Cook review: ‘In the Company of Kings’ delivers a heartfelt punch

There is such dignity, such pride, and such hope in this documentary about boxing.

Steve Read, director, and narrator Robert Douglas are British filmmakers who came to the states to connect with boxers … not just any boxers, but men who went up against the odds to make the sport a way to rise above hardscrabble environments. “In the Company of Kings” is about the brotherhood of boxing and the hope that the sport brings.

Douglas starts with his own story about growing up as a biracial child in a tough area of Liverpool. When he ended up in Philadelphia, the tough neighborhood didn’t faze him. He wanted to be in what he considers the heart of the sport.

He spotlights eight world champions in his documentary. One of the first people we meet is a young Philadelphia boxer, whom we see at a gym that offers structure and perhaps a way off the streets for other aspiring athletes.

We meet all kinds of people connected to the sport, from Leon and Michael Spinks to Larry Holmes and Tim Witherspoon, who was Muhammad Ali’s sparring partner toward the end of Ali’s career. Several people connected to Ali in some way are interviewed here, and each has an interesting story to share.

My favorite interview is with former pro boxer Bernard Hopkins, whose honest recollections of his life before the ring are memorable: As a Philly teenager, he was sentenced to prison for robbery after years of being involved in crime. It was behind bars that he discovered his love for boxing.

Ola Onabule’s “It’s the Peace that Deafens” is one of the prettiest jazz pieces you’ll ever hear, and it’s a perfect finale to this documentary that never overstays its welcome with its nods to men who are fighters in more ways than one.

3 stars

Not rated.

Running time:  One hour and 10 minutes.

Watch the trailer here.

Drops Tuesday on Apple TV, Prime, Google Play, Fandango at Home and Youtube.

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