This archive report was first published on 20 June 2020.
Published on June 20, 2020, Jamie Foxx has finally confirmed that he will play Mike Tyson in an upcoming biopic about the boxing legend's life.
After a six-year hiatus, Foxx has started working on the project, which he first conceived in 2014.
During an Instagram Live series, Foxx, 52, spoke about taking on the role and showed off his intense body transformation in preparation.
"It's a definitive yes," Foxx said. "Doing biographies is a tough thing. Sometimes it takes 20 years to get them done, but we officially got the real ball rolling."
As part of his preparation, Foxx has started an intense training regime to acquire Tyson's physique, which includes completing 60 pull-ups, 60 dips, and 100 push-ups every day to push his weight to 216 pounds and increase to 230 pounds at filming.
According to Foxx, he first met Tyson after performing standup comedy when he was 22, and he is excited to show the boxer's journey in the film, including the moments when things got bad and bumpy.
"I think everyone, young and old, will be able to understand this man's journey," Foxx said.
Mike Tyson, the undisputed world champion at the height of his career, has had a tumultuous past, including being jailed after being convicted of rape in 1992, filing for bankruptcy in 2003, and pleading guilty to possession of cocaine and driving under the influence in 2007.
