Sydney Sweeney Says She's 'Itching' to Train and 'Transform My Body' to Portray Boxer Christy Martin

"Christy’s story isn’t a light one, it’s physically and emotionally demanding," said the actress

Sydney Sweeney is dusting off her boxing gloves to get ready for her next role.

The Anyone But You actress-producer, 26, will star as former professional boxer Christy Martin in a biopic directed by David Michôd. On Instagram, Sweeney wrote that she is "honored to tell Christy's powerful story."

Additionally, Sweeney told Deadline in a statement May 8, "I grappled and did kickboxing from 12 to 19 years old. I've been itching to get back into the ring, train and transform my body. Christy’s story isn’t a light one, it’s physically and emotionally demanding, there’s a lot of weight to carry. But I love challenging myself."

The Immaculate star added that Martin "not only legitimized female boxing, she overcame gender stereotypes and fought through emotional, physical and financial abuse."

Related: Sydney Sweeney Responds to Producer Who Said She ‘Can’t Act’: ‘How Sad’ and ‘Shameful’

"I’m passionate about the fighting world," Sweeney said, adding, "Christy’s story shines a light on her incredible rise to the top while showing the struggles of fame behind the curtains. I feel compelled to tell a story about a woman who faced so much adversity and didn’t allow it to defeat her."

"It’s powerful and emotional," she said.

Martin, a champion trailblazer in the sport during her '90s heyday, became the first woman signed by Don King and also struggled with a troubled personal life behind the scenes, as previously reported by ESPN.

Michôd, known for directing Animal Kingdom and Timothée Chalamet's 2019 film The King, told Deadline, "I have a history of making movies about damaged men, and I’d been wanting to make a film about a woman with a ferocious energy inside her."

Related: Sydney Sweeney Says It Was 'Terrifying' to Film in Real Catacombs for Immaculate (Exclusive)

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"When I came across the Christy Martin story two years ago I knew I’d found it," he added. "Her ferocity is intelligible and justifiable, and audiences will crave it because of the circumstances she was forced to endure."

He added that Sweeney's performance in the 2023 true-story movie Reality "knocked my socks off," and "she has been ferociously sporty since she was a kid and has a taste for the fight game."

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