Exclusive: Day of the Fight trailer packs the punch of a raging bull, with Joe Pesci, Michael C. Pitt and Steve Buscemi

A fresh-faced new contender looking to pound its way into a place on your watch-list has entered the ring — take an exclusive look at the new trailer for boxing drama Day of the Fight.

Starring Michael C. Pitt, Steve Buscemi, Ron Perlman and a supporting role from the legendary Joe Pesci, from the look of the trailer it’s a bone-crunching, heart-breaking underdog story cut from the same cloth as Raging Bull and On The Waterfront.

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Here’s the synopsis:

On the day of his first fight since leaving prison, former middleweight champion and weathered boxer, “Irish Mike” Flannigan, prepares for his highly anticipated return to the ring, a long-shot undercard at the legendary Madison Square Garden. But before he can face off against a new champion, he first needs to face the demons from his past, embarking on a redemptive emotional journey of second chances, self-sacrifice and forgiveness.

Directed by Jack Huston, Pesci’s role, specifically written for him, is said to be one to look out for — playing Pitt’s father, it was a role written specifically for the Goodfellas star, and is a completely wordless turn, with his character battling Alzheimer's disease. It’s Pesci’s first acting role since 2019’s The Irishman, and comes close to 45 years since he appeared in Scorsese's own lauded boxing drama, Raging Bull.

There’s a nice buzz here according to the Rotten Tomatoes critics' verdicts, so definitely one to watch when it releases in the UK early next year.

Day of the Fight premieres exclusively on the Icon Film Channel from February 3rd, and is released in UK cinemas from March 7th.