Robert Townsend is directing the upcoming Sonny Liston biopic Phantom Punch. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ving Rhames will portray the boxer in the film.

The script, written by Ryan Combs, will trace Liston's rise to fame as a boxer, and the single Phantom Punch that he took from Muhammad Ali, which many believe ended his career.

Townsend stated, "The thing is that certain people are born to play certain roles and Ving has always gravitated toward Sonny Liston's story. This is his baby and he's giving birth to it. He's already playing the character at so many levels."

Shooting started Monday of this week, and is expected to last until December.