by 'Sports Illustrated'
"The Fighter" has been released in U.S. theaters, meaning the general public will soon know the story of Irish Micky Ward.The buzzed-about film, which is likely to garner Oscar attention, focuses on the life story of the Massachusetts boxer. It was named the "Best Sports Movie of the Decade" by "Sports Illustrated." Its stars, Mark Wahlberg (who plays Ward) and Christian Bale (who plays his half-brother Dicky Eklund) even got to grace the cover, a rare feat for non-athletes.
"As somebody who always dreamed of being a professional athlete, to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated is an amazing accomplishment," Wahlberg told "People."
The 39-year-old Wahlberg, who has received a Golden Globe Best Actor nomination for his role in the film, appears shirtless in boxing shorts and gloves on the cover.
It marks one of the few times in the magazine's 56-year history of that SI has pictured a non-athlete on the cover -- other than in its annual swimsuit issue. Bale portrays Ward's drug-addicted brother in the movie.
Ward rose to boxing fame in the '80s, winning his first 14 fights. He went on hiatus in 1990 after his career hit a snag and he lost four consecutive fights. Convinced by Eklund to get back in the ring, Ward embarked on a successful comeback, winning his first nine fights. In 2000, Ward came back from getting knocked down in the eighth round to beat Shea Neary and win the WBU Light Welterweight Championship.
source
GREAT NEWS FOR COMBAT SPORTS.. BOXING COMING BACK TO MAINSTEAM