Sydney Sweeney Steps Into the Ring With Boxing Legend Christy Martin [WATCH]

Sydney Sweeney is trading Hollywood glitz for a pair of boxing gloves as she steps into the role of legendary fighter Christy Martin.

The actress, best known for her breakout in The White Lotus, has been training to bring the trailblazing boxer’s story to life in an upcoming biopic. Now, newly surfaced footage shows Sweeney going a few rounds with the real-life champ herself.

TMZ obtained exclusive footage of Sweeney in the ring, throwing playful punches at Martin, who clearly takes it easy on the actress.

Dennis Quaid’s #1 Warning for Americans

While it’s unclear whether the clip is part of the actual film or just a promotional moment, it does show Sweeney getting a feel for the role—though let’s be honest, no one’s mistaking her for a real contender just yet.

Sydney Sweeney training for CHRISTY MARTIN pic.twitter.com/9mHIrc1YV4

— Sydney Sweeney fans (@sweeneydailyx) December 13, 2024

Meanwhile, newly released photos from the film offer a glimpse into one of Martin’s defining moments.

Sweeney, dressed in a crisp white blazer, is seen sitting in a home drenched in ‘90s nostalgia, an old Sports Illustrated magazine featuring her character’s face prominently displayed on the table.

That cover, which Martin landed in 1996, was a landmark for women’s boxing and helped push the sport into the mainstream.

23 years after appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated, Christy Martin joins us on the @ShowtimeBoxing podcast. The First Lady of Boxing @1LadyCecilia joins us too, as we discuss @Claressashields vs @LadyHammer1 on @Showtime https://t.co/OLciJqIIOT pic.twitter.com/KiIoGBKp55

— Kieran Mulvaney (@kieranmulvaney) April 10, 2019

The still-untitled film boasts a cast featuring Ben Foster, Merritt Wever, Jess Gabor, and Ethan Embry. Filming wrapped in late 2024, but no official release date has been announced yet.

While shooting, Sweeney turned heads with a bold rooftop photoshoot in NYC, posing topless with an open knit cardigan.

She is clearly hoping to pack a punch in Hollywood with this role—both in the ring and at the box office.

While time will tell if her performance lands her a knockout Oscar nod, she’s at least proving she’s willing to step into the ring and take a swing at something new. If Christy Martin could rack up 32 KOs in her career, maybe Sweeney can at least score one in the form of a blockbuster hit.