LESS STYLISH than Raging Bull, less euphoric than the Rocky films, The Fighter (US/15A/115 mins) is a boxing movie made in the image of its hero, ‘Irish’ Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg), a solid but unspectacular Irish-American scrapper who slugged his way to a shot at the world title in the mid-’90s.

Boxing is one of the few sports – baseball is another – that lend themselves to the screen, and more often than not to major film awards. This excellent film has already collected a string of nominations and wins.

Mark Wahlberg has revealed he got into his last fight when a man attacked his friend in a nightclub.

'The King’s Speech' won the best-actor trophy for Colin Firth and a second honour for its overall cast at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

MARK Wahlberg, it seems, was destined to take on the role of junior welterweight ‘Irish’ Micky Ward in his critically lauded new film, The Fighter.

But rough streets frequented by prostitutes and dealers provided a potent breeding ground for his underlying talents

BRAZILIAN police have questioned the wife of a former world boxing champion, Arturo Gatti, after he was found dead in a hotel in north-eastern Brazil.

HALL of Fame trainer Emanuel Steward has promised Andy Lee will come back a better, stronger fighter after his shock first defeat as a professional last weekend.

Boston-born actors and The Departed co-stars Matt Damon and Mark Wahlberg are set to star in a new film about boxer 'Irish' Micky Ward.

Connacht’s hopes of some play-off action ended six weeks ago, but they sent Montpellier packing with a four-try 26-13 win in a wet European Challenge Cup encounter tonight.

Newcastle today completed the signing of Italian international prop Tino Paoletti.

Newcastle shrugged off the absence of England superstar Jonny Wilkinson to grind out a priceless Heineken Cup away win at rain-lashed Rodney Parade.

Forwards Micky Ward and Will Johnson have been drafted into England’s squad for the Churchill Cup in Canada.

Harlequins 27 Newcastle 30