Battle of the Baddest (2024)

Pariah: The Lives and Deaths of Sonny Liston

Overcoming the seemingly insurmountable odds that life threw his way, Liston became heavyweight champion of the world when he knocked out Floyd Patterson in 1962. Eight years later, he died but friends questioned the cause of his death.

Counterpunch

As boxing's popularity wanes, three fighters at different stages of their career make sacrifices to pursue their dreams of becoming champions.

Urtain, King of the Mountains

A humorous visit to the turbulent world of the controversial Spanish boxer José Manuel Urtain.

Cradle of Champions

Three extraordinary young people battle to change their lives through the three-month odyssey of the New York Daily News Golden Gloves - the biggest, oldest, most important amateur boxing tournament in the world.

I Am Ali

Unprecedented access to Muhammad Ali's personal archive of "audio journals" as well as interviews and testimonials from his inner circle of family and friends are used to tell the legend's life story.

Calzaghe: The Story

Joe Calzaghe is, without question, the greatest British fighter, Ever. And this is his exclusive, all action story of how he fought his way to the top. Now unbeaten in 45 fights Joe has won WBO, WBA, WBC and IBF super middleweight titles during his epic 16 year unblemished career...and beaten absolutely everybody who has been put is his way! This is the Calzaghe Story which brings together his greatest World Title fights along with the exclusive, untold story from two boxing insiders, Frank Warren, and highly respected boxing journalist Colin Hart. These two men, with supreme knowledge of the boxing game, recount their stories about Joe the boxer, the world beater.

When We Were Kings

It's 1974. Muhammad Ali is 32 and thought by many to be past his prime. George Foreman is ten years younger and the heavyweight champion of the world. Promoter Don King wants to make a name for himself and offers both fighters five million dollars apiece to fight one another, and when they accept, King has only to come up with the money. He finds a willing backer in Mobutu Sese Suko, the dictator of Zaire, and the "Rumble in the Jungle" is set, including a musical festival featuring some of America's top black performers, like James Brown and B.B. King.

One Night: Joshua vs. Ruiz

'One Night: Joshua vs. Ruiz' is a comprehensive look at the night Andy Ruiz pulled off the biggest boxing upset in decades.

Tommy

Co-directed by Gentry Kirby and Erin Leyden, “Tommy” examines Morrison’s remarkable rise to the spotlight, followed by a stunning, confounding, and ultimately tragic fall. He was one of the best heavyweights of his time; a handsome, charming, yet unsettled young star. Born into a troubled family in America’s heartland, Morrison’s initial emergence as a fighter was bolstered by a starring role in “Rocky V.” A few years later he beat George Foreman for the WBO heavyweight title, and seemed primed for more stardom, even in the face of blown opportunities and upset losses. But everything changed in early 1996 when he tested positive for HIV, abruptly forcing him into retirement at age 27. From there, Morrison’s life spiraled further and further downward, plagued by drug problems, jail time, and an eventual denial that he had the virus at all.

Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson

The story of Jack Johnson, the first African American Heavyweight boxing champion.

Namibia: Cuba’s Female Boxing Revolution

The short film captures the tireless battle of Namibia Flores Rodriguez, the only known female boxer in the Caribbean nation. Training at Havana’s Rafael Trejo arena in defiance of the ban, the athlete undertakes the same unrelenting regime as her male counterparts—running the same circuits, lifting the same truck tires—but without the hope that she might one day represent her country.

In the Company of Kings

In the Company of Kings follows a fight fan's unforgettable journey into the dark heart of American boxing to talk to eight former World Champs and those closest to his hero, Muhammad Ali, about race, struggle, victory, defeat and picking yourself up off the canvas. Features Larry Holmes, Bernard Hopkins, Tim Witherspoon, Earnie Shavers, the Spinks brothers, Bob Arum and more.

Avgörandet Floyd - Ingo

"Final Decision Floyd vs. Ingo" - Depicts the prelude to and the match between Ingemar Johansson and Floyd Patterson at Convention Hall in Miami Beach on March 13, 1961. Johansson failed to take back the heavyweight championship title.

Foreman

Cast as America’s Villain in the famed Rumble in the Jungle against Muhammad Ali, George Foreman lost one of the greatest fights in sports history. Immediately after the defeat, "Big George" fell into a spiral that made him abandon boxing and spend 10 years becoming an ordained minister following a near death experience. 20 years later on and into his 40’s, Foreman began an improbable climb back to the summit of world boxing becoming the heroic figure he’d always been destined to be, and writing one of the greatest underdog stories ever told.

Ali & Cavett: The Tale of the Tapes

The life and times of Muhammed Ali shown through the lens of his numerous appearances on The Dick Cavett Show. The film features new interviews with Dick Cavett, Rev. Al Sharpton, and Larry Merchant, as well as archival material from the Cavett Show.

Manny Pacquiao: Unstoppable Force

While the sport of boxing requires sacrifice, discipline, concentration, and determination for Manny Pacquiao, it was survival.

Day of the Fight

Stanley Kubrick’s debut documentary, following Irish-American middleweight boxer Walter Cartier on April 17, 1950—the day of his bout with Bobby James. The film traces Cartier’s quiet morning rituals, training, and anxious hours before the match, culminating in his swift victory that night in Newark. Opening with a brief history of boxing, Kubrick’s tightly crafted short captures the discipline, isolation, and tension behind a fighter’s daily routine.

Evander Holyfield vs. George Foreman

Evander Holyfield vs. George Foreman, billed as "The Battle of the Ages", was a professional boxing match contested on April 19, 1991 for the WBA, WBC, IBF and Lineal Heavyweight championships.

a.k.a. Cassius Clay

The study of crazy brilliance and flamboyant sincerity. a.k.a. Cassius Clay presents a fascinating look at the incredible life and achievements of one of the most courageous, outspoken and charismatic figures of boxing: Muhammad Ali. Born Cassius Clay in 1942, Ali soon rose to become a renowned athlete, an articulate author and a compelling political; leader. Audacious, ambitious and totally fearless, Ali became a symbol of pride, a legend of hope and one of the most extraordinary cultural icons of the 20th century.

Muhammad and Larry

In October of 1980 Muhammad Ali was preparing to fight for an unprecedented fourth heavyweight title against his friend and former sparring partner Larry Holmes. To say that the great Ali was in the twilight of his career would be generous; most of his admiring fans, friends and fight scribes considered his bravado delusional. What was left for him to prove? In the weeks of training before the fight, documentarians Albert and David Maysles took an intimate look at Ali trying to convince the world and perhaps himself, that he was still “The Greatest.” At the same time, they documented the mild-mannered and undervalued champion Holmes as he confidently prepared to put an end to the career of a man for whom he had an abiding and deep affection

One Night in Vegas

On the evening of Sept. 7, 1996, Mike Tyson, the WBC heavyweight champion, attempted to take Bruce Seldon’s WBA title at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. At this point in his career, Tyson’s fights had become somewhat of a cultural phenomenon, where the ever present hype of the professional boxing scene would come face to face with the worlds of big business, Hollywood, and hip hop. Sitting ringside was controversial rapper Tupac Shakur. Shakur and Tyson were friends, a feeling of kinship linked them as each rose to stardom from poverty only to be thrown in prison. Following Tyson’s victory, Shakur and “Iron Mike” were to celebrate at an after party, but the rap star never arrived. Shakur was brutally gunned down later that night, and the scene in Las Vegas quickly turned from would-be celebratory revelry to ill fated and inopportune tragedy.

Tough Guys

10 years before the debut of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. In 1979, Bill Viola and Frank Caliguri dreamed up a contest pitting barroom bigmouths against wrestlers, martial artists, boxers, bouncers and brawlers, billed as no-holds-barred new type of competitive fighting. When the fights succeeded beyond their wildest expectations, they were swept up in a chain of events that ended in the first mixed-martial arts ban in the nation. “Tough Guys” chronicles the inception of Caliguri and Viola’s first bouts and the colorful, crazy cast of fighters who made them a hit as well as the politicians who brought it all crashing down. The film brings to life a moment when the national martial arts craze was building to a crescendo as the economies of Pennsylvania steel towns were plummeting to levels of unemployment never seen, breeding desperate men looking for a chance to prove their worth and make some money in the ring.

I Am Joe Frazier

A feature documentary celebrating the rise of a humble but driven boxing perfectionist who triumphantly emerged from Muhammad Ali's long shadow to become the Heavyweight Champion of the World and redefined greatness in his own image.

Boxing Libreville

Libreville, Gabon, Africa, 2016. Christ Olsen Mickala, a young boxer, trains tirelessly during the day and earns his living by night as a bouncer in nightclubs. At the same time, the combat of the presidential elections is taking place. As Christ hopes to succeed, a whole country hopes that a democratic transition finally triumphs.

The Boxer from Somewhere Else: The Ken Buchanan Story

Charts the life and career of Scottish boxer Ken Buchanan, the 1970-71 undisputed lightweight world champion.

The Real Rocky

Chuck Wepner is a liquor salesman from Bayonne, N.J., who drives a Cadillac with “Champ” vanity plates. A former New Jersey State Heavyweight Boxing Champion, he took abuse from Sonny Liston, got his nose broken by Muhammad Ali, and inspired Sylvester Stallone to write “Rocky” which won three Academy Awards. Wepner was left out of the “Rocky” glory, and his career took turn after strange turn as he worked to stay in the spotlight: he went on to fight Andre the Giant as “The Assassin” and boxed a 900 pound bear. Twice.

ESPN Classic Ringside: Mike Tyson

Legendary Mike Tyson was one of the most feared fighters in boxing. By age 19, his superlative record of wins earned him the nickname "Kid Dynamite." Over the next two years, Tyson knocked out 19 opponents in a row, eventually becoming the youngest heavyweight champion in history. His winning streak expanded to a dazzling 37-0 before Buster Douglas, an 11-1 underdog, TKO'd Tyson in the 10th round in one of boxing's biggest upsets. Includes 19 Thrill-Packed Fights! Tyson vs. Mercedes, Tyson vs. Spain, Tyson vs. Alderson, Tyson vs. Johnson, Tyson vs. Long, Tyson vs. Colay, Tyson vs. Benjamin, Tyson vs. Richardson, Tyson vs. Scaff, Tyson vs. Young, Tyson vs. Jameson, Tyson vs. Ferguson, Tyson vs. Zouski, Tyson vs. Tillis, Tyson vs. Berbick, Tyson vs. Holmes, Tyson vs. Spinks, Tyson vs. Bruno, Tyson vs. Douglas

Muhammad Ali: The Greatest

Hear from the people who knew him best, from experts of the world of boxing, relive the legendary fights and explore the life of boxing's greatest symbol, Ali.

Countdown: Taylor vs. Serrano

Two elite boxers, Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, prepare for their epic trilogy finale, a live-streamed match on Netflix July 11. Uma Thurman narrates their rigorous training journey.

George Foreman vs Joe Frazier II

A professional boxing match contested on June 15, 1976, for the NABF heavyweight championship.

George Foreman vs Michael Moorer

Michael Moorer vs. George Foreman, billed as One for the Ages, was a professional boxing match contested on November 5, 1994 for the WBA and IBF heavyweight championships.

42 to 1

On February 11, 1990, while the odds were technically 42 to 1, it was the impossible that happened in a boxing ring in Tokyo, Japan, when James "Buster" Douglas defeated Mike Tyson for the heavyweight championship of the world. Fallen from a top-10 heavyweight contender in the mid-1980s to a stepping-stone for the champion, Douglas was lightly regarded. But a series of extraordinary circumstances would lead to an unimaginable result.

Katie

Follows Irish champion boxer Katie Taylor as she tries to rekindle her career after a year of setbacks.

The Record Breakers

Welcome to a hard driving video about the biggest winners of all, the athletes and teams who broken records in their sports.

Teofilo: Boxing's Most Revolutionary Champion

Boxing's Most Revolutionary Champion.

Fighting Back: The Michael Watson Story

Little did Michael Watson know that when he stepped into the ring on 21 September 1991 to fight Chris Eubank for the World Boxing Organisation Super Middleweight title, it was a fight that would nearly cost him his life. Ten years on, Fighting Back: The Michael Watson Story, tells of his remarkable recovery from the brink of death and features his first public meeting with Eubank.

Frank Bruno: Gloves Off

“Gloves Off” explores the in’s and outs of Franks boxing career and includes many interviews with Frank himself, the people in his ring and some competitors.

Tommy "The Duke" Morrison

Documentary on heavyweight champion boxer Tommy Morrison; his life and career. Tommy Morrison was an American heavyweight boxer and a former World Boxing Organization champion. He lost only three out of a total of 52 professional fights.