Decent Film, Disappointing Final Third

Rating: 7/10 (29 March 2020)

Comparisons to Rocky are incorrect. The character development isn't there. You don't care enough about Tommy and Brendan. Plus, their story doesn't make sense.
Further, the details don't add up. The result is a very confused final third of the film.
#1 TOMMY KNOCKS OUT EVERYONE, INSTANTLY, EXCEPT HIS BROTHER
Tommy, is a destroyer. Tommy can knock out World Number 1 contenders in under 1min. He beats every opponent in seconds, not minutes.
Why does Tommy's punch that knocks out a professional fighter, not knock out his brother, Brendan an amateur? No idea.
Is it because his Brendan has a cast iron jaw? Maybe. Tell the viewer more about it and his super-human jaw. As it stands, it is simply unbelievable.
#2 TOMMY IS AN EXPERIENCED WRESTLER, YET ONLY BRENDAN DOES WRESTLING SUBMISSION HOLDS
Tommy as a teenager was an incredible wrestler growing up. Was Brendan? No idea, I guess so as all Brendan does all film is take a beating, then lock-in a wrestling hold to get his opponent to tap out. But, how does that make sense? Tommy is the expert wrestler, not Brendan. Yet, for all his experience, Tommy doesn't do a single wrestler hold all film. Makes no sense.
#3 MARINES CHEER A DESERTER
Yeah right!
It's a 2+ hour film, yet Tommy's desertion and whole reason for fighting gets covered in a few minutes. A random character, we've never met before, is the whole reason Tommy is fighting. Tommy is going to give this random woman the full $5m, why, was it his fault her husband died, is she hugely in debt, we have no idea!
This also blurs the lines for Brendan's reason for fighting. Brendan is fighting for his family. Tommy is fighting for his dead friend's family. What's the difference? None. Should the audience care for one not the other?
#4 WHY DOES BRENDAN NEED ALL THE PRIZE MONEY
Brendan is a school teacher, living a low-rent lifestyle with debts from his kid's heart transplant. Let's face it, no bank would have loaned him much money.
Yet in the semi-final his trainer says he must win, or he loses his house. Does Brendan get zero dollars for getting to the Semi? I doubt it. He probably only needs $200k.
The fact he needs $5m is just laughable.
The film could have been great. But the story has so many holes. In 2 hours it's amazing how limited the story line is.