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.

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.

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.

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.

Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson

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

Men Boxing

Experimental film fragment made with the Edison-Dickson-Heise experimental horizontal-feed kinetograph camera and viewer, using 3/4-inch wide film.

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.

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.

Untold: Deal with the Devil

Christy Martin broke boundaries and noses as she rose in the boxing world, but her public persona belied personal demons, abuse and a threat on her life.

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.

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.

Med krut i nävarna

"Powerful Fists" - Depicts Swedish heavy-weight professional boxer Ingemar Johansson's career 1952 to 1963.

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.

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.

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.

KSI: Can't Lose

Millions tuned in to see KSI beat Joe Weller in the biggest amateur boxing match of all time. But what didn't they see? The blood, sweat and determination underpinning KSI's intense training regime and a revealing look at his world off camera. This is the exclusive and never before seen story of Knowledge, Strength and Integrity, and how JJ, with 18m YouTube subscribers, went from actor to athlete.

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.

Amir Khan vs. Marcos Maidana

Could this be 'Fight of The Year'? The reputation of Amir Khan was enhanced in a brutal battle for supremacy in a thrilling, successful third defence of his World Boxing Association light-welterweight belt against knockout specialist Marcos Maidana. The plan was to hit and run. Yet not only did Khan stand and trade with Maidana in a ferocious fight, he survived a brutal onslaught and a near-knockout in the 10th round to dispel the myth that he is “chinny” at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Khan's vulnerability, yet desire to fight, make him compelling viewing.

Keep going

"Doorgaan" is an intense and intimate documentary about survival and resilience, following the young talented boxer Farshid Bos on his way to the Dutch boxing championships. Heading for the top, he is coached by boxing legend Piet Rozendaal.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Robbed

In 1976, Muhammad Ali and Ken Norton met inside the ring at Yankee Stadium. The conclusion of the fight would go down as one of the most controversial decisions in boxing. But the civil unrest around Yankee Stadium in the Bronx — and in New York City as a whole — became the story of the evening.

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

Teofilo: Boxing's Most Revolutionary Champion

Boxing's Most Revolutionary Champion.

Chasing Tyson

Evander Holyfield knew he could never earn the respect he craved until he defeated Mike Tyson. When the two finally fought, the world witnessed not one, but two of the boxing's most memorable fights.

Lennox Lewis: The Untold Story

Dr. Dre narrates the story of Lennox Lewis' rise from humble beginnings to become the greatest Undisputed Heavyweight Champion in the modern era.

Werner We Love You

When Werner Herzog was still a child, his father was beaten to death before his eyes. His mother was overwhelmed with his upbringing and thereupon shipped him off to one of the toughest youth welfare institutions in Freistatt. This was followed by a career as a bouncer in the city's most notorious music club and an attempt to start a family. Today, the 77-year-old from Bielefeld lives with his dog Lucky in a lonely house in the country. Despite adverse living conditions, he has survived in his own unique and inimitable way.

Glenroy Brothers (Comic Boxing)

The Glenroy Brothers perform a portion of their vaudeville act, "The Comic View of Boxing: The Tramp & the Athlete", which depicts a boxer with a classic style trying to contend with an opponent who uses a very unorthodox approach.

Jack Johnson

Jack Johnson is a 1970 documentary film directed by Jim Jacobs about the boxer Jack Johnson.

Butterfly

Eighteen year old Irma Testa is Italy’s first female boxer to make it to the Olympics. It’s a remarkable outcome for a girl raised in one of the poorest, most crime-ridden neighborhoods of Naples.. The more Irma succeeds though, the more fragile she becomes. After a crushing defeat at the Games in Rio, she questions whether boxing is her future. She wants to chart her own path, but must first take a hard look at her personal life which she has avoided for so long.

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.

Katie

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