Why didn't Hollywood coming knocking on this Sheffield boxer's door?

So it is surprising that he doesn't appear to be represented in the 'Giant' - the film currently being produced to dramatise the life and times of Naz and the late Brendan Ingle.

Others who also brought distinction to the Wincobank gym have made the cut.

The main roles, of Brendan and Naseem, are played by Pierce Brosnan and Amir El-Masry.

Two younger actors portray Naz growing up.

There are additional parts allocated to Johnny Nelson (Sanchez Brown) Kell Brook (Harris Kiiza) Dominic Ingle (Callum Hanney) Alma Ingle (Katherine Dow Blyton) Naz's wife Eleasha (Isabelle Bonfrer) and other members of the Hamed family.

But there is no place for Rhodes, who was inseparable from Naz during much of the period that will be under scrutiny in the Hollywood production.

People like Dom and his brother John (played by Connor Porter) have been permitted to visit the set, in Leeds.

"I've had no invite to Leeds, I've heard nothing," a bemused Rhodes told The Star.

"Dom and John were not always there with us when we were out and about with Brendan.

"Why not come to me, maybe I'm too expensive....they'd have to have got Jason Statham to play me!"

Rhodes, a former world title contender, recalled how they grew close when he was around 12-years-old.

"I was his best mate until I was British champion and then he and Brendan fell out and went his own way.

"Before that, we'd go to Pinegrove Country Club, just about every day, where we had free membership.

"We did that for years. He followed me when I boxed and I followed him when he did.

"We'd either be playing snooker or in the sauna at the Pinegrove or with Brendan at boxing shows up and down the country or on holiday together."

Rhodes' memory is filled with stories of their happy times together.

"When he passed his driving test. We went to DC Cook to buy Naz's first car and he bought a Peugeot 106 and took it home.

"But he couldn't afford the insurance for it so he took it back and got a white Metro! There are lots of stories like that.

"I am definitely surprised they did not come to me, everybody knew we were inseparable for years and years."

A few years ago, two women contacted Rhodes asking if he would speak to them prior to a planned Naz documentary.

"I phoned Naz, and he said it was a Netflix idea and he didn't want me to work with them, so I didn't."

Ryan, who runs a gym in Shalesmoor, is intrigued to know whether the film will show favour Brendan or Naz...given they split up after a long-running series of arguments.

"I have wondered who they will get behind, but then I don't know if Naz has put his name to the film or not.

"I have not seen Naz promote or comment on it on social media.

"If they use material from the book 'Paddy and Prince' to me it sounds like they will favour Brendan's side, as he spilled all about the breakdown in the relationship."

There was likely a "slant one way or another," he said adding that dramas doesn't tend to be unbiased.

The 'Paddy' book included a passage in which the trainer and his protégé fell out in the back of a limousine in the US, back in 1997...with Rhodes present.

"Yes, it is coming back to me now...this was WBO convention - we'd gone to Los Angeles to get my world title fight against Otis Grant.

"There was me, Naz, Frank Warren, Joe Calzaghe and Brendan and the argument they had in that limo took the rest of us by surprise.

"We'd flown in first class by Virgin airlines to LA for the convention and suddenly there was this massive row.

"We were all like: 'Where did that come from and where is it going?'

"But there was much more to that break-up than what happened in that car."

Details of a Rhodes-Stefy Bull promotion at Magna on Saturday will be in The Star soon.