Jamie Foxx to star as Mike Tyson in Martin Scorsese-directed biopic

Los Angeles - Jamie Foxx is to star as Mike Tyson in a Martin Scorsese-directed biopic of the boxer.

The 47-year-old entertainer, who won an Academy Award for his portrayal of music icon Ray Charles in the 2004 film Ray, has confirmed he's set to assume the role of the controversial fighter, whose life and career has seen some dramatic highs and lows.

He shared: "I just went in with Paramount with Mike Tyson. So I'm going to do the Mike Tyson story."

The actor also revealed Scorsese will be in charge of the project, which had been rumoured for some time.

He recalled his meeting with the movie studio, suggesting it was incredible "to be in the same room pitching Mike Tyson to Paramount ... Mike Tyson is on one side, I'm on the other side and doing Mike Tyson at the same time. And Martin Scorsese at the helm".

Scorsese previously directed the acclaimed boxing movie Raging Bull, which starred Robert De Niro as Jake LaMotta, the former World Middleweight Champion.

He told New York's Power 105 radio station: "This will be the first boxing movie that Martin Scorsese has done since Raging Bull."

Mike Tyson celebrated the news by posting all 44 of his career knockouts on YouTube with the message, "Help me pick my 10 best knockouts to feature in the Mike Tyson story starring Jamie Foxx and directed by Martin Scorsese."