NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Usher believes that being a good dancer will help him in his role as Sugar Ray Leonard. Usher plays Leonard in the upcoming film “Hands of Stone,” about boxer Roberto Duran.

Usher’s got to drop some weight to play Leonard, though. He’s currently 172 pounds and he’s got to get down to 150 pounds.

Usher says he’s had long conversations with Leonard, and they plan to meet in the coming weeks. Usher has been studying videos of Leonard boxing and says Leonard was “flashy and classy at the same time.”