<P> Southpaw is a 2015 American sports drama film directed by Antoine Fuqua, written by Kurt Sutter and starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Forest Whitaker and Rachel McAdams . The film follows a boxer who sets out to get his life back on track after losing his wife in an accident and his young daughter to protective services . The film was released on July 24, 2015, by The Weinstein Company . </P> <P> The film marked one of the last films to be scored by James Horner, and one of three posthumous releases to feature his music . The film and the film's soundtrack album are dedicated to his memory . </P> <P> Billy "The Great" Hope is an undefeated professional boxer living in the suburbs of New York City with his wife Maureen and their daughter Leila . During a match in which he defends his light heavyweight world title, Billy sustains an eye injury and is convinced by Maureen to retire while he is on top . During the press conference at the post-match, an up - and - coming boxer Miguel "Magic" Escobar taunts Billy and tries to get Billy to fight him . At a charity event for the orphanage where he and his wife both grew up, Escobar is in attendance, and as Billy is leaving, Escobar threatens he'll take Maureen and his title away from him, and while Maureen tells Billy to let it go and go home with her, Billy's anger gets the best of him, leading to a brawl in which Maureen is accidentally shot and killed by Miguel's brother Hector, who flees . </P> <P> Billy begins abusing alcohol and drugs while obsessively searching for Hector . He eventually gets a tip about Hector's whereabouts but only finds Hector's drug - addicted wife Maria, and leaves after learning Hector is a father . After attacking a referee out of frustration after throwing a fight, Billy is suspended and left indebted, leading to his house and belongings being repossessed . He continues to spiral out of control and nearly dies after crashing his car in a suicide attempt, which also causes him to lose custody of Leila, who is put under care of Child Protective Services officer Angela Rivera . The incident drives Billy to sober up, but Leila cuts ties with him, blaming him for their predicament . </P>

Who killed billy hope's wife in southpaw