Here’s are a list of 10 exciting and suspenseful boxing movies for you to watch –
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CREED (2015)
Adonis Johnson never knew his father, Apollo Creed, as he died before Adonis was born. Apollo had been a famous boxing champion in his time. However, Adonis has boxing in his blood, so he seeks out Rocky Balboa, a well-known retired champ and asks him to be his trainer. Rocky sees much of Apollo in Adonis, and agrees to mentor him, even as he battles an opponent deadlier than any other in the ring. With Rocky’s help, Adonis soon gets a title shot, but whether he has the true heart of a fighter remains to be seen. Apollo Creed is a fictional character from the Rocky films but the character was inspired by the real-life champion Muhammad Ali. Starring Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stone, this film is rated 7.6/10 on IMDb.
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MILLION DOLLAR BABY (2004)
Wanting to learn from the best, aspiring boxer Maggie Fitzgerald wants Frankie Dunn, a veteran Los Angeles boxing trainer, to coach and train her. At the outset, he flatly refuses saying he has no interest in training a girl. Frankie leads a lonely existence, alienated from his only daughter and having few friends. Maggie who is rough around the edges, shows a lot of grit in the ring and he eventually agrees to train her. Maggie not only proves to be the boxer he always dreamed of having under his wing, but a friend and like a daughter who fills the great void he’s had in his life. Maggie’s career skyrockets, but an accident in the ring leads her to ask Frankie for one last favour. Starring Clint Eastwood, this film rates at 8.1/10 on IMDb.
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ROCKY (1976)
Rocky Balboa is a kind-hearted and uneducated club fighter from Philadelphia whose main source of income is collecting debts for a local crime boss, Gazzo. Despite having talent, nobody believes that Rocky can make it to the pros. He falls in love with his best friend’s sister and everything seems to be going okay. But things just get better as the reigning champion(Apollo Creed)’s opponent gets injured and Rocky is chosen to take his place because of his nick-name, “the Italian Stallion.” The match is supposed to be easily won by Creed, but someone forgot to tell Rocky yet he sees it as a chance to live his dream and go the distance with the heavyweight champion of the world. Starring Sylvester Stallone, this film rates at 8.1/10 on IMDb.
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RAGING BULL (1980)
The story of a middleweight boxer, Jake LaMotta, as he rises through ranks to earn his first shot at the middleweight crown. He falls in love with a gorgeous girl from the Bronx. The inability to express his feelings enters into the ring and eventually takes over his life. He eventually is sent into a downward spiral that costs him everything. This film rates at 8.2/10 on IMDb.
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THE SET-UP (1949)
Aging, Bill Thompson(Stoker) who has been losing his past fights a lot is determined to stay in the game, in spite of his wife, Julie (Audrey Totter), who wants him to leave the dangerous sport. Without the knowledge of Stoker, his corrupt manager, Tiny, has lost confidence in him and sets the boxer up to lose an upcoming match at the request of a local gangster. Certain that Stoker will meet with defeat, Tiny neglects to tell him about the shady deal, resulting in conflict both in and out of the ring. Starring Robert Ryan, this film rates at 7.9/10 on IMDb.
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RING OF FIRE: THE EMILE GRIFFITH STORY (2005)
Dan Klores and Ron Berger’s documentary charts the rise and fall of former welterweight boxing champ Emile Griffith. Born in the Virgin Islands, Griffith moved to New York where, before becoming a boxer, he designed ladies’ hats. Once inside the ring his career took off and regular boxing telecasts made him a celebrity. In a 1962 match, Griffith beat Benny “Kid” Paret to death after Paret taunted him with an anti-gay remark. Griffith’s star faded and the incident ended boxing broadcasts. This film rates at 7.6/10 on IMDb.
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FAT CITY(1972)
An old time boxer Tully is inspired to restart his career after seeing potential in a teenager, Ernie whom he spars with at a gym. While Tully battles his past demons, including issues with alcohol, Ernie faces his own challenges. Pressured into marriage and sudden fatherhood by his girlfriend, Ernie can shrug off his personal problems when he enters the ring. As both fighters continue with their bouts, Tully’s star falls while Ernie’s is on the rise. This movie rates at 7.3/10 on IMDb.
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THE HAPPIEST DAY IN THE LIFE OF OLLI MÄKI (2016)
As fiercely talented as he is modest, Finnish boxer Olli Mäki is swept into national stardom as he trains for a once-in-a-lifetime fight against the World Featherweight Champion. There’s only one problem: he’s just fallen in love. What’s worse, he loses a fight for the world championship in the second round by knockout in front of a packed stadium.
Learn the irony in the title and the situation throws this film. This charming feature debut from Juho Kuosmanen was awarded the Un Certain Regard Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. This film is rated at 7.2/10 on IMDb.
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BODY AND SOUL (1947)
After Charley Davis’ father is accidentally killed, the amateur boxer gets into the professional leagues much to his mother’s dismay. He is forced to reconsider his choices when a shady promoter tries to hire him. Starring John Garfield, this film rates at 7.6/10 on IMDb.
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THE HARDER THEY FALL (1956)
Broke and without work, newspaper reporter Eddie Willis agrees to work for the corrupt boxing promoter Nick Benko to help hype his new boxer, Toro Moreno. While Toro is beastly in appearance, he has no actual boxing talent, and all his fights are fixed. When Toro gets a shot at the title against the brutal Buddy Brannen, Willis is faced with the tough decision of whether or not to tell Toro that his entire career is a sham. This film is rated at 7.5/10 on IMDb.
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