The Fighter

[The Bat]

This Movie is on my MUST see list!

[Hector]

[Brown Bear]

Mikey Ward might not have been a great fighter like the ones you mentioned...as a matter of fact...he was rather a solid journeyman who made good later in his career...especially with his his three fight with Arturo Gatti...while not exactly Graciano vs Zale...they were action-packed fights with lots of drama...and whether you think they sucked or not...their hearts and determination cannot be denied.

What makes this a good story is the relationship between Mickey and his older brother...Dick "Dicky" Eklund...who himself was a journeyman during the late 70s and early 80s...Dick's most notable fight was against Sugar Ray Leonard...and managed to go the distance against him.

Dick "Dicky" Eklund gave up boxing in the mid 80s due to a crack cocaine addiction...which was documented by HBO for 18 months.

After many bouts with the law, he was given a decade long prison sentence...during that time...most of his friends have died of overdoses.

The one who eventually saved his life was his brother...Mickey Ward...you steered him towards the right path (although Dicky is still in trouble with the law).

The Fighter is actually more about Dick "Dicky" Eklund than Mickey Ward...it's a great human interest story...boxing is the secondary story here.

Believe me...I've been following boxing for almost 40 years...and the fact that Mickey Ward was a B-level fighter at best (or even C+)...doesn't bother me in the least.

To make a great "boxing" film...the protagonist does not necessarily have to be a boxing legend...just a good story with great acting...and this movie delivers.

I'm quite familiar with the Mickey Ward story well before the movie as I too have followed boxing for over 30 years. I don't dislike Mickey and I admire his heart, but see nothing of interest here.

Frazier's rise to fame from picking cotton and winning the gold medal and facing racism growing up would've been a better story in my opinion. Glad you liked the movie tho.....I'll probably rent it.