FORMER world boxing champion Glenn McCrory is planning to make a movie featuring Christina Aguilera - and Paul Gascoigne.

The singing sensation, whose video to her single Dirrty shows her sparring in a gym, is among a star-studded line-up McCrory hopes will help make the film a knock-out success.

His casting wish-list also includes Gene Hackman, Joe Pesci and Eva Mendes.

The former world cruiserweight title holder has launched a career as a film writer and his ideas are attracting interest in Hollywood.

McCrory's production company, No Place Films, is involved in two projects, and he is busy trying to line up an all-star cast for the first of them.

The sports star, based in Newcastle, said In For a Penny, a story about people who get out of their depth, is going into production as a £9.2m Warner Bros film.

"I've sent faxes to Christina Aguilera and Eva Mendes, who I'd love to cast," he said.

"We're also in talks with Gene Hackman and Joe Pesci to play gangsters, and there are cameos for Gazza and Jack Charlton too."

McCrory has also penned a film about his relationship with his foster brother, David, who was 29 when he died of a painful muscle-wasting disease.

He said: "Carrying David goes into production next year and it's about how we carried each other really. When he died I was absolutely torn apart and I miss him daily, but life goes on and hopefully I can celebrate his life with a movie that's going to be very special."

The County Durham-born boxing champion also revealed why he agreed to fight Lennox Lewis in a bout he knew he would lose.

He lost to Lewis in the second round of the fight at London's Royal Albert Hall in 1991, but still earned enough from the contest to pay off a £75,000 tax bill he was facing.

Published: 04/10/2004