did it perfectly!

Million Dollar Baby

Four Oscar-winning 2004 film.

Maggie the waitress dreams of a career in boxing. She iscomes to the gym in search of a coach, but no one agrees to take a girl as a student. Then the girl begins to train herself and makes fantastic progress.

At the suggestion of his friend, who has been watching Maggie for a long time, Frankie Dunn begins to train her. Our heroine begins to participate in battles, win and receive excellent prize money. At this time, her relationship with her family is complicated, which is not interested in the girl's success, but only pulls money from her. Maggie and Dunn are very close, they are like father and daughter.

The day of X is finally here. Maggie is going to fight for the world title. Invincible Billy starts to lose from the first rounds. Angry, she delivers a sneaky kick, Maggie falls onto a stool in her corner of the ring and breaks her neck.

Now she is permanently paralyzed. Her family is indifferent, the main thing for them is that the girl writes a will. Dunn is nearby, taking care of Maggie.

After the amputation of her leg, her state of mind worsens, and the girl thinks about suicide. Dunn helps her to complete it, unable to look at the torment of his best student.

The best boxing movies touch the innermost feelings of both heroes and spectators. They show a real human drama, a tragedy that is hard to remain indifferent to.

Cruel Ring

An incredible film by Jacques Ouaniche.

The main character is boxer Victor Perez, who achieved the championship with his perseverance and hard work. He has amazing prospects, he is waiting for an excellentcareer, he loves and is loved, lives in the best city in the world. What else do you need to be happy?

But a cruel war interferes in his life, with which Victor enters into an unequal battle.

Jewish origin ruins his fate. Viktor ends up in a concentration camp. Now he is boxing for the amusement of local guards.

Despite the fact that the theme of the film is very dark and dramatic, the main leitmotif is that a person is free, he decides how to live and how to die. Even the fact that Viktor is a prisoner does not prevent him from believing and winning.

The film "Cruel Ring" is a hymn to the strength of the human spirit.

Soviet cinematography

The 1946 film "The First Glove" - produced in the USSR. It became one of the box office leaders of that year and gathered an audience of millions.

Boxing coach Ivan Vasilyevich Privalov works in the "Meteor" society. He meets Nikita Krutikov in the park, in which he sees the future champion. Privalov has a rival Shishkin from the Motor society, who tricks Krutikov into going to train with him.

But thanks to an acquaintance with the beautiful gymnast Nina, Nikita reveals the deception and returns to Privalov.

Nikita turned out to be a talented athlete, he will have to fight for the championship. But there are a few things that can get in the way. First, the relationship with Nina, which makes him forget about sports. Secondly, the director of his state farm, who agitates the guy to return. And thirdly, the coach's wife, whosleeps and sees her husband quit boxing.

After Nina, at the request of Privalov, refuses to marry Nikita, the guy gets on the train heading towards the house. Terrified coach! But almost reaching his destination, Krutikov realizes that he must return and take the fight.

Despite the fact that the opponent is almost knocked out, Krutikov loses. But it is at this moment that he is born as an athlete. The guy's morale is up and he's ready to move on.

The film "First Glove" though comedic, but shows the formation of a real athlete and the triumph of his sportsmanship.

Lefty

The film "Lefty" garnered mixed reviews, but all critics agreed that Jake Gyllenhaal's performance was excellent.

He played the role of Billy Hope, in whose life everything was fine. He is a famous boxer, world champion, he has a beautiful wife and a lovely daughter. His life is just a dream. Maureen's wife asks Billy to leave the sport so he can spend more time with her and their daughter. Hope agrees, he is going to announce his retirement from the sport at a party.

But suddenly his life changes dramatically. His wife dies, his manager quits. Hope literally loses her mind and has no control over her behavior. Because of this, his daughter is taken to an orphanage.

This was the last straw. By all means, Billy must return to his usual way of life. And for this you need to return to the sport and win the most important victory in your life.

The film "Lefty" did not go beyond its genre, but remainedsports melodrama, which is interesting to watch. Of course, it contains cinematic clichés, but for lovers of life pictures, this will not be a hindrance.

Ghost Strike

Director Robert Townsend made a biopic about boxer Sonny Liston and his fight with Muhammad Ali.

Ali's image can be called the most replicated in such sports pictures. The best boxing movies are based on his fights. The image of this boxer has inspired directors more than once.

However, the film "Ghoststrike" is about Liston and his ridiculous defeat. The focus is on the rematch against Ali. There was no sign of the storm that was about to break out. Liston was knocked out in the second minute of the fight by a seemingly weak punch. But for seventeen seconds he could not come to his senses and lay on the floor. When the fight resumed, it turned out that the allowed recovery time had expired, and Ali was named the winner.

Film about Ali

"Ali" is a 2001 sports drama. The notorious Will Smith played the title role.

As the name suggests, this is about the most famous American boxer, Muhammad Ali.

In 1964, Cassius Clay is still a young and promising boxer. However, this does not prevent him from endlessly believing in his own strength. He wins Olympic gold and continues to compete in the ring, changing the history of boxing.

His life is no less remarkable than his fate in sports. Relationships with religion, with my friends, with women - everything aroused interest. Not in vainthe champion was called a legend. He defended the rights of ordinary citizens, defended the freedom of his country during the Vietnam War. Ali gave people hope for the best with his life.

The film "Ali" is more about the fact that if you believe in yourself and your success, you can achieve anything in life! The picture clearly deserves to be seen.

This legendary boxer was also featured in the documentary "I am Ali" (2014).

Counterstrike

Another film that seems to be about boxing. But still, in such sports dramas, the life of the hero comes to the fore. "Counterstrike" is a film that makes you think.

Emilio is our hero. His life cannot be called easy. He has already been to prison. His main dream today is the Golden Gloves tournament held in the city. For him, this is a chance to change his life.

The guy is surrounded by many problems: his grandmother's illness, discord with his girlfriend, the fight against his stepfather, who terrorizes his mother … All this leads Emilio to a psychiatric hospital. He loses hope, wants to quit the sport, but faith helps him fight on. He has a reason to get back in the ring and he does.

The boxing films listed above are primarily films about life, courage, humanity and self-confidence. Such sports dramas seem to be designed to prove that only perseverance and work can lead to the goal, without this there will be nothing - no glory, no victories, no success.