Summary

• Sydney Sweeney will star as boxing legend Christy Martin in an upcoming biopic about the fighter's life.
• Animal Kingdom's David Michôd will helm the project, which should begin production this fall.
• Martin retired in 2012 with a 49-7-3 record, boasting a stunning 31 victories by knockout, and she has been inducted into six hall of fames.

And in this corner… Sydney the actress Sweeney weighs in on her upcoming biopic about a true boxing legend. The star of the wildly successful romantic comedy Anyone but You, who is also coming fresh off of her starring role in the horror flick, Immaculate, will portray boxing Hall-of-Famer Christy Martin in an upcoming biopic led by filmmaker and Animal Kingdom executive producer David Michôd. Sweeney seems very excited about the future sports drama, which is slated to start production this fall, and she admires how Martin — who was once represented by Don King — “legitimized female boxing." Sweeney also said (per Deadline):

“I grappled and did kickboxing from 12 to 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. 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.”

David Michôd Insists 'Audiences Will Crave' Christy Martin’s Story

The financial woes of Madame Web didn’t slow down Sydney Sweeney one iota. After steaming up the big screen with Glen Powell in the hilarious hit rom-com Anyone but You, Sweeney readies to shift creative gears drastically as she prepares to portray former boxer Christy Martin. For filmmaker David Michôd, the biopic is also a change of pace. David Michôd said in the same interview:

“I have a history of making movies about damaged men, and I’d been wanting to make a film about a woman with a ferocious energy inside her. When I came across the Christy Martin story two years ago, I knew I’d found it. Her ferocity is intelligible and justifiable, and audiences will crave it because of the circumstances she was forced to endure.”

At the time of this writing, Christy Martin’s biopic does not have a working title. Mirrah Foulkes serves as a co-writer on the project alongside Michôd, and Sweeney’s Fifty-Fifty Films will help produce along with Black Bear's Teddy Schwarzman. Foulkes, Michael Heimler, John Friedberg, Brad Zimmerman, David Levine, Nick Shumaker and Ryan Schwartz all serve as executive producers on the untitled biopic.

Christy Martin was 21 years old when she first stepped into a boxing ring (per Christy Martin Promotions). At the time of her retirement in 2012, Martin boasted a jaw-dropping record of 49-7-3, and 31 of her nearly 50 victories came by knockout! She was also the first female boxer to ever be inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame — Martin has been inducted into a total of six hall of fames.

While Martin's professional life is one for the record books, her personal life turned into a living nightmare. In November of 2010, Martin miraculously survived almost being murdered by her former trainer and husband, Jim, who stabbed, shot her and left the ex-boxer for dead. With the compelling nature of Martin's story, and the talent already attached, Michôd's biopic has the potential to become a stage for one of Sydney Sweeney's best performances.

Those interested in learning more about the prizefighter’s harrowing ordeal, check out a sneak peek of Christy Martin —The Fight of Her Life, courtesy of 48 Hours.