Boxing took the cinematic world by storm with the release of Rocky. Since then, it has become one of the most popular sports in film. And it’s easy to see why. Boxing and cinema are a perfect match: we witness the hero’s journey from novice to unbeatable professional, self-overcoming, long and bloody fights, and spectacular action scenes. We’ve compiled a collection of the highest-rated films in the genre. Enjoy our selection of the 7 best boxing movies.
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Muhammad Ali: The Whole Story
IMDb: 8.3/10
1996, Documentary, Biography, Sport
USA, R
Director: Joseph Consentino, Sandra Consentino
Top cast: Muhammad Ali, Khalilah Camacho Ali, Rahman Ali
There are plenty of films about Muhammad Ali, but few truly capture the essence of the man. Muhammad Ali: The Whole Story is one of them. This documentary offers a comprehensive look at Ali’s life, filled with fascinating facts about boxing and behind-the-scenes moments with boxers, accompanied by compelling footage. Muhammad Ali: The Whole Story offers a unique perspective on the legendary figure, portraying the famous boxer as a skillful showman and a man of strong character who always wore a public mask. This movie is a chance to see who Muhammad Ali really was — beyond the boxing ring and countless TV appearances — what he feared, and what he hoped for. It's a must-watch for boxing fans and especially those who admire Ali.
Rocky
IMDb: 8.1/10
1976, Drama, Sport
USA, PG
Director: John G. Avildsen
Top cast: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young
This film is well-known among boxing fans and movie lovers alike. Rocky follows Rocky Balboa, a young boxer living in a shabby apartment, barely making ends meet. Rocky earns money by doing “dirty work” — collecting debts for his boss, Tony Gazzo, and occasionally fighting in small matches. One day, luck smiles on Rocky, and he’s offered the opportunity to challenge the current champion, Apollo Creed. Though Rocky was filmed in just 28 days, it catapulted Sylvester Stallone into history. He became only the third actor ever to be nominated for both Best Actor and Best Screenplay at the Oscars, following in the footsteps of legends like Charlie Chaplin and Orson Welles.
Cinderella Man
IMDb: 8.0/10
2005, Biography, Drama, Romance, Sport
USA, PG-13
Director: Ron Howard
Top cast: Russell Crowe, Renée Zellweger, Craig Bierko
Jim Braddock was a heavyweight boxer with great potential, but after a series of losses, he left the sport. It's the Great Depression, and there's no time to relax. Braddock takes on any job he can find to support his wife, Mae, and their children. Still holding on to the hope of returning to the ring, one day Jim gets the chance to fill in for another boxer and faces off against a contender for the world championship title. Cinderella Man is filled with intense, electrifying fights. That’s no surprise, as Russell Crowe’s opponents in the ring were professional boxers. To make the scenes believable, they had to pull their punches as close to Crowe’s body as possible. As you might expect, sometimes the actor really took some hard hits.
The Fighter
IMDb: 7.8/10
2010, Action, Biography, Drama, Sport
USA, R
Director: David O. Russell
Top cast: Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams
The plot of The Fighter may seem unbelievable, but it's based on a true story. The film recounts the journey of Micky Ward, nicknamed 'Irish,' as he rises to become a world champion. His journey shares many parallels with Rocky: a working-class guy who spent his days doing road construction between fights. After a string of defeats, Micky makes his comeback when his half-brother, Dicky Eklund, a former boxer whose career was derailed by drug addiction, steps in as his trainer. With support from his brother, girlfriend, and mother, along with an unbreakable will to win, Ward ascends to the world stage. To convincingly portray someone struggling with addiction, Christian Bale went on an extreme diet, surviving on just vegetables and fruit.
Creed
IMDb: 7.6/10
2015, Action, Drama, Sport
USA, PG-13
Director: Ryan Coogler
Top cast: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson
Creed tells the story of Apollo Creed's son, the first major opponent of Rocky Balboa who later became his closest friend. The young Creed inherits his father's talent and sets out to find a mentor. By chance, that mentor ends up being an older Rocky. This is the first film in the Rocky series where the script wasn't written by Sylvester Stallone, although he did provide guidance to the new screenwriters, Ryan Coogler and Aaron Covington.
The Hurricane
IMDb: 7.2/10
1999, Biography, Drama, Sport
USA, R
Director: Norman Jewison
Top cast: Denzel Washington, Vicellous Shannon, Deborah Kara Unger
The Hurricane draws from the real-life story of boxer Rubin “Hurricane” Carter. In June 1966, Carter was the top contender for the middleweight championship title. However, his success came to an abrupt end. One night, three people were murdered in a bar in New Jersey, and Rubin Carter was accused of the crime. He was sentenced to three life terms in prison.
Real Steel
IMDb: 7.1/10
2011, Action, Drama, Sci-Fi, Sport
USA, India, PG-13
Director: Shawn Levy
Top cast: Hugh Jackman, Evangeline Lilly, Dakota Goyo
Real Steel takes us to the near future, where robots, not humans, dominate the boxing ring. Humans control these robots as they fight each other, but the story goes much deeper than just this new sport. The main character, Charlie Kenton, a former boxer, is struggling to succeed in robot boxing. He finds some success, but when the mother of his son, Max, suddenly dies, Charlie is left to care for him. This isn’t his only setback — Charlie's robot is destroyed in the ring. Left with no choice, he takes the broken robot to the junkyard. There, Charlie and Max find an old, rare robot named Atom. With little hope, they send Atom into the ring, but the outdated robot exceeds all expectations.
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