Former boxer Oscar de la Hoya considers himself a huge Jake Gyllenhaal fan, so he was extremely eager to see him portray a boxing champion in the movie “Southpaw.” The thing was, de la Hoya didn’t think so highly of the film. The boxing legend told The Hollywood Reporter that the film falls into common stereotypes and doesn’t do justice to the sport. “Gunplay at black-tie functions; fighters unleashing uncontrollable rages at home; promoters fixing fights. Has this type of behavior reared its head in the history of our sport? At times, unfortunately, yes. Is it common? Absolutely not,” said de la Hoya.
While he didn’t like what he saw plot-wise outside the ring, de la Hoya did praise the fighting and training scenes for their authenticity, except for the huge amounts of blood spilled on the ring. De la Hoya attributes the realness to the help of HBO boxing commentators Jim Lampley and Roy Jones, Jr., referee Tony Weeks and boxer Victor Ortiz, who actually plays one of Gyllenhaal’s most loyal partners and supporters in the film.
Despite his critiques, de la Hoya sustains that Gyllenhaal is a great actor and had nothing but praise for his “remarkable” transformation: “[Gyllenhaal] employs his considerable acting skills to make the audience believe that he could actually be a champion-caliber fighter,” said the former boxer.
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