Sydney Sweeney faced off with Muhammad Ali’s daughter in a new movie trailer.
2025 is a massive year for combat sports films. WWE superstar-turned-actor Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson turned heads with his transformation into UFC Hall of Famer Mark Kerr in ‘The Smashing Machine’ biopic.
The film received a 15-minute standing ovation, with some pundits predicting an Oscar in Johnson’s future.
It might be a tough act to follow but 27-year-old actress Sydney Sweeney (Anyone But You, Euphoria) is swinging for the fences in her upcoming film ‘Christy’ as she plays the role of women’s boxing trailblazer Christy Martin.
Like Johnson, Sweeney was barely recognizable in her transformation into a fighter.
After months of set photos, fans finally got their first real look at ‘Christy’ ahead of its release on Nov. 7.
Sydney Sweeney meets Don King and Laila Ali in ‘Christy’ trailer
Based on the resilient real-life story of Christy Martin, the film’s trailer opens with a conversation between Martin (Sweeney) and Don King, played by Chad L. Coleman.
King is the most famous boxing promoter of all time, having promoted some of the biggest fights in history like the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman and the ‘Thrilla in Manila’ between Ali and Joe Frazier.
Martin was the first woman King ever signed.
Also in the trailer is Martin’s most iconic foe, Laila Ali, daughter of the legendary Muhammad Ali, played by Naomi Graham. King called Martin vs. Ali ‘the greatest women’s fight ever’ in 2003.
The trailer sees Sydney training and knocking out boxers while wearing all pink and highlights Martin’s tumultuous marriage with husband Jim Martin (played by Ben Foster), as well as her sexuality.
The trailer ended with ‘CHRISTY’ in black letters, similar to Sylvester Stallone’s ‘Rocky’, but with a pink background.
Sydney Sweeney felt ‘Christy’s power’ in physical transformation
Sweeney underwent extensive preparation for the role of Christy Martin.
Sweeney boxed multiple hours a day for three months, had a nutritionist and gained 30 lbs to step into the shoes of the legendary boxing champion.
“I truly felt Christy’s power as I transformed,” Sweeney told Deadline.
“I really enjoyed being able to train and work with incredible boxing coaches and weight trainers and nutritionists that helped me get to the place that I was for Christy,” Sweeney said.