David Oyelowo (“The Butler”, “Nina”) will play legendary boxer Sugar Ray Robinson in a new biopic from ”Moneyball” producer Rachael Horovitz and ”Game Change” scribe Danny Strong.

Deadline says the film, which up-and-comer Oyelowo will executive produce, is based on the Wil Haygood biography ‘Sweet Thunder: The Life And Times Of Sugar Ray Robinson’.

Haygood wrote a draft of the script. There’s a possibility that Strong may do a rewrite on it.

The deal for Oyelowo came together on the set of “The Butler”, which Strong wrote and the former stars in.