Sports movies deliver chills, thrills and goose bumps when done right. They can bring cheers during triumph and tears upon defeat. Boxing is one of those sports that has intrigued people for years and some of the greatest movies of all time have come from within the ring. While everyone has a different list, here are what some consider to be the top five greatest boxing movies of all time.
#5 – Cinderella Man
Despite being a bit of a box office disappointment in 2005, Cinderella Man went on to achieve a great deal through the crowds and the Academy. Academy Award-winning director Ron Howard brought an uplifting story full of cheers to the big screen starring Oscar winners Russell Crowe and Renee Zellweger. The movie highlights the biopic detailing James J. Braddock, who rose from the depression to win a rather shocking heavyweight championship.
#4 – The Quiet Man
Going back several decades, The Quiet Man stars John Wayne as a former boxer who vows never to fight again after killing a man in the ring. Upon marrying an Irish woman that publicly calls him a coward, he decides love is worth fighting for. The movie was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and director John Ford won a Best Director Oscar for the film in 1952.
#3 – Million Dollar Baby
This is perhaps the most decorated boxing movie of all time and rightfully so. It won the 2004 Academy Award for Best Picture and Clint Eastwood won Best Director. On top of this, Clint Eastwood was nominated for Best Actor and Morgan Freeman and Hillary Swank received acting honors. The movie details a bond that is developed between a boxer and trainer inside and out of the ring following a horrific accident inside the ring.
#2 – Raging Bull
You cannot talk about boxing movies without mentioning Raging Bull. Robert De Niro won the 1980 Academy Award for his impersonation of real life boxer Jake LaMotta. The movie details the struggles of LaMotta with violence inside and out of the ring. It has often been regarded as one of the great films in history thanks to the directing of Martin Scorses and the supporting acting of Joe Pesci. The American Film Institute placed it at number four on the list of the 100 greatest movies of all time.
#1 – Rocky
Despite being one of the greatest movies of all time, Raging Bull fails to compare to Rocky in terms of boxing movies. At the time, the movie was written by an unknown actor named Sylvester Stallone. It was a surprise box office hit when it debuted in 1976 and essentially launched the career of Stallone. It is easily the most recognizable boxing movie, has iconic quotes, images, and scenes, and will forever go down as the greatest movie within the ring.
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