Christian Bale portrayed professional boxer Dicky Eklund.
Christian Bale . His portrayal of Dicky Eklund in the David O. Russell-directed biographical film The Fighter ( 2010 ) , earned him critical acclaim and a number of awards , including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor . Richard `` Dick '' Eklund Jr. ( born May 3rd , 1957 ) is an American former professional boxer in the Welterweight division .