Boxing biopic 'Giant' tells tale of 'the prince and his trainer'

LONDON, Jan ‌7 : Docudrama "Giant" brings the story of Britain's former world champion "Prince" Naseem Hamed to the big screen, with Amir El-Masry and Pierce Brosnan portraying the boxer and his trainer. 

Hamed held multiple featherweight world titles in a career lasting from 1992 to 2002 and was famed for his spectacular entrances and ringside antics. 

"Giant" follows Hamed's rise from humble beginnings, focusing on his relationship with mentor and trainer Brendan Ingle. 

Irishman Ingle, played by Brosnan, runs a gym in ‌the English city of Sheffield, seeking to inspire youngsters to swap ‌life in the streets for the ring. When Hamed's Yemeni parents send their sons there to better equip them against racist bullies, 7-year-old Naseem stands out with his fast footwork and swagger. Ingle's unorthodox training methods and Hamed's talent propel the two to the top of the sport, but success tests their bond. 

"It's a story of two men who are wildly ambitious ... who know what it's like to be ‍on the outside of life and have this ferocious passion to be great," said Brosnan premiering the film in London on Wednesday. 

Brothers Ghaith and Ali Saleh play Hamed at ages 7 and 12, while El-Masry portrays the boxer at his peak. 

El-Masry spent four weeks preparing for the role, training 12 hours a day, ​losing 8 kg (18 pounds) and watching archive ‌footage to hone in on Hamed's movements and bravado. 

"Massive boots to fill. He was one of my heroes growing up," said El-Masry. 

Sylvester Stallone was an executive producer for "Giant", which ​was written and directed by Rowan Athale.

Athale described the movie as a "fractured love story between a father and a ⁠son".

The late Ingle's contributions to boxing and ‌his community "needed to be