Watch: 'Real Steel' star Hugh Jackman talk 'intense' training with Sugar Ray Leonard

Needless to say, it's not a smart move to mess around with Sugar Ray Leonard - even when you're as big a star as Hugh Jackman

"He [was] like, 'My name's attached to this, you're not gonna make me look bad'," said the actor of training with the boxing legend for the upcoming sci-fi movie "Real Steel".

In the film Jackman plays a former boxer living in a near-future world where robots have replaced humans in the ring, so it was essential that he look the part for the role, which requires him to show off his character's boxing prowess in several scenes. It's clear from our conversation that Leonard, who Jackman described as "intense", wasn't going to let the actor slack whatsoever.

"Real Steel" has received surprisingly positive reviews in the lead-up to its release this Friday (including one from our own resident critic Drew McWeeney), and much of that is thanks to the palpable chemistry between Jackman and young actor Dakota Goyo, who plays his son. You can watch the video above to hear the "Wolverine" actor talk about developing that on-screen relationship with Goyo, perfecting the American accent he's so often required to use for his films, and why above all else he considers "Real Steel" a character-driven film.

Also, make sure to watch Drew's earlier conversation with Leonard below to get his take:

"Real Steel" hits theaters this Friday, October 7th.

Chris Eggertsen
Producer

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A former contributor to sites including Bloody-Disgusting and AfterElton, Eggertsen enjoys rock music, rainy days and smelling the pages of old books. You should read all of his articles and follow him on Twitter because it's the right thing to do.