The last decade has proved to be hugely successful for Jake Gyllenhaal particular with his recent work in dark crime films like Prisoners (2013) and last year’s brilliant Nightcrawler.

But the Oscar-nominated star is now heading for the ring in his latest feature, the gritty drama Southpaw.

Gyllenhaal (The Day After Tomorrow, Brokeback Mountain) has gone through physical change for the new film by putting on 15lbs of muscle to play the leading character. The official trailer was released earlier today.

Directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, The Equalizer) and written by Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter, the plot sees Gyllenhaal’s Billy “Great White” Hope competing to become a Junior Middleweight Champion. But when he suffers a great personal loss, he must attempt to regain custody of his child and plot a comeback into the ring.

Oscar-winner Forest Whittaker (The Last King of Scotland, Taken 3), Rachel McAdams (The Notebook, Sherlock Holmes), Naomie Harris (Skyfall, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom), Curtis ’50 Cent’ Jackson (Get Rich or Die Tryin’, Righteous Kill) and British singer Rita Ora (50 Shades of Grey) co-star in the powerful drama.

Gyllenhaal is set to follow in the footsteps of other major stars who have put on the boxing gloves on screen including Sylvester Stallone, Robert De Niro, Will Smith, Russell Crowe and Mark Wahlberg.

Southpaw is scheduled for release in the US on July 31st but it is not yet known when it will be out in the UK.