Anyone But You and Madame Web star Sydney Sweeney is eager to enter the squared circle to portray pioneering boxer Christy Martin for director David Michôd’s upcoming biopic. The project, which will fetch a pretty penny at the Cannes market, charts Martin’s rise to become the most iconic boxer of the 1990s. Dubbed the “female Rocky” by producers, the untitled film follows Martin as she makes a name for herself in the squared circle. 

Martin’s life changed dramatically in 1989 when she met her manager and later husband, Jim Martin. Her career blew up when she signed with fight promoter Don King, leading to an iconic cover story for Sports Illustrated. Known for her fighting prowess, stand-out beauty, and charismatic ways, Martin gained a significant fanbase on her way to becoming the welterweight champion. Sadly, like many athletes, Martin struggled behind the scenes with personal demons, toxic relationships, and an attempt to end her life.

“I grappled and did kickboxing from 12-19 years old. I’ve been itching to get back into the ring, train, and transform my body. Christy’s story isn’t a light one, it’s physically and emotionally demanding, there’s a lot of weight to carry. But I love challenging myself.” Sweeney told Deadline, who broke the story about Sweeney’s casting on Wednesday.

“Christy Martin not only legitimized female boxing, she overcame gender stereotypes, and fought through emotional, physical, and financial abuse,” Sweeney continued. “I’m passionate about the fighting world, Christy’s story shines a light on her incredible rise to the top while showing the struggles of fame behind the curtains. I feel compelled to tell a story about a woman who faced so much adversity and didn’t allow it to defeat her. It’s powerful, and emotional.”

“The film is about Christy as a young gay woman in small town Virginia in the 1990s. She came from a relatively conservative family and wasn’t allowed to be who she was so she used boxing as a vehicle to express herself and her rage. She had to make some dangerous and fundamental compromises in her life, the most important of which was marrying an incredibly dangerous man,” Michôd says about the script.

Sweeney is excited about training for the film and can’t wait to mix it up as Christy Martin in the ring. I love a great Hollywood transformation story and await the details of Sweeney’s training regimen with bated breath. My mom was a personal trainer, so I grew up around strong women (my sister was also a gym rat), and I look forward to seeing Sweeney throw her weight behind a solid punch to her opponent’s bread basket. LFG!

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