Fight film fans' faves

Thank you, fight fans, for responding to my invitation to tell me what a moron I am based on my top 10 list of all-time boxing movies in Friday's newspaper.

“Rocky II?’’ one angry reader emailed. “You’re mad, absolutely mad.’’

Uh, oh. That actually was my assignment editor.

Here is the original list: 

"Raging Bull," "Rocky," "Body and Soul," "When We Were Kings," "Requiem for a Heavyweight,’’ "Rocky II,’’ “Million Dollar Baby,’’ “Cinderella Man," "Champion,’’ "Somebody Up There Likes Me.’’

Some of the omitted movies most frequently mentioned by readers who agree that I am mad:

“The Set-Up’’ (1949); “Ring of Fire: The Emile Griffith Story’’ (2005); “Ali’’ (2001), with Will Smith; “The Harder They Fall’’ (1956), Humphrey Bogart’s last movie; “Fat City’’ (1972); “The Champ’’ (1931), an early classic, and “The Great White Hope’’ (1970), about Jack Johnson.

Bottom line: Despite its declining popularity, no sport inspires more or better cinema than boxing.