James Earl Jones plays Jack Jefferson, the world's top heavyweight boxing champion and the first African American to hold the title. Despite his success, he faces backlash from many. When he's falsely accused of violating the Mann Act for dating his white fiancée Eleanor, he escapes to Europe with her, encountering various challenges before landing in Cuba, where he agrees to fight in a potentially career-defining match.
The Great White Hope
The film tells the story of a skilled African American boxer and his courageous white partner as they navigate the brutal world of professional boxing, defying systemic racism and obstacles to reach their goals.