People have always wondered who would win in a boxing match between the classic fictional characters Rocky Balboa and Jake LaMotta, featured in the movies “Rocky” & “Raging Bull,” respectively. Director Peter Segal has finally answered this long-awaited cinematic question with his new boxing comedy “Grudge Match” starring Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro, the actors originally responsible for the fame of those iconic characters.

In “Grudge Match,” Henry ‘Razor’ Sharp (Sylvester Stallone) and Billy ‘The Kid’ McDonnen (Robert De Niro) have been boxing rivals for a long time. But shortly before the two have their long-awaited grudge match fight, Razor Sharp decides to retire from boxing.

Years later, when both Sharp and McDonnen are elderly men, they get approached to do some motion capture work for a new boxing video game.  They agree to do it. But when the two boxers encounter each other within the game studio, a huge fight breaks out and is immediately shared all over the news.

Now, people want to see an official grudge match between Razor Sharp and Kid McDonnen, after all these years of ignoring it. The men must now prepare for their big upcoming fight, but neither one has fought in years.

For those who loved the “Rocky” films and “Raging Bull,” this new boxing comedy should be a real treat, with some familiar faces amongst the acting talents. Viewers will love the “Rocky” and “Raging Bull” references throughout the film, as it feels very nostalgic.

The goofy promotions that Stallone and De Niro do for their upcoming fight are also a ton of fun to watch. Some effective drama is provided by moments that De Niro and his son have serious conversations.

Though many might find the film to be a knockout, there were moments that could have used improvement. The choice of having the film be a boxing comedy over a straight-up sport drama might disappoint some viewers.  This film may have been even better if the comedic moments were replaced with moments of effective drama.

There were also  some occasional plot holes and cheats throughout the storyline that could frustrate viewers. Fans of the “Rocky” films might not like that De Niro seems to get more screen-time over Stallone’s character, when it should have been both characters having equal importance. But for those who love “Rocky,” and “Raging Bull,” and the sport of boxing in general, this film is a must-see.