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Jamie Foxx To Star In Netflix Biopic On Resilient, Record Breaking 1984 US Olympic Boxing Team
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Manouk Akopyan
Manouk Akopyan
RingMagazine.com
Jamie Foxx To Star In Netflix Biopic On Resilient, Record-Breaking 1984 US Olympic Boxing Team
Hollywood is glorifying the resilient 1984 United States Olympic boxing team, which medaled 11 times, with nine of them a record-breaking gold.

American actor, comedian, and singer Jamie Foxx will star in and produce the new Netflix biopic "Fight For ’84," the streaming service announced this week during its Upfront event in New York.

Foxx will play the character of a coach hired to rebuild the United States Olympic boxing program after the original team was killed in a real plane crash.

On March 14, 1980, a LOT Polish Airlines flight headed from New York to Poland crashed less than a mile from Warsaw's Okecie Airport, taking the lives of 14 USA amateur boxers and eight staff members en route to compete in dual events in Krakow and Katowice.

The U.S. boxing team was coached by Pat Nappi in 1976, 1980, and 1984, but Foxx will play another member of the coaching staff.

Colombian filmmaker Andrés Baiz (Griselda, Narcos, Santanás) will direct the film in his English-language feature debut. A release date was not announced.

“What excites me about ‘Fight for ’84’ is how deeply human it is,” Baiz told Netflix. “It’s a story about second chances, rebuilding after loss and finding strength through connection. This isn’t about fame or glory – it’s about heart, discipline, and purpose. In a time when so many of us are trying to find meaning again, this story feels more relevant than ever.

“Teaming up with Jamie Foxx is incredibly exciting. He’s an exceptional actor with unmatched range, brings realness and depth you can’t fake. As star and producer, he brings passion and truth to the role. I’m eager to learn from him and, through honest direction, help him tap into something raw and deeply personal.”

Starring in boxing roles is nothing new for the Academy Award-winning Foxx.

The multi-dimensional 57-year-old played the role of Muhammad Ali's assistant trainer Drew Bundini Brown in the 2001 biopic "Ali" and he's also been linked to a long-in-development Mike Tyson biopic. Foxx also played the role of Hassan El Ruk'n in the 1996 boxing comedy "The Great White Hype."

The historic 1984 team during the Los Angeles Summer Games featured nine gold medal winners, the most in Olympic boxing history.

48 KG (light flyweight): Paul Gonzales
51 KG (flyweight): Steve McCrory
57 KG (featherweight): Meldrick Taylor
60 KG (lightweight): Pernell Whitaker
63 KG (light welterweight): Jerry Page
67 KG (welterweight): Mark Breland
71 KG (light middleweight): Frank Tate
75 KG (middleweight): Virgil Hill (silver)
81 KG (light heavyweight): Evander Holyfield (bronze)
91 KG (heavyweight): Henry Tillman
91+ KG (super heavyweight): Tyrell Biggs

Manouk Akopyan is The Ring’s lead writer. Follow him on X and Instagram: @ManoukAkopyan.

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