Actor Jamie Foxx to play heavyweight champ Mike Tyson in biopic
Free Press wire reports | 6/25/2020, 6 p.m.
Jamie Foxx is in the gym muscling up for what he hopes will be a knockout performance.
The 52-year-old actor will play the lead role in an upcoming biopic on the controversial career of former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson.
Mr. Foxx is known for his great performances in such film roles as Ray Charles in “Ray” (2004); Django Freeman in “Django Unchained” (2012) and Walter McMillian in “Just Mercy” (2019). He also is an accomplished singer, comedian, songwriter and producer.
Speaking on Instagram Live with Hollywood producer Mark Birnbaum, Mr. Foxx announced production “is in the works” on “Finding Mike.”
“It’s a definite yes. We’ve officially got the ball rolling,” Mr. Foxx assured.
Few details were given but Mr. Foxx promises he is pushing himself to pack on muscle and to appear more like the power- ful Mr. Tyson.
Along with lifting weights, Mr. Foxx said he is doing “60 pull ups, 60 (bar) dips and 100 push-ups per day.”
The 5-foot-9 Mr. Foxx hopes to weigh about 216 pounds when shooting begins. Mr. Tyson, now 53, was listed at 5-foot-10 and about 220 pounds during a brilliant ring career.
Known as the “Baddest Man on the Planet,” Mr. Tyson was only 20 when he won the WBC World title in 1986.
Mr. Foxx was quite an athlete himself growing up in Terrell, Texas. He starred in basketball and football and was the first quarterback in Terrell High history to pass for more than 1,000 yards.
