 SPOILER: Former heavyweight champion Max Baer (qv) plays Buddy  Brannen, the boxer who ends Toro Morenos career in the films  climax. In reality, Baer also ended Primo Carnera (qv)s  championship run, knocking Carnera down 11 times in 10 rounds in a  brutal beating. As the film is based on Carneras career, Baer  therefore essentially played himself in it.