Jamie Foxx has confirmed that his long-awaited Mike Tyson biopic is in the works – and he has been training hard to get in shape for the role.
The Oscar-winning star, 52, is set to play the former heavyweight champ in a film about his life and career.
Fans were worried by a lack of news about the project, but Foxx has assured them the film is being made.
The actor said: “It’s a definitive yes. Doing biographies is a tough thing. Sometimes it takes 20 years to get them done, but we officially got the real ball rolling.”
Foxx has taken on an intense training regime to play US boxer Tyson, 53.
He said: “Every other day I do 60 pull-ups, 60 dips, 100 push-ups. I ain’t got no calf muscles, so we might have to get some prosthetics for that.”
Foxx won an Oscar for his turn as singer Ray Charles in 2004 biopic, Ray.
And he said he “can’t wait” to portray Tyson, who is one of the most feared fighters in history. He twice beat Brit boxer Frank Bruno, 58, in heavyweight championship title bouts.
Tyson also had his fair share of controversy outside the ring, including a rape conviction in 1992.
Speaking on Instagram Live, Foxx said: “We want to show everybody evolves. I think everybody from young and old will be able to understand this man’s journey.”
Foxx also revealed that he first met the boxer in the “weirdest way”.
He said: “I was on stage doing stand-up years ago. I get to my Mike Tyson joke and nobody claps, nobody laughs. You know why? Because Mike was watching.”
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