The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki 2017

In the sweltering summer of 1962, Finnish boxer Olli Mäki (Jarkko Lahti) found himself torn between the thrill of a potential championship title fight and the intoxicating charm of his friend Raija (Oona Airola). As they danced at a wedding celebration in Kokkola, Olli’s gaze was irreversibly drawn to Raija, sparking a romance that would soon become the focal point of his life. Meanwhile, in Helsinki, Elis Ask (Eero Milonoff) was busy orchestrating Olli’s big break: a World Boxing Association featherweight championship title fight against the formidable American boxer Davey Moore (John Bosco Jr.) at the iconic Helsinki Olympic Stadium.

As the preparations for the highly anticipated match began to take shape, Olli found himself struggling to balance his newfound love life with the grueling demands of training. Elis’ enthusiasm was palpable, but it came with its own set of challenges: a documentary film crew that disrupted Olli’s routine and the pressure to conform to protocol at lavish dinner parties staged by the match’s sponsors. As the circus surrounding the event grew more intense, Olli’s focus began to waver, his thoughts consumed by Raija.

Despite Elis’ growing concerns about Olli’s readiness for the big fight, the young boxer decided to take matters into his own hands, opting to prepare on his own and shedding pounds in a desperate bid to make weight. The weigh-in was a nerve-wracking affair, with Olli barely scraping by, but little did anyone know that he had even more momentous decisions awaiting him. On the same day as the weigh-in, Olli proposed to Raija, sealing their love forever.

As the bell rang, signaling the start of the highly anticipated match, Olli’s determination was palpable in the first round. However, his resolve began to falter in the second, as Moore’s relentless punches sent him crashing to the canvas multiple times. The referee’s decision to stop the fight proved a mercy killing, and as Olli quietly walked away from the post-match dinner with Raija by his side, it was clear that the true champion of this story was not the boxer, but the power of love.