Grammy-winning singer Usher is preparing for his role as legendary boxer Sugar Ray Leonard in "Hands of Stone," an upcoming film based on the life of the great brawler Roberto Duran, according to The Associated Press. Usher said he has been preparing to play Leonard for more than a year and still needs to lose nearly 25 pounds before shooting begins in October.
The singer believes his dancing skills will help him in playing the role of Leonard. Usher draws similarities to the Leonard, who is known for his smooth feet and wide smile.
"You couldn't find a more stylized boxer than Sugar Ray Leonard," Usher told The AP via telephone. "He was an incredible motion guy, the way he moved around the ring, and I think my dancing will make it easier for me to pick up his moves. I've been working on familiarizing myself with the ring, sparring and just understanding how to move in the ring."
"Hands of Stone," named for Duran's famous nickname, depicts the life of a boxer who rose from the slums of Panama to defeat the unbeaten WBC welterweight champion Leonard in 1980. Leonard would best Duran several months later in the infamous "no mas" fight.
The cast also includes Robert De Niro as Duran's Hall of Fame trainer, Ray Arcel. Edgar Ramirez, who was recently in the film "Zero Dark Thirty," will play Duran.
The biopic, written and directed by Jonathan Jakubowicz, is a love story and sports drama that includes the "Brawl in Montreal," the first fight between Duran and Leonard, and the "no mas" fight, which took place in New Orleans.
In the eighth round of the latter fight, Duran inexplicably quit, saying "no more" in his native tongue of Spanish. The two would fight one final time, with Leonard once again capturing the victory.
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