Hollywood’s relationship with boxing has been a difficult one. Filmmakers have often struggled to walk the fine line between romanticizing the brutal sport and truly exploring the psyche of those who choose to pursue such a career willingly. But directing a boxing scene is no cakewalk, especially when it comes to films like Rocky or Raging Bull, where the working class, average earner audience wants their money’s worth, but so do the critics. There are technicalities involved, individual fighting styles to be explored (especially in biopics), and, of course, staging and executing the actual choreographed rumble.

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Out of the multiple boxing films which Hollywood has produced over the years, only a few boxing sequences have actually withstood the test of time and have managed to stay fresh in the audience’s memories. Let’s have a look at some of the most successful and well-known boxing scenes in cinema history.

Creed: Adonis Creed Vs. Ricky Conlan

Ryan Coogler’s Creed is, above all, a smart film. The film, which is sort of a spin-off from the legendary Rocky films, features Michael Jordan as Adonis Johnson, Apollo Creed’s illegitimate son who recruits the former heavyweight champion, Rocky Balboa, as his trainer.

The fight between him and the British light-heavyweight champion Conlan is so memorable because it had an element of unpredictability. No one knew when Creed was going to make his move. The tense 15-second sequence of them trading shots, which ended with Mary Anne Creed’s scream, was a fantastic one because it was technically sound without being flamboyant.

The Fighter: Micky Ward Vs. Unnamed Opponent

David O Russell’s 2010 sports biopic was nominated for seven Academy Awards and was one of the most promising releases of the year. It stars Christian Bale as a former boxer and a recovering cocaine addict and Mark Wahlberg as the former welterweight champion Micky Ward.

The undercard fight between Micky and his opponent, who is 20 pounds heavier, exudes a sense of urgency. If Micky did not fight back after every punch, he would lose very fast. The director makes use of that suspense and does not make Micky a predictable fighter; instead of answering every shot, he lets his opponent punch him several times before he breaks his stance. 

Ali: Muhammad Ali Vs. Joe Frazier

Will Smith stars as the legendary boxer and philanthropist Muhammad Ali in this riveting sports biopic directed by Michael Mann. Ali’s fight with heavyweight champion Joe Frazier was very high on drama because it was dubbed as the "fight of the century."

However, it was also very technically sound and not too flashy or ostentatious in terms of risk-taking. The fight had resulted in the first loss of Ali’s career, but instead of turning the entire sequence into a heartbreaking ballad for the defeated, the choreography puts a focus upon Ali’s resilience. It also acts as a metaphor for his personal narrative. 

Cinderella Man: James Braddock Vs. Max Baer

Cinderella Man

Although Ron Howard’s film is predictable and has a storyline that could have used some sanding on its edges, the fight between boxing champion James J. Braddock (Russell Crowe) and Max Baer was spectacular on all counts. Crowe’s convincing physicality was his biggest asset for the film.

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The narrative propelled Baer as a safe bet, which is why Braddock’s win against him, even with a fractured arm, could be set up like a stupendous accomplishment. The fight was unpretentious and incredibly steadfast. Interestingly, Braddock’s story unravels amid the Great Depression, and critics have often suggested that Braddock’s unputdownable resilience in his fights was meant to act as a metaphor for a down-on-its-luck America. 

Champion: Midge Kelly Vs. Unnamed Opponent

Champion, starring Kirk Douglas, was based on a short story by sports columnist and author Ring Lardner. Douglas starred as Midge Kelly, an immoral fighter who gets into an undercard fight for the cash. This is Kelly’s first-ever ring fight and he clearly lacks finishing skills and even the boxing judge could see that he is an amateur. 

He is nevertheless a clean fighter and does not go down easily. When he does get back on his feet to face his clearly better-equipped adversary, he tries to tire him out, which is the go-to move for any beginner. The fight, as a whole, sticks to some very simplistic shots that work well for the scene to establish the fact that Kelly lacks professional prowess.

Warrior: Brendan Conlon Vs. Tommy Conlon

In the 2011 drama Warrior, Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton are estranged brothers who have a face-off in the boxing ring for one of the most vicious fights in modern cinema history. In fact, the first approximately two minutes of the fight sequence are almost too painful to watch because Tommy’s relentless onslaught on his brother is shocking on so many levels.

The fight is obviously choreographed in a way that depicts pent-up rage and is brilliant because neither fighter tries to hide the fact that their rivalry is not just professional. The fight is by no means a clean one, as there are several bouts of unbridled aggression, but it is very in sync with the film’s narrative.

The Hurricane: Rubin Carter Vs. Emile Griffith

The 1999 Norman Jewison film stars Denzel Washington as heavyweight boxer Rubin "The Hurricane" Carter, who was wrongly convicted of triple murder and had spent 20 years in prison. The film opens with the fight between Carter and welterweight champion Emile Griffith. 

At that time, Carter was on the verge of becoming the world’s greatest boxing champion, so his moves were taut, decisive, and not exceedingly aggressive. The scene did a lot to establish Carter as a superior, more sophisticated fighter, in terms of approach. In real life and in the film, the fight lasted for two minutes and thirteen seconds and, needless to say, ended with Hurricane’s win.

Rocky IV: Rocky Vs. Ivan Drogo

Ivan Drogo is very different from Rocky’s previous high-powered ring rivals; he is not flashy or verbose. The silent Soviet Olympian was in many ways more intimidating than Apollo Creed or even James Lang. In Rocky IV, the fight scenes are more stylized; Ivan lets Rocky have his shots and leans into his punches, and uses the element of surprise to stop him and knock him down with one punch.

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Also, Ivan is leaner and has longer arms, which lets him put a distance between Rocky and himself, while simultaneously making his move against his opponent. The fight between them was incredibly satisfying to watch, mainly because both of these contenders were almost equally competent (although Ivan was a staggering 6’6").

Raging Bull: Sugar Ray Robinson Vs. Jake LaMotta

Robinson and LaMotta had two very distinct fighting styles and it was important for the film to depict that in visual terms, and Scorsese delivered. In Raging Bull, Robinson faces LaMotta in the former’s middleweight debut, and Robinson is a little shaky with his headshots for obvious reasons.

The scene is brilliant in capturing Robinson’s defeat and features some tense camera shifts and glaring paparazzi flashes to make Robinson’s knockdowns more humiliating. The film, despite being a study in masculinity, wanted to prove that LaMotta was beyond doubt the best of the best, and this scene alone does a fair share of work to establish LeMotta’s prowess as it occurs during the first 20 minutes.

Rocky: Apollo Creed Vs. Rocky Balboa

Rocky and Apollo Creed

In Rocky, the fight between a world champion like Apollo Creed and a nobody like Rocky Balboa was the ultimate actualization of the American Dream, and it obviously represented something broader. Rocky knocks down Apollo in what is claimed to be the latter’s first knockdown ever. It is a momentous feat, cheered on by working-class men across the nation who see themselves as Rocky.

Creed is visibly thrown off by Rocky’s prowess, and his face-first style of fighting, which puts Creed at a disadvantage. At the four-minute mark, Rocky proves himself to be a totally competent adversary to the global champion, relentlessly punching him down until he is physically stopped by ring judges.

NEXT: 5 Reasons Why Rocky Is The Best Boxing Movie (& 5 Why It's Raging Bull)