The general setting of a boxing ring consists of a very limited sequence of actions, with each protagonist in a specific location at the start - the audience needs to know where the fighters are, as well as the official. The cornermen too, and sometimes the ringside announcers. Even specific members of the public, more often than not. And throughout American cinema, those action sequences and those blocking choices both enable brilliant cinematography within the boxing ring.
Of course, continuity editing can play a substantial role in the overall mood given off by a given film's cinematography. Several of these projects were even recognized for Best Film Editing at the Academy Awards, be it a nomination or an actual win. But for the most part, this list will focus on the individual angles and movements of the camera itself.
Some of these scenes contain some really iconic bits of cinematography. And the respective projects are directed by some of the greatest filmmakers of their respective decades and eras. You should no doubt recognize most of the projects on this list, but if not, you'll be familiar with them soon enough. But that said, these are the best shot fights in boxing movie history.
8 The Boxer - Flynn vs. the Celtic Tiger
Here in this captivating scene from The boxer (1997) by Jim Sheridan, we get camera shots through the ropes and other slow-motion ones that get up close and personal as the fighters trade blows in the sack. But there are even camera angles from the top of the arena, almost from a bird's eye view, giving the audience multiple perspectives on the fight - not just a front row seat.
And as Danny Flynn (Golden Globe-nominated, played by Daniel Day-Lewis) moves back and forth with intent, throwing punches, throwing combos with intent, the camera follows his actions with a fluidity and speed that rivals that of the success itself. Honestly, this is one of the lesser-known movies of its kind, but it's highly underrated in that regard. The camerawork of this fight scene will underline that fact.
7 Rocky - Balboa vs. Creed
Given the enormous name value of rocky (1976) and its many high-grossing sequels, this could be the most famous fight scene on the list. Maybe save for the number one pick, that is. And in the scene at hand, the fight goes the distance and results in a decision victory for Apollo Creed that many feel should have gone the other way.
There aren't too many mesmerizing shots here, but there are some creative ones of the two boxers battling it out against the ropes. Plus, this is the longest fight scene on the entire list - so the camera essentially had to employ a certain amount of originality to hold the audience's attention. And no doubt it did to some extent, especially with its quick shoots and other fresh ideas regarding general continuity editing. That's what's really worth mentioning here: the fact that it's the first film on the list to be nominated for Best Picture Editing at the Oscars. In the end, however, this famous scene was mostly iconic for its narrative purposes and finally lands here at number seven.
6 Cinderella Man - Braddock vs Baer
This is one of those aforementioned boxing movies that really excels at everything it sets out to do - from the gripping cinematography and humor of the screenplay to the wonderful direction by Ron Howard and the many indelible performances from its star-studded cast. It was also nominated at the respective Academy Awards ceremony for many of those film elements, including one for Best Picture Editing.
And that really showed in the boxing match at hand, along with the beautiful camera work as Jimmy "Cinderella Man" Braddock took on Max Baer for the heavyweight championship. In it, cinematographer Salvatore Totino used slow motion footage on a few different occasions to tremendous effect. And in general Cinderella man (2006) was better off for its brilliant camera work.
5 The Hurricane - Carter vs Cooper
although The hurricane (1999) by Norman Jewison is more of a character study than a deep dive into the sweet science of boxing, there's a featured fight that's undoubtedly worth writing home about from a cinematic perspective. In the scene at hand, the titular character Rubin "The Hurricane" Carter takes on the champion, the undefeated Joey Cooper. The challenger gives a masterclass against the champion, and the scene itself also features brilliant camera work.
We get an up close and personal look at the devastating uppercuts to the chin and calculated hooks to the body. But we also bring whip pans to the audience to document their reaction between the blows of the respective fighters. It's truly an awe-inspiring run, eventually landing at number five.
4 Million Dollar Baby - Fitzgerald vs Osterman
Directed by Clint Eastwood, this famed boxing drama also stars the American talent in one of two lead roles - the other being Maggie Fitzgerald, played by Hilary Swank. Eastwood's character Frankie Dunn appears as a coach who is initially reluctant to train her in boxing because she is female. But he eventually comes to and the two develop a meaningful relationship that comes to a head when Maggie steps into the ring to face Billie "The Blue Bear" Osterman.
One second in this fight scene out Million Dollar Baby (2004), the camera is placed in the ring and shows Clint Eastwood's character looking through the ropes. Then, in the next moment, the shot cuts to his perspective, looking through the ropes and into the ring, watching the fight like a coach for just a second before being thrust back into the action in the next moment. It's really well shot stuff.
3 The Hunter - Ward vs Neary
Here with Mark Wahlberg playing Micky Ward in the first featured match of The fighter (2010) as he takes on Shea Neary, the London welterweight champion. And as the match progresses, the camera follows the fighters closely and the style alternates between cinematic and documentary. But it also switches the corner from Dicky Ecklund (himself a former boxer, played by Christian Bale) to his brother's corner, as well as occasionally showing the audience.
Micky's family is on one side of the ring, the commentator on the other, and the fighters stand in between, boxing their hearts out in front of thousands of screaming fans. With Micky's lightning fast uppercuts and mesmerizing footwork, his fluidity in the ring mirrors that of the camera movements themselves. And that reflection shows up strongly in the next pick as well, perhaps to a more impressive degree.
2 Creed - Donny vs. the Lion
As the titular character in Belief (2015) pitted against Leo "The Lion" Spinks, audiences got one of the most compelling scenes of any boxing movie, period, whether or not that sequence was set inside a ring. This is where Donny and Leo fought their hearts out for a round and a half, but what's really worth writing home about here is that it was filmed in just one shot.
It took the actors three months of choreography to pull off the scene, but the process was sped up thanks to the man who played Spinks: real-life professional boxer Gabriel Rosado. The two men practiced the scene back and forth for months to get the choreography as perfect as possible. And the end result was just that. The camera is shot in one take and approaches the scene from different angles. And as the match intensifies and reaches its climax, the camerawork remains highlighted until the final bell is rung.
1 Raging Bull - LaMotta vs. Robinson
The opening battle scene of Raging bull (1980) puts you in the ring like never before or since. Director Martin Scorsese managed one of the most influential sequences in film history in terms of overall camera work when he filmed his most frequent collaborator Robert De Niro portraying real-life boxer Jake LaMotta. And frankly, the scene in question has been studied ad nauseam by fans, critics, film students and more, with articles and essays pumping out every other week since the release of the film itself.
And much of that can be attributed to De Niro's legendary performance coupled with the individual movements of the camera throughout much of the film. But when LaMotta took on Sugar Ray Robinson in the aforementioned fight, camerawork in this subgenre was completely taken to a new level and resonated across the medium as a whole. In the end, it's one of the most legendary scenes ever filmed in Scorsese's illustrious career, eventually topping the list.
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