In 1936,
African American boxer
Joe Louis (
Leonard Roberts), trained by
Jack Blackburn (
Richard Roundtree), is undefeated and apparently invincible. Then Jewish-American boxing manager Joe Jacobs (
David Paymer) obtains a film of his fight against
Paulino Uzcudun in
Madison Square Garden. Jacobs delivers the film to his client, German heavyweight champion
Max Schmeling (
Til Schweiger). A pioneer of video analysis, Schmeling discovers how Louis always neglects his guard when he has just delivered a certain blow. Schmeling decides to seek a fight with Louis. The next year they fight in the United States. The German, who is nine years Louis's senior, surprises everybody by winning. The German boxer returns home. The reigning Nazi government strive to exploit his coup for their
propaganda, but he refuses to sign a
treatise supporting the Nazi line because for him it is unthinkable to comply with the
racial policy of Nazi Germany. Only his currently huge popularity saves him from their wrath. Moreover, Schmeling is allowed to keep his manager despite all the discrimination Jews are facing in Germany at this time. Nevertheless,
Hitler (
Rolf Kanies) himself forces Schmeling to sign the Nazi treatise at last. Schmeling feels that he owes Louis a rematch. This time the American audience is completely against Schmeling because the Nazis have succeeded in using him in their propaganda. Right at the beginning of this fight Schmeling is hit in the
lumbar region and suffers a spinal injury. Unable to keep on fighting he must forfeit. Joe Louis visits him after the fight when Schmeling is being treated in a hospital. Joe Jacobs remains in USA when Schmeling returns home again. Schmeling's wife,
Anny Ondra (
Peta Wilson), waits for him at the airport; but this time there is nobody else to receive him. Joe's fate is exactly the opposite. He is revered by the public, but his wife Marva (
Siena Goines) leaves him because she can't deal with the effect this has on him. Meanwhile in Germany, the
Kristallnacht takes place. Max Schmeling and Anny Ondra hide his Jewish tailor in their house. In the end only Anny Ondra's aptitude as an actress saves their lives. Even so, Max Schmeling never agrees to become a member of the ruling Nazi party. Eventually he has to serve as a soldier in the
Fallschirmjäger while Joe Louis does exhibition fights for the
United States Army. After the war both boxers face personal difficulties. Schmeling's house in Germany is destroyed. Joe Louis has problems with the
Internal Revenue Service. Both are clearly past their prime, but still they have to return to the boxing ring. Max Schmeling is eventually lucky because an American boxing official remembers him when
Coca-Cola is looking for an appropriate representative in Germany. With Anny Ondra's approval, he accepts the offered position. When Schmeling travels to America on a business trip, he visits the divorced and impoverished Joe Louis. They remain friends for the rest of their lives. ==Reception==