It's difficult to criticize James Earl Jones for taking on such a broad range of themes within this story centered around a heavyweight boxer. “Jefferson” holds the world title and is quickly defeating his rivals. This success, however, creates resentment among many of his fellow Americans, particularly those who are white. When he and his fiancée "Eleanor" (Jane Alexander) encounter legal obstacles preventing mixed couples from traveling between states, they use this situation to have him arrested. Despite a rather flamboyant pink shirt and some clever maneuvering, he manages to flee to Europe, where conditions prove only slightly improved. This isn’t primarily due to racial prejudice, though that is certainly present; instead, it's because powerful interests in the United Kingdom and France don’t want their own boxers knocked out. Ultimately, mirroring the fate of Jack Johnson, he finds himself in Cuba facing a fight with potentially significant consequences. By this point, however, Jefferson and Eleanor have grown apart, and even some within his own community are starting to oppose him. Jones delivers a vibrant and engaging performance throughout this examination of prejudice and boxing, which is nicely supported by Alexander’s portrayal of a woman increasingly burdened by his behavior—a characterization that feels believable and well-acted. The boxing sequences themselves aren't quite as compelling, though. The use of distant camera angles exposes some limitations in the editing, and there isn't a great deal of actual fighting throughout the film, which occasionally brings it close to melodrama. Nevertheless, it’s another example of how determined people were to escape an economic system that offered African American men few opportunities.

Source on TMDB