Prince Naseem Hamed’s Rise Hits Cinemas in Powerful Biopic “Giant”

The movie-going world in 2026 has kicked off with a bang in tribute to sporting glory. The biographical drama ‘Giant’ tells the story of featherweight boxing star Prince Naseem Hamed rise to fame. It hits British cinemas on January 9, 2026. The film has created much excitement with its raw take on the tough bond between a struggling Irish trainer and a glamorous Yemeni-British boxing star.

A Transformation of Grit and Swagger

Filming, however, required a different level of preparation for both actors. In a Reuters article, actor Amir El-Masry achieved an ‘astonishing body transformation’ for his role as ‘Naz,’ a boxer. He finished a four-week ‘military-style’ training camp and lost ‘8kg’ (or ‘18 lbs’). In a Daily Sabah article, El-Masry said he ‘spent up to 12 hours a day mastering the unique ‘Southpaw’ style of Hamed, including his somersault entrance, to add his own flair to the show.’

In Yahoo UK features section, El-Masry stated that acting out Hamed was “a very personal project” for him. El-Masry continued, “As a British-Arab, Hamed was like a ray of hope, so it’s like it’s my responsibility to not just represent him on that level on screen.”

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The Heart of the Wincobank Gym

The boxing scenes are graphic, but the film’s heart is the bond between Hamed and his trainer, Brendan Ingle. The Ring Magazine says Pierce Brosnan gave a great performance as Ingle, a Dublin steelworker who runs the well-known gym at Wincobank in Sheffield. Hello Magazine says the actor was ‘virtually unrecognizable’ during filming. This was due to prosthetics and a strong Dublin accent.

Rowan Athale, the director, described the story at the opening screening as a “fractured love story” at its core. The documentary shows how Ingle used boxing to protect Hamed from the racist abuse that was common in Britain during Margaret Thatcher’s time. It also covers the split between the two men, driven by ego, during Hamed’s rise to success.

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Production Pedigree and Real-World Impact

Indeed, the authenticity of this film is enhanced by the presence of a celebrity production team. Variety reports that one of the production team members is Sylvester Stallone. He served as an executive producer through his company, Balboa Productions. This is an individual who has experience stretching back many decades in films concerning boxing. The actual Prince Naseem Hamed appeared at the London premiere of “Giant” on January 7.

In the red carpet interviews, Hamed shared a fair review of the film. He said it captured not just the “good parts” but also “the bad parts” of his experiences. Though Hamed is working on a documentary of his own project with Mark Wahlberg, Hamed admitted that “Giant” is a “testament to his legacy.”