Michael B. Jordan’s feature directing debut, Creed III, delivered a knockout punch at the box office, instantly becoming the sports-themed movie that can claim to have the biggest opening weekend ever.

The threequel’s $58.6 million beat the opening numbers of the first two Creed films. The first in the franchise minus Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa (although he is still involved as a producer) surpassed the $55.6 million of the previous record holder, The Karate Kid, the 2010 version with Jackie Chan, Jaden Smith and Taraji P. Henson.

Written by the Coogler brothers – Ryan, who directed Creed I, and Keenan – Creed III stars Jordan, back as Adonis Creed, Tessa Thompson, Jonathan Majors and Phylicia Rashad. This time, Adonis Creed faces a tough opponent, Damian Anderson (Majors), his boyhood friend who reappears after spending time in prison.

Jonathan Majors is having a moment since he also stars in the second placer, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. While Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly return as Scott Lang/Ant-Man and Hope Van Dyne/The Wasp, respectively, scored $12.4 million, that was still considered one of the steepest third frame drops for a Marvel Cinematic Universe release.

In the previous weekend, Ant-Man 3 also suffered a big drop for an MCU film.

Meanwhile, Cocaine Bear continued to growl and roar at the box office, ending in third place. Holding well for a non-franchise movie, the true story-inspired comedy-thriller, directed by Elizabeth Banks, grabbed $11 million and has amassed $41.2 million after two frames.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba – To the Swordsmith Village bowed in the fourth spot in the North American charts. The anime release, which depicts the old and new adventures of Tanjiro and the Demon Slayer Corps, picked up $10.1 million.

Holding on to the fifth berth was Jesus Revolution, the faith-based drama chronicling the true story of a national spiritual movement in the 70s. Starring Jonathan Roumie, who has cultivated a following as Jesus in The Chosen TV series, Jesus Revolution netted $8.65 million.

Rounding out the top ten were, in order: Avatar: The Way of Water, $3.57 million; Guy Ritchie’s action-comedy-thriller Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre, top billing Jason Statham, Aubrey Plaza, Hugh Grant, Josh Hartnett and Cary Elwes, which debuted with $3.1 million; Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, $2.72 million; Magic Mike’s Last Dance, $1.18 million; and 80 for Brady, $845,000.

Overseas, Adonis Creed also KO’d the box office opponents, scoring $41.8 million in more than 70 territories. The numbers represented the biggest first-weekend stats among all three Creed movies in the international market.

Creed III was especially strong in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Mexico and Italy. Combined with its domestic ticket receipts, the threequel hauled $100.4 million worldwide.

Ant-Man 3 is also slipping significantly in the international market, picking up $22 million in over 50 territories. But with North American and offshore cume now at $419.5 million, box office experts predict that Quantumania will still hit the $500 million global milestone.

With the heavyweight champ strength of Creed III at the turnstiles, analysts are forecasting that boxing attendance may return to pre-pandemic levels this year.