I’m Jimmy Gambina. The guy on the left. I was raised in Los Angeles, where my father made over 200 fighters and I learned the truth about discipline, respect, and heart. I’ve spent my life in the ring and on the set — from training Stallone for Rocky to choreographing fights in films like Wild Wild West, Mission Impossible, Planet of the Apes, and Snake Eyes.
I never chased fame. I chased authenticity. I chased spirit. I chased the feeling of making something real, something honest, something that hits you in the chest.This site ain’t about nostalgia, it’s about truth. The real stories. The real fights. The real lessons. The stuff Hollywood won’t tell you and the world forgot it needed.If you’re looking for polish, you’re in the wrong place.
If you’re looking for heart, discipline, and the kind of old-school wisdom that built champions — welcome. Pull up a chair. Let’s talk.

About Me

I grew up in the boxing world — real gyms, real fighters, real sweat. My father trained hundreds of pros, and I learned the craft by watching the greats move, breathe, think, and fight. Boxing wasn’t a hobby to me — it was an education. It taught me timing, discipline, honesty, and respect.Those lessons carried me into Hollywood.
Not because I chased it — because the work called for somebody who could spot the truth, shape it, and make it real on screen.Over the years, I’ve trained actors, choreographed fights, and performed stunts in films and shows that shaped the industry. I trained Sylvester Stallone for Rocky and helped craft the fighting style you see in that first picture — the footwork, the attitude, the rhythm, the authenticity. Later, I came back to work on Rocky V, bringing that same commitment to making every punch believable.Outside of Rocky, I’ve worked as a stunt performer, actor, and fight choreographer on projects like Planet of the Apes, Wild Wild West, Mission Impossible, Snake Eyes, and Phantom of the Paradise. Different sets, different worlds — but the same job every time: make it real, make it honest, make it hit the audience the way a good punch hits the ribs.My approach has always been simple:
You honor the craft. You honor the work. You respect the people trying to get it right.This site exists for one purpose — to share the truth about the work I’ve done in boxing and film, the techniques behind it, and the standards I’ve lived by. No exaggerations. No Hollywood fairy dust. Just the real process, the real stories, and the real discipline it takes to bring a fight — or a character — to life.If you care about authenticity — in boxing, in filmmaking, in anything you do — then you’re in the right place.
Now let’s get to work.

Credits

1967–1969
The Wild Wild West (TV Series)
Stunts / Acting / Boxing Trainer for Robert Conrad (Uncredited)
Worked multiple seasons — fights, falls, doubling, training Conrad, and doing whatever the show needed.1973
Phantom of the Paradise
Actor / Production Support
Brian De Palma. Paul Williams. You were there from L.A. to Dallas.Battle for the Planet of the Apes
Stunt Double / Suit Performer (Orangutan — for Paul Williams)1976
Rocky
Actor (“Mike”) / Boxing Trainer / Fight Work
Trained Stallone. Built the movement. Made the fights real.1977
Saturday Night Fever
Technical Consultant / Street-Level Production Support1979
The Champ
Technical Advisor / Boxing Trainer1980
The Idolmaker
Physical TrainerThe Long Days of Summer (TV Movie)
Fight Choreographer1984–1987
Highway to Heaven (TV Series)
Corner Man (2 Episodes)1985
Heart of a Champion: The Ray Mancini Story (TV Movie)
Actor — Older Fan1990
Rocky V
Actor (“Jimmy”) / Boxing Trainer1996
Arli$$ (TV Series)
Referee (1 Episode)1997
Opposite Corners
Fight Choreographer1998
Snake Eyes
Boxing Choreographer / Fight Choreographer2000
Knockout
Fight Choreographer2004
Black Cloud
Boxing Trainer / Fight Choreographer / Technical Advisor
Worked with Eddie Spears, Tim McGraw, Ricky Schroeder.2009
Locker 13: Down and Out (Short Film)
Boxing Technical Advisor2014
Locker 13
Boxing Technical Advisor (Segment: “Down and Out”)

Contact Me

If you want to talk boxing, film work, choreography, or you just want the truth straight — you can reach me here. I don’t hide behind assistants, and I don’t do the dance. You write, I read it. You speak with respect, I give it back. That’s how I’ve always lived.For Film, Television & Production Inquiries
Fight choreography, boxing training for actors, stunt advising, technical consulting — anything that needs authenticity and heart.
Email: [your production email]For Interviews, Appearances & Speaking
I’ve got stories from the ring, the set, and the life in between. If your project’s got integrity, I’m listening.
Email: [your media email]For Personal Messages
If something I said hit you, helped you, or pushed you — I read those too.
Email: [general contact]A Few Things Before You Write
I’m old school.
Respect matters.
Effort matters.
Your word matters.If you reach out, come with sincerity. I’ll meet you the same way.

Thank You

Thank you for reaching out.I read every message that comes through here — whether it’s about boxing, film, a project you’re working on, or something in your life you felt I needed to hear. I appreciate you taking the time. That means something to me.If your message needs a reply, I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.
I don’t rush things, and I don’t give half-answers — you’ll get a real one.In the meantime, stay disciplined, stay honest, and stay true to who you are.
That’s the only way anything gets built in this world.— Jimmy Gambina