R&B star Usher cast in an upcoming boxing biopic along side Robert De Niro

Usher Raymond

 Usher Raymond has announced that he will be playing Sugar Ray Leonard alongside Robert De Niro and Gael Garcia Bernal in an upcoming boxing biopic called "Hands of Stone."

"I'm actually in preparation for a very incredible role," the R&B star told BBC. "I'm in preparation later this year to play the role of Sugar Ray Leonard in a boxing film and it's going to be incredible."
  He has been in London recently, finishing up his album and in the ring training for the film, which focuses on the life of Panamanian boxer Roberto Durán. "This is going to be an incredible movie -- in time an incredible story -- and I'm really looking forward to that," Usher said.

This won't be Usher's first appearance on the silver screen -- the "Confessions" singer has also acted since the '90s, most recently in the Ashton Kutcher-Katherine Heigl romantic comedy "Killers."

De Niro is cast in the boxing project as famed trainer Ray Arcell and actor/director Gael Bernal will star as Durán.