At the peak of the heavyweight hype surrounding the welterweight fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao tomorrow night, now seems like an opportune time to start promoting a boxing movie. With the first TV spot for their forthcoming boxing drama, Southpaw, being released, that’s exactly what The Weinstein Company is doing.
Nerdist reports that the film, which stars Jake Gyllenhaal, is being directed by Antoine Fuqua, who is best known for helming 2001’s Training Day.
Gyllenhaal plays Billy “The Great” Hope, a champion boxer fighting for redemption after the tragedy of his wife’s death. The cast also includes co-stars Rachel McAdams, Rita Ora, Naomie Harris, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and Tyrese Gibson.
Southpaw hits theaters on July 24.