Miles Teller to play boxer Pazienza

Footloose star Miles Teller is heading for the ring to portray boxer Vinny Pazienza in a new biopic.

Pazienza was almost killed in a 1991 car crash and amazed medics by defying the odds and returning to boxing a year later (92).

Aaron Eckhart will play the fighter's legendary trainer Kevin Rooney in the film, Bleed For This, which will be produced by Martin Scorsese.

Ironically, the Pazienza film is set for a cinema clash with another boxing movie about one of the fighter's greatest opponents, Roberto Duran, who will be portrayed by Edgar Ramírez.