KUALA LUMPUR, May 19 -- Malaysia's film industry continues to grow stronger, and producing successful sports dramas has been part of that growth.

The boxing genre has long been a popular subject in Hollywood, with iconic films such as Rocky, The Fighter, and more recent Creed movies capturing audiences worldwide.

It was only a matter of time before the local industry embraced the sport and translated it to the big screen - a genre that has rarely been explored in Malaysian cinema - and now comes The Furious: Pertaruhan Maruah.

The project marks the directorial debut of newcomer Heng Aik Siong, who previously served as assistant director to filmmaker Adrian Teh on numerous local productions.

While 2019's Sangkar incorporated elements o...