Rarely is a movie made like, "The Champion" and for this we can be eternally grateful. Carman left the music stage for a movie that can only be described as embarrassing. I love Carman's style of music (he's one of my favorite artists), but he doesn't belong in a full-length movie.
The Christian Film industry has produced B-end times flicks like "Judgment", "Tribulation", and "Revelation" which look like classics compared to this movie. As others have mentioned, Carman ripped off quite a bit from Rocky (surprised he didn't take the red, white, and blue shorts from the last few films). It also includes an implausible love story and just for kicks, the gratuitous blowing up a truck.
As noted, the movie has some big problems in terms of morals. While Christians struggle to teach their kids to behave in a morally responsible manner and avoid sexual immorality, Carman makes out in the front seat of his car with a woman he just met while her son sleeps in the back.
While Christians combat the destructive force of organized gambling and the lottery, Carman's character gets the youth center of his dreams because his brother bet a few million on the fight Carman won.
Finally, there was the Commercial with the "Whoop@--" soda which was of poor moral taste.
The film's redeeming values are found in the fact that it spurred Carman's second "Best of" collection including a new single "Heart of a Champion" which would have fit so well with the film.