41 All-Time Greatest Boxing Movies Ever Made

Maggie Fitzgerald, a poor waitress, asks old gym owner Frankie Dunn to train her, but he refuses. Maggie is encouraged to train at his gym by his associate Eddie 'Scrap-Iron' Dupris and eventually convinces Dunn with her determination. Maggie, who has a dysfunctional family, and Dunn, whose daughter is estranged, gradually fill the voids in each other's lives.

Rocky Balboa, an amateur boxer employed as a debt collector for a loan shark, is unexpectedly selected by heavyweight boxing world champion, Apollo Creed, to fight him in the upcoming United States Bicentennial. Rocky, though, initially unwilling, later sees this as an opportunity to prove himself to everyone. Meanwhile, he also finds love in Adrian Pennino, who works at a local fish pet shop.

This biographical film depicts the rags-to-riches story of boxer James J. Braddock who was forced to give up boxing and take a menial job to survive after fracturing his hand amidst the Great Depression. However, given another opportunity, he stages a major comeback and becomes a symbol of hope by claiming the Heavyweight Championship title.

When We Were Kings is a sports documentary film which revolves around a famous heavyweight championship boxing match that had taken place in Kinshasa, Zaire, between champion George Foreman and challenger Muhammad Ali.   

Dicky Eklund, a former boxing champion is now a crack addict and also a trainer for his brother, Micky Ward. Micky realises that his brother and mother are not good for his boxing career and hence part ways to create his own success story. However, in a crucial fight, it is Dicky who once again assumes the trainer role for his brother.

The Set-Up is a sports crime drama film which tells the story of Bill Thompson, a 35 year old boxer, who is facing a much younger opponent named Tiger Nelson. He learns that his manager wants him to throw the fight in order to make money, but he refuses.  

Adonis Johnson is the illegitimate son of former heavyweight champion Apollo Creed. He wishes to become a great boxer and therefore meets Rocky Balboa, a former heavyweight champion, who agrees to train him. His real identity is soon revealed and when a chance to fight a world champion presents itself, all he needs to do is to add his father’s surname.

In 1966, Rubin "The Hurricane" Carter, a renowned boxer, was wrongfully convicted of a triple murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. The film concentrates on his fight against his conviction, also depicting how an Afro-American youth convinces his Canadian foster parents to help Hurricane, resulting in his release after twenty years of imprisonment.  

Body and Soul is a sports drama film which tells the story of Charley Davis, who becomes a boxer, against the wishes of his mother. As he finds more and more success in his boxing career, shady characters begin to surround him. Soon, he finds himself facing difficult choices after he meets Roberts, an unethical promoter.

Gentleman Jim is a biographical sports drama film which revolves around Jim Corbett, who manages to become one of the most famed boxers during the late 1800s, a time when boxing was illegal. Eventually, he faces against John L Sullivan, his childhood idol, for world championship.

Rocky Graziano, who had a difficult childhood, makes a career in crime. He frequently run in prisons and detention centres, and there too he is unruly. Once out, he takes up boxing to earn quick money. He quickly realises his potential in the ring and fights odds to become a champion.

Billy "The Great" Hope, an undefeated professional boxer with a perfect family life, succumbs to depression and alcohol and drug abuse after his loving wife is killed. Despite deciding to retire, he gets back into the ring with the help of former boxer Tick Wills to gain back custody of his daughter from Child Protective Services.

Michael Kelly runs away from his shotgun marriage, and eventually takes up a job as a boxer. He becomes quite ruthless, and wins his games by back-stabbing his friends and knocking out opponents. His difficult life and fiery temper eventually makes him one of the most popular fighters. However, things take a turn when his bosses ask him to forfeit a championship match.

In this sequel, boxer Rocky Balboa decides to retire to recover his health and get married to Adrian despite holding his own against world champion Apollo Creed. However, he considers returning to the ring after struggling with financial problems, just as Creed becomes fixated on a rematch after receiving hate mails for allegedly fixing their previous fight.

Fat City is a sports drama film which tells the story of Billy Tully, a boxer past his prime, who meets an 18-year-old named Ernie Munger. He sees a lot of potential in the youngster, and suggest him to look up Ruben, his former manager and trainer. Inspired by the skills of the kid, Tully decides to go back into boxing himself, although his life has been a total mess, since his wife left him.  

A great boxer, Billy gave up boxing and settled for hardscrabble life, taking care of his son, T.J, training horses, and drinking most of the time. Since his wife, Annie, had left him, he had the custody of his son T.J. However, Annie plans to return, triggering a new struggle. Billy is determined to keep T.J with him, so he returns to the ring. Will he be able to match his past success?

The sixth installment in the Rocky series finds an aging and retired Rocky Balboa running an eatery in the memory of his wife Adrian. He is goaded into one final match with reigning yet unpopular world champion Mason ‘The Line’ Dixon. The match serves as a swan song of Rocky’s legendary career. 

Jerry Ferro, a man who is turning 40, is leading a simple and mediocre life, working as a construction worker, and a part-time boxing instructor in a fitness center. Although he had a promising boxing career 21 years ago, he had given it up. However, his life takes a turn after he is noticed by Eddie, a coach who trains boxers for the Olympics. He invites Jerry, although Jerry feels that he is too old and out-of-shape now. Eventually, he agrees and manages to qualify for the Olympics.

Real Steel's sci-fi universe introduces us to Charlie, who is looking to shine in the world of robot boxing. With the help of a son he never knew existed and his robot, Charlie finally has an entry into the world of robot boxing, with a little father-son bonding thrown in.

Matty Burton, an ageing boxing champion is scheduled to defend his title against a controversial, outspoken and disrespectful boxer named Andre Bryte. After a difficult fight, Burton manages to win and retain his belt, but later he comes to know that he had suffered various head injuries during the fight. Soon, his personality and his physical abilities start to deteriorate, and he begins to suffer from dementia and violent outbursts, at one point even striking his wife Emma, despite her best efforts to care for him.  

As a youth, Alan manages to avoid getting drawn into a violent gang life by taking out his aggression at a boxing club. Years later, when crime and drugs threaten to lure a new generation of youngsters into a downward spiral, he decides to reopen a gym, and train the youngsters for a public boxing match.

Heavyweight champion George `Iceman' Chambers is sent to a Russian prison, after being framed for possessing drugs. Soon he realises that the only way out is to win a boxing match against inmate Yuri Boyka.

Con man Gabriel Caine after coming out of prison gets along with his partner in crime, Fitz, and sets up a bet with a businessman to get a boxer who will knockout 10 Diggstown men within 24 hours in the boxing ring. Will they be able to find such a boxer who will do the job for them?

The Great White Hope is a romantic drama sports film which tells the story of Jack Jefferson, an African American boxer, who faces numerous challenges in the world of boxing, due the the color of his skin. However, with the help of his Caucasian girlfriend, he moves forward towards success.

Heavyweight boxing champion Rocky Balboa, who is ready to retire, is enraged and overcome with guilt after his old friend Apollo Creed is brutally killed in a bout against Soviet boxer Ivan Drago. Holding himself responsible, he challenges Drago to a payback match and travels to Russia to face him in a Christmas Day fight.

World heavyweight champion Rocky Balboa is on a winning spree and is enjoying his life when he is challenged by strong new competitor, James Clubber Lang. Rocky accepts and is defeated by Lang. His manager Mickey, too dies and he sinks into depression. This is when Apollo Creed offers to train him for his next match to reclaim the heavyweight championship.

A Prayer Before Dawn is a biographical sports crime drama film which tells the story of Billy Moore, a well-known English boxer, who finds himself in an infamous prison in Thailand, after being charged of possession of a firearm and stolen goods. He soon learns that he will need to win a boxing tournament if he wants to become a free man again.

Bleed For This is a biopic on the life of Vinny Pazienza, a former World Champion in Boxing, who had suffered a critical neck injury in a car crash. He was unsure if he would ever walk again, but eventually he manages to make one of the most incredible comebacks in the history of sports.

The Champ is a sports drama film which tells the story of Billy Flynn, a former boxing champion, who is now addicted to drinking and gambling. When he comes to know that his wealthy former wife is trying to take his child away from him, he decides that he will return to the ring to provide for his son.

Knuckle is a documentary film about two rival families of Irish travelers, who in order to settle their differences, resort to violent and brutal bare-knuckle boxing.

Triumph of the Spirit is a sports historical drama film which takes us to Greece during the time of the Second World War. A young Jewish boxer meets regularly with his girlfriend, until along with their families, they are sent to Auschwitz. However, when his captors learn about his boxing skills, he is forced to box against his fellow prisoners in order to provide entertainment.  

The movie, a biopic, presents a crucial decade – 1964 to 1974 – of the life of Muhammad Ali. It begins as Cassius Clay, a young boxer, emerges victorious in world heavyweight championship and continues as he converts to Islam, refuses to fight in the Vietnam War, is barred from boxing and finally fights against George Foreman to reclaim the Heavyweight Championship.

Girlfight is a sports drama film which tells the story of Diana, a young girl, who decides that she wants to take up boxing lessons. She manages to convince one of the coaches to teach her for $10 a session. However, this worsens her relationship with her father, and she is eventually forced to hide the fact from him that she is learning the sport. She soon finds herself attracted to Adrian, a young fighter, who is already in a relationship with another girl.

Roberto Duran is an exceptional boxer, who is being coached by Ray Arcel. However, problems arise between them after Duran insults a well-known boxer named Sugar Ray Leonard.

Gladiator is an action sports drama film which tells the story of Tommy, a young boy, who moves to Chicago, along with his father. He soon steps into the world of underground boxing, in order to pay off gambling debts accumulated by his father. He soon meets another boy who is also fighting in order to get money to move out of the ghetto. The two boys become friends, as they are both being exploited by a boxing promoter.

Chuck is a biographical sports drama film which tells the story of Chuck Wepner, a heavyweight boxer living in New Jersey, who is known for his reckless behavior. Eventually he takes on the challenge to fight against the great Muhammad Ali, hoping that it will help him change his fate. It was the events of this match that had inspired the story of Sylvester Stallone’s popular film ‘Rocky’.

Jungleland is a drama film which tells the story of two brothers, Walter and Stanley. Walter is a skilled former professional boxer, while his brother Stanley used to be his manager. However, they are now working menial jobs in a sewing factory. In order to repay their debts to a gangster, they start taking part in underground boxing matches.

This sports biopic is based on the life of American heavyweight boxer, Mike Tyson. The film starts from his early days as a 12 year old amateur, and it shows how he manages to rise to gain the title of ‘Heavyweight Champion of the World’. It further depicts his conviction in 1992 for the rape of a woman named Desiree Washington.

A heavyweight boxing champion, George Chambers, ends up in prison after he is convicted of rape. A resident gangster arranges a boxing match between George and the current prison champion Hutchens.

Kid Galahad is a musical sports drama which  revolves around a young man named Walter Gulick, who completes his military service and returns to his hometown where he belongs. He soon takes up a job as a boxer, where he finds success within a short time. However, things take a turn when his friend who is a promoter gets into trouble with mobsters.

Billy Simpson aka Shiner is a ruthlessly ambitious boxing promoter, but he has been banned from legitimate fights. He eventually sees potential in his only son Eddie, and pits him against a champion named Michael Peck. However, Eddie is killed on the night of the fight, and Billy suspects his rival Frank Spedding. He plans revenge and at the same time, starts to lose his sanity.