Jamie Foxx is set to play Mike Tyson in an untitled biopic written by Terence Winter.

Jamie Foxx already has a biopic under his belt with Ray, and has played a corner man in a boxing movie in Ali. So combining the two only makes sense, especially when the chance to play Mike Tyson is at stake.

As one of the most polarizing figures in sports, producers are eager to tackle Tyson’s life story. Known for the power and ferocity he displayed in the ring, Tyson became not just the top boxer at the end of the ’80s but one of the most popular sports figures, with a rough around-the-edges personality he displayed both in and out of the ring.

After losing his heavyweight title in 1990 following the upset loss to Buster Douglas, Tyson’s life began to spin out of control, including a six-year stint in prison after being found guilty of rape. Tyson returned to boxing but never quite returned to form, and became more known for his losses to Evander Holyfied (a match which made headlines when Tyson bit off part of Holyfield’s ear) and Lennox Lewis.

After leaving boxing in 2005, Tyson still had hurdles to overcome, such as his 2003 bankruptcy and the death of his young daughter. In recent years, he has kept out of trouble.

He premiered a one-man show in Vegas in 2012 that he later took to Broadway with the help of Spike Lee and released a memoir “Undisputed Truth” that made the New York Times bestseller list.

Though it’s unknown exactly which parts of Tyson’s life Winter will focus on, he has plenty of material to cover over the past 30 years. HBO tackled the story before with the 1995 pic “Tyson” starring Michael Jai White, but no one has tried to adapt his story as a feature film, though boxing is a popular sport for films.

Jamie Foxx is a really good actor and Mike Tyson is one of the most exciting sports figures and that’s not even getting to his life outside and after the ring.

This is certainly interesting news and I’ll keep an eye out for more news, additional casting, and eventually a trailer.

Source: Variety