Jaden Miller (Kent Moran, who also directed) is a former honor student who threw away his scholarship to a private school when he got into a fight while defending another student.  Having dropped out of high school, Jaden now works as an auto mechanic in the Bronx.  When he and his mother (S. Epatha Merkerson) are evicted from their crummy townhouse, Jaden tries to make extra money by becoming a professional boxer.  As the “Bronx Boy,” he becomes a local hero and eventually, he wins the chance to challenge the light heavyweight champion of the world (Justin Hartley).

A by-the-numbers boxing movie, The Challenger was the final film of Michael Clarke Duncan and he’s the best thing about the movie.  Duncan plays Duane Taylor, the former boxing trainer who dropped out of the spotlight after one of his boxer threw a fight.  Duane agrees to train Jaden because he has a secret connection to both Jaden and his adoptive mother.  Clarke, with his powerful voice and his infectious laugh, is close-to-perfect in the role and he keeps things interesting, even when the movie sinks into an ocean of cliches.  The Challenger was released thee years after Duncan’s tragic death and the end credits feature behind-the-scenes footage of a friendly Duncan smiling and laughing with the film’s crew.  The movie may be imperfect but it serves as a tribute to a talented actor who passed away too young.