Justin Bieber can be the ‘next’ Jake Paul
We talked to screenwriter, Gregory Allen Howard, who is currently writing a film on Ukrainian boxing legend Dimitry Salita. Pop megastar Justin Bieber, who is being targeted for a supporting role in the film, has impressed Howard with his boxing skills and the Remember the Titans screenwriter said that Bieber can be the next Jake Paul.
Justin Bieber has been taking boxing lessons and could make crossover like Jake Paul
"From what I've seen of Justin Bieber, he has the talent and the boxing skill to crossover from an entertainment background into boxing - he has the ability to become the next Jake Paul.
“I saw Justin spar and he's got skills. I'm not telling you he's ready to be the middleweight champion of the world but he’s not bad. The hard thing in a boxing movie is to move like a boxer. Justin Bieber apparently was taking some lessons, he was really quite credible. There's a little clip of him on YouTube or something. He's very credible as a boxer. “
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Justin Bieber is being targeted for a lead part and Denzel in a support role
“We are trying to get Justin Bieber to play Dmitriy’s character. I was talking to his manager and his manager was going to be a producer of the movie. So we tried Justin but it was a little difficult at the time because he’s in demand.
“I was close to getting Morgan Freeman to play Jimmy O’ because the people in Morgan's company loved the script. I've known Morgan professionally for 20 years and his partner for the same length of time. I gave it to them and asked can we get Morgan in this? That'll help get it made. And the whole company read it and they said this is great. But he said: ‘Greg, I can't do it’ - so I'm going to the next guy. I'm even going to make a run at Denzel.”
Film a biopic on leading trainer and promoter Salita, who has become a huge success in boxing after moving to America from Ukraine
“The project is called: Knockout. The arc of it is this Ukrainian kid - Dmitriy Salita - escapes war in his country and moves to Bedford-Stuyvesant, New York, which was dangerous - Mike Tyson was from there.
“Dmitry was getting his ass kicked and his older brother, Misha, takes him to Jimmy O’ Pharrow's famous boxing gym and Jimmy teaches him about not just boxing, but about life.
“The story is about Jimmy mentoring Dmitriy, really becoming a surrogate father to him, and the journey they take together. Dmitry became like a son to Jimmy. He learned how to be a man in the vision of Jimmy and together they triumphed in the ring - it's Rocky-esque.”
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Photo by Payam Tahery
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