These are the boxing TV and film dramas you have to watch in 2025.
There are so many incredible boxing TV dramas and films you could watch. Some of them are new, and most of them are old. But if you’re looking for something to watch that will really knock your socks off (pun intended), then we’ve got a list of some of the greats for you.
Read on for the boxing TV and film dramas to watch in 2025.
A Thousand Blows (2025, Disney+)
This is the most recent release, so we’ll start here.
A Thousand Blows goes into the world of bare-knuckle boxing during the violent period of East London in the last years of the Victorian era – imagine the BetMGM boxing odds in those days. A time with no rules, regulations, and pure brutality. It features renowned actor Stephen Graham, who plays the role of the undefeated bare-knuckle champion known as Henry Sugar Goodson. We think you’ll like (if you like this sort of thing) that the series focuses on the violence of boxing at that time and in people’s personal lives.
The show also features Hezekiah Moscow, played by Malachi Kirby, a Jamaican-born immigrant who finds himself being pulled into the boxing underworld. Erin Doherty is wonderful as Mary Carr, the notorious head of a gang of girl pickpockets called the Forty Elephants. With its rich characters, historical setting, and visceral fight scenes, A Thousand Blows is a masterpiece.
Raging Bull (1980, buy/rent)
Raging Bull is a film like no other. And how can you not love a film directed by Martin Scorsese?
The film stars Robert De Niro, who puts on the performance of his life to portray Jake LaMotta, a professional boxing fighter and a middleweight champion who is always on the run because of his career and personal issues. The gritty essence of LaMotta’s fights is captured in black and white, along with the destructive nature of LaMotta’s actions.
What makes Raging Bull unique is its examination of the violent and psychological devastation wreaked upon LaMotta. LaMotta’s raucous behaviour inside and outside the ring encapsulates the profound connection with those around him. It also shows the resultant void he is left with, leading him down a rabid path of jealousy, anger, and regret. His performance, for which he won the Academy Award, was transformative.
Creed (2015, buy/rent)
Creed brought a whole new way of perceiving boxing.
Michael B. Jordan plays Adonis Creed, an apparent offspring of Apollo Creed who strives to make a name for himself in and outside the ring. Even with a well-to-do background, Adonis attempts to live up to the memory of his father through boxing and training with Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone).
Director Ryan Coogler adds emotional depth as he dives into identity, family, and determination. The fight scenes are always spectacles that somehow become equally heartwarming and heart-wrenching, portraying the reality of the sport’s physical and mental brutality.
Stallone’s nostalgic and heartfelt return as Rocky gave him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
Million Dollar Baby (2004, buy/rent)
Honoured with an Academy Award, Clint Eastwood’s “Million Dollar Baby” brings an insightful and heartwarming perspective to boxing.
Maggie Fitzgerald, played by Hilary Swank, is a young woman with a stubborn streak who persuades veteran trainer Frankie Dunn (Eastwood) to help her achieve her dream of being a professional boxer. Frankie’s bond with Maggie deepens as he witnesses the psychological and physical challenges she endures within the sport.
Frankie and Maggie share a bond that starts as purely student-teachers but becomes father-daughter towards the end. The narrator relays the tale with poignant assurance and love as Frankie’s friend and former boxer Eddie Dupris – Morgan Freeman plays this role effortlessly, packing so many layers into each character. Million Dollar Baby is heart-wrenching and storytelling, motivating compassion, strength, and self-sacrifice.
These films and series showcase the triumphs and tragedies that define boxing. Have you already added any to your watch list?