Christian Bale will put his fiery temper to good use getting in the ring with Mark Wahlberg in upcoming movie The Fighter.

Christian Bale will put his fiery temper to good use, getting in the ring with Mark Wahlberg in upcoming movie The Fighter.

The British actor will team up with Wahlberg to tell the real-life story of boxer ‘Irish’ Mickey Ward.

The tale centres on how the Boston fighter was helped to the world lightweight championship by half-brother Dicky Eklund.

Wahlberg is expected to play Ward, with Bale playing Eklund.

Eklund, himself a boxer, was once a world contender who floored champ Sugar Ray Leonard and went the distance against the legend before spiralling into drugs and crime.

He later redeemed himself by training Ward for a Rocky-like inspirational shot at the title.

The film is expected to begin production in July.