Albuquerque-born boxer Johnny Tapia's life was a maelstrom of turmoil. The glory of his punishing ring prowess and handful of world titles across three weight classes forever jockeyed with personal demons: his mother's kidnapping and murder when he was 8, drug addiction, mental illness and suicide attempts.
Editing
Chaotic cuts mirror Tapia's fractured psyche perfectly.
Acting
Tapia performs his own life with devastating transparency.
Director
Eddie Alcazar
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Director Eddie Alcazar was Tapia's friend and originally intended a narrative feature before realizing documentary truth hit harder.
Tapia became Albuquerque's patron saint of resilience; murals of him still watch over the Barelas neighborhood where he trained.
US
