boxing

EL INCA Review: Winner In The Ring, Loser In Life, The Tragic Story of Edwin Valero

Sports history is full of controversial characters who had everything to achieve glory but ended up burying their legacy, destroying everything they had fought for in a matter of seconds, condemning themselves to one of the few things in this life that It is eternal, oblivion… Edwin Valero was one of those cases, from humble origins on the streets of Venezuela to becoming a two-time world boxing champion. Valero was a formidable boxer with a perfect record of 27 wins, all by KO and 0 losses, achieving a world record guiness of winning his first 18 professional bouts by KO in the first Round. A beast in the Ring who was destined to become a legend of the sport, who in that era was seen as a serious threat to the great Manny Pacquiao, whom he was about to face just before committing a crime that I’d rather not mention,(specially […]

79238524_2709960852380372_6262925605994496000_n

BOXER ボクサー (1977) Review: Losers Building Dreams That They Can Believe In

Mike Garcia

The director of this film, Shuji Terayama, was an avid boxing enthusiast who even declared that he had learned more about life through boxing than attending school. That philosophy is impregnated during the whole film, a story of lowlives trying to survive in the suburbs of an industrial city full of losers that their only destiny is to die being losers. A pessimistic, darker, and probably more realistic vision of the boxing world than most movies of the genre,that tells the story of an old glory of boxing played by the legendary Bunta Sugawara, who becomes the coach of the man who accidentaly killed his brother in a construction site, in order to make him pay his debt with him and more importantly achieve again boxing glory, but this time as a coach. Here there’s no fanfares or inspirational heroes, just two hopeless losers that need each other to build […]

KNOCKOUT (1989) Review: Junji Sakamoto’s Directorial Debut That Became an Osaka’s Symbol

Mike Garcia

A boxing champion is forced to retire after suffering a brain injury in his last fight. After that, he tries to run a gym and become a coach, but he soon realizes that all he knows to do is box, and with that idea, he begins to prepare his return to the ring, against the opposition of everyone around him. Pugilistic drama starred by the boxer now turned into actor, Hidekazu Akai, a great puncher, who in the eighties began a brilliant career on the ring that was frustrated when he got a brain injury from which he managed to recover but forced him to retire. It was then when he debuted as an actor in this semi autobiographical film, and since then he has had a long career in both film and television. The truth is that his performance in this film was very convincing and perhaps, the fact […]

amy-schumer-glamour-magazine-uk-may-2017-issue-1_thumbnail

Amy Schumer In Talks For Ringside Boxing Drama Based On Life Of Christy Martin

Lee B. Golden III

Glamour UK On the eve of her upcoming STX comedy, I Feel Pretty, actress and comedienne Amy Schumer is reportedly up to lead a new boxing drama for Voltage Pictures, inspired by the life of former world champion boxer Christy Martin. Anita Busch and Mike Fleming Jr. broke the news at Deadline on Monday with word that screenwriter Katherine Fugate (Valentine’s Day, Xena: Warrior Princess) pen the script for this, her directorial debut. The report cites the film’s central narrative focus on Martin (whose since changed back to her maiden name, Salters) as “a woman who never gives up and who keeps going despite every odd against her”; Highlights in the report detail Martin’s struggle with adversity entering into the world of the very sport in which she would not only find herself coined as “The Coalminer’s Daughter”, but a champion figurehead in breaking the glass ceiling for women in […]

Liev Schreiber Gets His Wish In Chuck Wepner Bio, THE BLEEDER

Lee B. Golden III

Liev Schreiber has been killing it with his hit SHOtime TV series, Ray Donovan, now up for a fourth season. In the meantime, his career in film is moving forward as well as he’s also set to appear early next year in YA sci-fi epic, The 5th Wave. Before then, the actor will begin filming in New York City with wife and actress Naomi Watts for the new boxing drama, The Bleeder, from Mandalay Sports Media and Campbell Grobman Films with Oscar-nominated director Philippe Falardeau (The Good Lie, Monsieur Lazhar) at the helm. Schreiber will produce and star from a script by Jeff Feuerzeig, Jerry Stahl and Michael Cristofer, based on the life of New Jersey Liquor Salesman-turned-underdog heavyweight boxer Chuck Wepner whos upset defeat by Muhammad Ali in 1975 – ultimately encircled much of his career height and dissolve, and incidentally became the root of inspiration for the multi-award winning […]

SOUTHPAW Gets A Release Date

Lee B. Golden III

It seems these are trying times for the current preproduction of David Ayer‘s new anti-hero superflick, Suicide Squad as actor Jake Gyllenhaal has since declined to replace Tom Hardy for the role of Rick Flagg among the all-star cast. No need for worry though if boxing dramas are more your speed and you’re eager to see the actor in something real soon, because his newest film, Southpaw is on the way, directed by Antoine Fuqua following stellar theatrical run with The Equalizer last September. Written by Kurt Sutter and Richard Wenk, Gyllenhaal plays Billy Hope, a young, cocky middleweight champion whose promising career and life as a family man are cut short when tragedy strikes, throwing him in a downward spiral with only the help of an amateur trainer with demons of his own, to help him get back on his feet. Much to the film’s credit, Gyllenhaal‘s previous performance […]

10520866_10204716133002048_7637294746148141229_o

Watch The Trailer For Chong Seung-Hyun's Shortfilm Debut, STEH AUF (GET UP)

Lee B. Golden III

The 2014 film festival circuit has been and continues to be nothing short of an adventure for actor, writer, producer and director Chong Seung-hyun in lieu of his newest shortfilm, Steh Auf (Get Up). The project is undoubtedly bringing Chong his fair share of accolades, since winning over folks at the Asians On Film Festival back in April, presenting his debut in the form of an all-too real, and likely touching, coming-of-age underdog story about a young man whose seemingly unorthodox path toward boxing is mired by the constant stigma of his mixed heritage. SYNOPSIS: Tae-shik is a 26-years old Korean-German. Despite his Korean upbringing, he cannot quite identify himself as the Korean that his parents had in mind for him. He feels adrift in turmoil, struggling to find his own identity between the two different cultures of Korea and Germany. Nonetheless, he has one thing that brings him passion […]

MARY KOM Knocks Out The Competition In The New Biopic Teaser And Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

If you were ever looking forward to the feature-length presence of a strong female figure this summer, feel free to pan over here where international sales agent Viacom 18 is currently pushing the latest athletic biographical fight pic based on the life and times of Indian boxer, Olympian bronze medalist and biography author, Mary Kom. Actress Priyanka Chopra takes the lead in the thrilling sports drama which was announced in 2012 by producer Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the same year the real-life Kom became the only female boxer to qualify for the summer Olympics, on top of being a five-time world amateur champion, and then some. Mary Kom is directed by Omung Kumar and written by Saiwyn Quadras, with boxing sequences designed by Reel Sports coordinator Rob Miller (Miracle, Lahore). Currently there is some controversy regarding the film’s restricted appearance in actress Chopra‘s home state of Manipur, although the film is poised […]

Victor Ortiz Joins Antoine Fuqua's SOUTHPAW

Lee B. Golden III

Director Antoine Fuqua has just begun filming his latest boxing drama in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for The Weinstein Company titled Southpaw, and this week brings the start of a second significant step forward in acting with a co-starring role for former boxing champion and The Expendables 3 co-star, Victor Ortiz. The film is written by Richard Wenk and Sons Of Anarchy series creator Kurt Sutter, and casts Ortiz as “Ramone”, fellow up-and-coming boxer whose story will be attributed somewhat similarly to Ortiz‘s own life story leading up to his career as a WBC Welterweight champion until earlier this year. Ortiz joins lead Prisoners co-star, actor Jake Gyllenhaal who himself leads the film as “Billy Hope”, a welterweight boxer rising in the ranks while his while his personal life falls apart. Actress Rachel McAdams and Star Wars VII cast member, award-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o, and actors Forest Whitaker and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson […]

Watch The New International Trailer For GRUDGE MATCH

Lee B. Golden III

An international trailer for director Peter Segal‘s upcoming boxing comedy, Grudge Match, made its way online. Produced by Bill Gerber, Mark Steven Johnson, Michael Ewing and Ravi Mehta, the film sees actors Sylvester Stallone and Robert DeNiro playing former boxers who come out of retirement to settle an old score. The film also stars Kevin Hart, Alan Arkin, Kim Basinger and Jon Bernthal with a story and screenplay by Tim Kelleher and Rodney Rothman. Grudge Match will release on December 25, 2013 in North America, followed by its forthcoming theatrical release on January 24, 2014 in Ireland and the U.K.. SYNOPSIS: Award-winning movie legends Oscar® winner Robert De Niro (“Raging Bull,” “Silver Linings Playbook”) and Oscar® nominee Sylvester Stallone (the “Rocky” films, “The Expendables”) star as old boxing rivals who come out of retirement for one final match. De Niro and Stallone play Billy “The Kid” McDonnen and Henry “Razor” […]

The New Poster Has Arrived For GRUDGE MATCH

Lee B. Golden III

On Thursday, Warner Bros. unveiled the new poster for producer/director Peter Segal’s upcoming Christmas boxing comedy, Grudge Match, which you can check out below. Several other character posters have made their way online since the first trailer arrived last month. The film stars Sylvester Stallone and Robert DeNiro old boxing rivals who decide to go toe-to-toe one more time in the ring to settle the score once and for all. Produced by Bill Gerber, Mark Steven Johnson, Michael Ewing and Ravi Mehta, the film also stars Kevin Hart, Alan Arkin, Kim Basinger and Jon Bernthal with a story and screenplay by Tim Kelleher and Rodney Rothman. Grudge Match will release on December 25, 2013. SYNOPSIS: Award-winning movie legends Oscar® winner Robert De Niro (“Raging Bull,” “Silver Linings Playbook”) and Oscar® nominee Sylvester Stallone (the “Rocky” films, “The Expendables”) star as old boxing rivals who come out of retirement for one […]

DIABLO Is Hitting The Streets This June

Lee B. Golden III

City On Fire recently reported the upcoming street date for the Spanish-language spaghetti-western action crime thriller, Diablo, co-written, produced, edited and directed by Argentinean filmmaker Nicanor Loreti. The film was also written by co-producer Nico Galvagno, co-editor Martin Blousson and Javier Diment, as well as produced by Hernán Findling, Boikot Films. From the trailer itself, the film looks very impressive and fully loaded with enough action, danger, bullets and fisticuffs to entertain audiences. Being that the film is an award-winner, I suspect we will continue to hear good things about Nicanor Loreti in future films to come. SYNOPSIS: A depressed former champion awakes. He´s tired, a bit out of shape, and his conscience is drilling him. His career as a boxer ended abruptly when he killed his rival with one single punch. That´s why Marcos Wainsberg, the Inca of the Sinai, wants to quit fighting. But today is not the […]