Massive respect to Jake Gyllenhaal.

Having been around fighters for around 30 years, I have a good idea of the obessive training required to look good and fight good. Pound-for-pound, there aren’t many sportsmen who could match up to boxers for speed, endurance, agility, strength and toughness.

Reaching the pain barrier is something most of the top fighters thrive on.

Gyllenhaal is no boxer – he’ll admit as much – but he transformed his phyique into one a champion boxer would be proud of for his starring role in Southpaw.

It’s taking method acting to the nth degree, which is a necessary requirement if Gyllenhaal is to pull it off as a legitimate boxer. I hope the fight scenes are authentic. Many a good boxing movie has been spoiled by lame and inevitably over-dramatised boxing scenes.

But at least Gyllenhaal looks like the real deal. Champion, right there.