Nominated for seven Oscars, The Fighter is an incredible story of triumph over adversity both in and out of the boxing ring.

The film provides all of the usual emotional jabs and upper cuts as its working class hero defies the odds for one shot at glory.

Tensions between the pugilist and his family threaten to derail his championship bid, culminating in the obligatory final flurry to coax the audience to its feet. Micky (Mark Wahlberg) is a talented boxer, but has always languished in the shadow of his half brother Dicky (Christian Bale), who famously knocked down Sugar Ray Leonard then lost everything to drugs and crime.

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Trained by Dicky and managed by his monstrous mother, Alice (Melissa Leo), Micky accepts lacklustre fights for scant rewards until he is persuaded to cut himself loose from his loved ones and punch above his weight for the first time in his life.

The Fighter is well crafted, juxtaposing Micky’s struggle for self-belief and self-respect with his unwavering love for his selfish and self-destructive family.

Wahlberg’s non-performance is virtually mute next to Bale and Leo in full flow, who compete for honours as the loudest caricature.

The Fighter punches to win with directorial flair but in a brawl with Raging Bull, Rocky or Million Dollar Baby, film would be knocked out in the final round.