10 Great Boxing Movies That Aren’t Rocky Or Creed

The Rocky and Creed franchises have been responsible for some of the best sports movies ever made, but there are plenty of other great boxing films that are worth checking out. Feautring the stories of underdogs overcoming adversity, unlikely fighters becoming champions against the odds, or the experiences of legendary real-life sports stars and their extraordinary jounreys, a great boxing movie has the power to enthrall and excite audiences and filmgoers. From gripping documentary accounts to fantastic fictional foes, boxing movies have the potential to be total knockouts with viewers when done right.

While the underdog story of Rocky has become synonymous with boxing movies, and this legacy has been carried on in the Creed series, other films have tackled different avenues and explored narratives of trauma, recovery, and the vicious cycles of violence. Movies like The Boxer with Daniel Day-Lewis addressed the political tension that plagued the life of its lead character Danny Flynn, while documentaries, such as When We Were Kings, used archival footage to depict an extraordinary moment in the history of boxing. There were so many great boxing movies made outside the Rocky and Creed series.

10 Southpaw (2015)

Directed by Antoine Fuqua

Southpaw was the compelling story of a grief-stricken boxer determined to get his life back on track following the murder of his wife and losing his daughter to child protective services. Starring Jack Gyllenhaal as Billy “The Great” Hope, Southpaw delved even further into the underdog narratives of Rocky and Creed to deliver a story of overcoming adversity, perseverance, and redemption that felt deeply personal and raw. While Southpaw may lean heavily into melodrama at times, it showcased how hard boxers must fight inside, and outside, the ring, to achieve their professional and personal requirements.

9 Ali (2001)

Directed by Michael Mann

The story of perhaps the greatest boxer who ever lived, Muhammad Ali, was portrayed in Michael Mann’s powerful biopic Ali. While the Rocky and Creed franchises focused on fictional fighters overcoming adversity, Muhammad Ali truly lived out that tale as he became champion of the world, faced criticism for his conversion to Islam, and acted as a source of inspiration for Americans following the deaths of civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. With a committed lead performance by Will Smith, Ali was a stunning tribute to an incredible fighter.

8 The Hurricane (1999)

Directed by Norman Jewison

The true story of boxer Rubin Carter and his wrongful conviction for triple homicide was first immortalized in a song by Bob Dylan and later in The Hurricane starring Denzel Washington. A tragic tale of boxing, crime, and prejudice, The Hurricane cataloged Cater’s journey from a top-ranked middleweight boxer touted to become a great champion, to a murder suspect for a horrific crime, and the nearly 20 years he unjustly spent in prison. Unlike Rocky or Creed, The Hurricane stripped back the curtain of real-life racism that served to cut short a young black man’s opportunity for greatness.

7 Knuckle (2011)

Directed by Ian Palmer

A powerful documentary made over 12 years, Knuckle was a behind-the-scenes look at the secretive world of Irish Traveler bare-knuckle boxing. The difficult story of three feuding families, the complexities of Irish Travelers’ long-festering rivalries, and their deep-seated sense of pride were depicted in Knuckle, a documentary just as intense and gripping as any Rocky or Creed movie. As the Joyces, Nevins, and Quinn-McDonagh families fell ever further into bitter fights and feuds, they reasoned the only way to solve their issues was with their fists.

6 Cinderella Man (2005)

Directed by Ron Howard

Cinderella Man told the extraordinary true story of heavyweight boxing champion James J. Braddock who overcame extreme poverty during the Great Depression. A devastating tale of perseverance, led by incredible performances by Russell Crowe as Braddock and Paul Giamatti as his trainer Joe Gould, Cinderella Man highlighted the medical risks of the sport and the danger a boxer has of being killed in the ring, much like what happened to Apollo Creed in Rocky IV. Cinderella Man featured incredible fight sequences but also highlighted the fear this profession laid on boxers’ wives and children.

5 The Fighter (2010)

Directed by David O. Russell

The Fighter told the true story of Mickey Ward, played by Mark Wahlberg, and much like the Rocky and Creed franchises was the tale of an ordinary person who must fight against all odds for greatness. With powerful themes of family, loyalty, and redemption, The Fighter featured strong supporting performances from Christian Bale and Amy Adams and acted as the movie that reignited the career of filmmaker David O. Russell after a six-year absence from directing. The Fighter received critical acclaim and was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.

4 The Boxer (1997)

Directed by Jim Sheridan

Renowned method actor Daniel Day-Lewis spent over a year training as a boxer to play Danny Flynn in The Boxer. A powerful portrayal of a Northern Irish man rebuilding his life after a stint in jail for his involvement with the IRA, Day-Lewis gave his all to the role of Flynn and his desperate attempts to maintain stability in his life while the political factions around him are rapidly crumbling. With a backdrop of real-world political tensions, The Boxer addressed the complexities of loyalty and the bleak existence of those trapped in a vicious circle of violence.

3 Million Dollar Baby (2004)

Directed by Clint Eastwood

The world of women’s boxing has been severely underrepresented in the world of cinema, but perhaps the most iconic film to tackle the subject was Clint Eastwood’s Million Dollar Baby. A heartfelt and moving film, Million Dollar Baby was led by an extraordinary performance by Hilary Swank, as Maggie Fitzgerald, a determined female boxer who was left a quadriplegic after breaking her neck in the ring. At first, Million Dollar Baby appeared to be something like a female-Rocky, but as its story progressed it turned into a dark drama about the unexpectedly tragic turns that life can take.

2 When We Were Kings (1996)

Directed by Leon Gast

The documentary When We Were Kings depicted the iconic 1974 “Rumble in the Jungle” heavyweight boxing match between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in the country then known as Zaire, Africa. Through archival footage and the songs of James Brown, B.B. King, and other soul music greats, When We Were Kings painted an extraordinary picture of the lead-up to, the rivalry between, and the importance of the boxing match between Ali and Foreman. Showcasing just how political the boxing career of Ali became, When We Were Kings was an important historical document of an astounding boxing match.

1 Raging Bull (1980)

Directed by Martin Scorsese

While Sylvester Stallone’s role as the Italian Stallone Rocky Balboa was iconic, Rocky lost best sports to Martin Scorsese’s Raging Bull in a poll by the American Film Institute (AFI.) With Robert De Niro playing the real-life troubled boxer Jake LaMotta, Raging Bull was commonly regarded as one of the best movies ever made for its rich psychological depth, sharp dialogue by screenwriter Paul Schrader, and powerful themes of inner turmoil, redemption, and violence. With stunning fight sequences and top-class cinematography, Raging Bull was a knockout of epic proportions.