In 1982, Korean boxer Duk Koo Kim died of injuries sustained during a fierce bout with lightweight champion Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini. Decades later, Kim’s son decides to meet the man who killed his father, drawing a lifetime of pain and misunderstanding to a close in this powerful documentary.
Running Time: 90 min. Director: Jesse James Miller
Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini overcame modest roots, matching his father’s title as lightweight champion and surpassing his celebrity. Duk Koo Kim grew up in similarly humble circumstances as a shoe-shine boy. When the two men met in the ring, their evenly matched skills led to an excruciatingly tense match that tragically ended in Kim’s death. Not only was Mancini shunned by the public after the notorious incident, he was tormented by feelings of guilt. This moving documentary, equal parts sports bio and complex family drama, explores the life of Mancini, what made him such a charismatic figure, and his parallels with the opponent whose death would irrevocably change his life. Director Jesse James Miller explores deep questions about fathers and sons, the nature of masculinity, and the power of grief and forgiveness in this unforgettable story.
