It seems that legendary actor and director Sylvester Stallone has come accustomed to working on boxing films, as he announced last week that he will be directing a biopic centered around the infamous fugitive and championship boxer Jack Johnson. Johnson was the World Heavyweight Champion from 1908 to 1915, and became the first ever black man to hold a boxing title outside of a “coloreds division.” However, he is perhaps best known for fleeing the country after being sentenced to prison by an all-white jury due to his relationships with two white prostitutes, and not serving his sentence until he turned himself in to federal agents at the Mexican border. This will undoubtedly be an extremely interesting movie considering just how remarkable of a life Jack Johnson lived, and I think I have a handful of people who could accurately portray the larger than life personality of the pioneer athlete.

1. Bokeem Woodbine

Bokeem Woodbine used to be one of the most promising stars in Hollywood, and has started to make somewhat of a comeback by appearing in the critically acclaimed TV show Fargo, as well as portraying one of the many villains in Spiderman: Homecoming. Even though he’s somewhat of an older man now, it’s not farfetched to say that he can pull off Jack Johnson during his days as champion, and he shares an almost uncanny likeness to the man. If Woodbine were to dedicate himself to the role and get in the kind of shape that Johnson was in, then I think he would be the best choice for the role based on his resemblance to the legendary boxer alone.

2. Morris Chestnut

Morris Chestnut may not look like Jack Johnson as much as Woodbine does, but he is a huge, muscular man that could easily pass as the Heavyweight champion of the world. His sheer size could make up for the fact that he doesn’t look exactly like the real person, and he’s an amazing actor that I think could pull off the bad boy persona for which Johnson was known. While he’s already almost 50 years old, this is a movie exploring someone’s entire life, and I think he looks young enough to play the role at a variety of ages.

3. D.B. Woodside

With his show Lucifer coming to an untimely end, it seems that D.B. Woodside may have some extra time on his hands, and I think that this role could be the perfect next step for him. While he’s more of a TV star as opposed to appearing in movies, I feel like Woodside could snag the role based on his range as an actor alone, and is in fantastic enough shape to be taken seriously as Johnson. I feel like he could be made up enough to look perfectly like the real man, and taking this project could be enough to elevate his status into that of a mainstream actor.

4. Tyrese Gibson

Tyrese Gibson has become an A-list action star thanks to his role in the Fast & the Furious franchise, and I think he may be the most likely person to land the role. Not only does Gibson bare somewhat of a resemblance to Johnson, but he’s an extremely popular action star among fans of the genre, and could excel when it comes to the fights scenes we’ll likely see in the film. Tyrese is accustomed to playing bad boys with comedic personalities, and that’s exactly what we’re looking for in the role of Jack Johnson.

5. Henry Simmons

Henry Simmons is much like D.B. Woodside in the sense that he’s more of a TV star than a leading man, but I don’t see that stopping him from landing this role. Simmons is a veteran actor with enough range to play the same character at their highest of highs and lowest of lows (a skill he would need for the rollercoaster ride that was Johnson’s life), and he’s one of the largest men in Hollywood. While he’s considerably much bigger than Johnson was, I feel like his size may actually help contribute to bringing such a powerful persona to the big screen, and I don’t think anyone would mind such a minute embellishment.

6. Mike Colter

Mike Colter, much like the other occupants of this list, is a giant hunk of a man, yet he still brings his own unique qualities to the table. You may recognize him as the title character in the critically acclaimed superhero show Luke Cage, in which he not only puts a beatdown on criminals, but also tries to convey his morals over to a broken Harlem. I feel like Colter’s ability to appeal to people’s sense of right and wrong could be valuable in a role from the segregation era, and his experience as a badass action hero could be invaluable when it comes to playing a larger than life boxing legend.

7. Daniel Kaluuya

I’ll admit that Daniel Kaluuya looks hardly anything like Jack Johnson, but I think that his performance could make up for that. I mean, what hasn’t this guy been in? He is steadily becoming one of Hollywood’s biggest rising stars, and if he were to get into shape for the role, I think his casting would actually put more eyes on the project.

8. John Boyega

John Boyega, much like Daniel Kaluuya, could be valuable to this role just based on his popularity alone. Having starred in major franchises such as Star Wars and Pacific Rim, Boyega has proven that he can carry some of the most highly anticipated films ever, so this particular project should be a walk in the park. He tends to stay in fantastic shape for his ongoing role in the Star Wars films, and I think that he could be extremely believable as Jack Johnson.

9. Michael B. Jordan

It might not make a lot of sense to suggest that Michael B. Jordan do another boxing movie with Sylvester Stallone, but at the same time it makes all the sense in the world. We already know that the two men work extremely well together, we already know that Jordan is excellent in the role of a boxer, and the formula has been proven to work once already before. While he may not take the role in fear of being typecast, I do believe that Michael B. Jordan could be the favorite for the movie, and the state of his career would bring a lot more people to the box office.

10. David Oyelowo

David Oyelowo probably looks the most like Jack Johnson aside from Bokeem Woodbine, and I think that puts him on lock for this role. Oyelowo is quite possibly the most respected actor on this list, so playing a role as a respected historical figure could be a perfect match for him in particular. While he’s not necessarily known for his physique, he has gotten in phenomenal shape for prior roles, and I think that he could absolutely be believable as the former Heavyweight champion.

What do you think? Who should play Jack Johnson? Let me know in the comments!