I watched tapes and became a historian of the sport, and tried to combine certain elements and find things in the gym and saw what worked for me.

The greatest gift that an actor can have is good scripts because then you're relieved of the responsibility of trying to elevate the material.

I had always wanted to play a boxer, all of my life. I grew up watching great boxing films.

I watched tapes and became a historian of the sport, and tried to combine certain elements and find things in the gym and saw what worked for me.

I always wanted to play a boxer because some of my favorite films, as a boy, were those great boxing movies, like 'Raging Bull', 'Rocky', 'The Set Up', 'Fat City and Hard Times'. I just loved those films.

I love boxing. I really respect the guys and admire the guys who do it. But, I'm very, very happy with my career as an actor. I made the right choice.

I take my hat off to my friend, Mark Wahlberg, because I know that it took him a long time to make 'The Fighter,' and he overcame a lot of obstacles to do it, and now the film is an unqualified success.