You're completely in a subjective point of view. Herzfeld's inspiration was a gladiator movie. It's not a boxing film, but it's a fight film-especially the sparring scenes between Kirk Douglas and Woody Strode. We came up with our own style for the boxing scenes. We took a little from Rocky, Raging Bull, Requiem for a Heavyweight and Champion and created our own 10-headed beast.
Most directors choose to present fight scenes in rococo, spectacularly violent bursts.
In a real fight, it's normal for there to be some down time-the fighters clinch and hang on the ropes. In a movie, it's all rock 'em, sock 'em. Every punch lands and they land with sound like you're being hit by a truck. The film crew staged four days worth of sparring sessions in Reno, with Mancini taking on local fighters, and then used that footage. The difference is it's actors playing fighters.