“BOXER” – Documentary by Yiorgos (de la Grecia) Panteleakis

“You never know what is inside the soul of a Boxer. It is like the moon, you only see the bright side, you can never see the Dark side of the Moon!”.

The Documentary is following the steps of and old time “Boxer” and now head Trainer of “Aristotelio Boxing Club”, Yiorgos Ioannidis.

Ioannidis won every Championship that he participated in his career until he retired. He was National champion for nine consecutive years in Greek Amateur Boxing (Olympic style), won «Golden Gloves» tournaments, 4 «Acropolis Cup» tournaments and participated in the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games.

A father of four children, married to mathematician Anna Margaritis, he is a two times Greek National Champion. A Gymnastics Academy Graduate and a painter, has turned trainer and has his own Club, «Aristotelio Boxing Club» since he retired from competing in 1994.

In this club whatever “Amateur Greek Boxing” stands for, is reflected and cultivated. In the film another side of what is considered to be a “Brutal and Bloody Sport” is documented. Yet though the sport of “Boxing” has originated in Greece the style that is vastly adopted is the Russian or rather Eastern style. We follow “Boxers” from all venues while they train in the city of Athens, through its urban crowded streets and underground boxing clubs. The principles of the discipline are being explored by old time Champions and trainers revealing hidden aspects of the sport and what goes through a fighters mind.

Watch fellow ex champions and Olympic winners such as Yiorgos Stefanopoulos, Cuban mythical fighter Felix Savon, former Welter weight Champion Mighty Mike Arnaoutis and a living legend, the 75 year old Yiorgos Kapantaidakis who is still coaching, reflect upon the nobility of their sport and the love and respect that they share amongst them in this hierarchical line of champions-trainers, covering a fifty year legacy in Greece.

“I remember Angelo Charisi’s words. He told me that he started Boxing mesmerized by a Boxer’s smashed up face. He asked him why his nose was distorted like that and he replied that he broke it while boxing. That caused him to awe and he started after that'”.