Dwayne Johnson is set to bare knuckles and soul alike in The Smashing Machine, his long-gestating biopic about MMA legend Mark Kerr. But while you wait for The Rock to throw down, the world of cinema is already stacked with stories of real fighters — boxers, wrestlers, and brawlers — who stepped into the ring and changed history. Some battled their demons, some battled the system, and a few just refused to stay down. Here are 19 biopics that prove truth really can hit harder than fiction.
Raging Bull (1980, USA)
Based on: Jake LaMotta
Starring: Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci
Scorsese’s landmark boxing drama, filmed in stark black-and-white. De Niro’s unhinged portrayal of LaMotta is as brutal as the beatings.
The Hurricane (1999, USA)
Based on: Rubin “Hurricane” Carter
Starring: Denzel Washington, Vicellous Reon Shannon
A powerful portrayal of middleweight boxer Rubin Carter, who was wrongfully convicted of murder. Denzel delivers a blistering, Oscar-nominated performance.
Ali (2001, USA)
Based on: Muhammad Ali
Starring: Will Smith, Jon Voight, Jamie Foxx
Will Smith bulked up for this glossy yet reverent take on Ali’s career and activism. More myth than mess — but still compelling.
Cinderella Man (2005, USA)
Based on: James J. Braddock
Starring: Russell Crowe, Renée Zellweger, Paul Giamatti
A Depression-era underdog tale about a boxer who fought for survival — literally. Crowe brings heart, grit, and dad-strength.
Resurrecting the Champ (2007, USA)
Based on: Bob “The Champ” Satterfield (partially)
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Josh Hartnett
Inspired by a real-life journalistic mix-up involving a homeless man claiming to be the long-forgotten heavyweight contender Bob Satterfield. While fictionalised, it’s rooted in a true story and deals with legacy, identity, and myth in boxing.
The Fighter (2010, USA)
Based on: Micky Ward and Dicky Eklund
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams
A sibling slugfest in every sense. Bale’s Oscar-winning turn as the crack-addicted ex-champ steals the show.
The Grandmaster (2013, China)
Based on: Ip Man
Starring: Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Zhang Ziyi
A Wong Kar-wai biopic of Wing Chun master Ip Man, blending stylised martial arts with haunting emotional depth. Less flashy than the Donnie Yen versions, but steeped in history, atmosphere, and grace.
Buffalo Girls (2012, Thailand)
Based on: Two real child Muay Thai fighters
Starring: Documentary-style
Follows two eight-year-old girls in rural Thailand who fight to support their families. It’s as heartbreaking as it is brutal.
Mary Kom (2014, India)
Based on: MC Mary Kom
Starring: Priyanka Chopra, Darshan Kumar
A high-gloss telling of India’s most famous female boxer. Chopra commits fully to the physical and emotional arcs.
Foxcatcher (2014, USA)
Based on: Mark & Dave Schultz
Starring: Channing Tatum, Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo
Olympic wrestling, wealth, and madness collide. Carell’s transformation into billionaire John du Pont is pure eerie.
Hands of Stone (2016, USA)
Based on: Roberto Durán
Starring: Edgar Ramírez, Robert De Niro, Usher
Panama’s street-fighter-turned-world-champ takes on Sugar Ray Leonard in this fiery, stylish biopic.
The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki (2016, Finland)
Based on: Olli Mäki
Starring: Jarkko Lahti, Oona Airola
A tender, anti-spectacle boxing film. More concerned with falling in love than throwing punches — and all the better for it.
The Bleeder (2016, USA)
Based on: Chuck Wepner
Starring: Liev Schreiber, Naomi Watts
The man who inspired Rocky, and then watched his life spiral into bar fights and B-movies. A tragicomedy with a hell of a chin.
Mukkabaaz (2017, India)
Loosely based on: Shravan Kumar
Starring: Vineet Kumar Singh, Jimmy Sheirgill
An explosive blend of sports biopic and caste critique. Singh’s performance is all heart and fury.
Fighting with My Family (2019, UK)
Based on: WWE star Paige
Starring: Florence Pugh, Lena Headey, Nick Frost, Dwayne Johnson
A working-class girl from Norwich wrestles her way to WWE stardom. Surprisingly wholesome and deeply funny.
Padma Shri Kaur Singh (2022, India)
Based on: Kaur Singh, heavyweight boxing champion
Starring: Karam Batth (also the producer), Prabh Grewal
A dramatized Punjabi-language biopic about Kaur Singh, the only Indian boxer to have fought Muhammad Ali in an exhibition bout. The film covers his rise from rural Punjab to national glory and the personal struggles that followed. A heartfelt tribute to an unsung Indian sports hero.
Prizefighter: The Life of Jem Belcher (2022, UK)
Based on: Jem Belcher, 19th-century English bare-knuckle boxing champion
Starring: Matt Hookings, Russell Crowe, Ray Winstone
Set in Regency-era England, this gritty period biopic follows Jem Belcher, the youngest ever boxing champion, as he rises from poverty to national fame — and eventually loses it all. It’s raw, moody, and dives deep into the roots of modern boxing.
The Iron Claw (2023, USA)
Based on: The Von Erich wrestling family
Starring: Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson
A cursed dynasty. A generational trauma. One of the most tragic sports biopics in recent memory.
19. The Fire Inside (2024, USA)
Based on: Claressa “T-Rex” Shields
Starring: Ryan Destiny, Brian Tyree Henry, Adam Clark
This biographical sports drama chronicles the early boxing career of Claressa Shields, a high school junior from Flint, Michigan, who became the first American woman to win Olympic boxing gold at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Directed by Rachel Morrison and written by Barry Jenkins, the film delves into Shields’ journey, highlighting her determination and the challenges she faced in a male-dominated sport.
