PROVIDENCE — It would make a great movie if it wasn’t already part of the subplot.

A beloved and once-dazzling boxer, stung in retirement by a one-two combination of bankruptcy and drunken-driving charges, jumps back into the ring for a movie project fresh off the ropes from financial uncertainty.

Will the still-fearless fighter, who often led with his head, lead the movie to success and launch his own new career?

Vinny Paz arrived late at yesterday’s news conference promoting his upcoming film Thunder Doyle, looking all the part of a celebrity. The five-time boxing world champion walked into the Marriott ballroom wearing silver loop earrings beneath his liberally gelled locks and the kind of dark sunglasses he often donned at news conferences after taking a pummeling.

His gray suit fit snugly over his trim frame, and he wore his pale pink shirt open halfway down his chest, where a large silver crucifix dangled.

With him came Eugene Celico, the director of the new boxer movie, and one of the movie’s stars, actor David Proval, well-known for his role as Richie Aprile in The Sopranos. Yesterday’s snowstorm had delayed the arrival of others, including actor Vincent Pastore, otherwise known as Big Pussy on The Sopranos.

Paz’s lawyer, William Devine, was there, too, and he had a few words for reporters before Paz took to promoting the movie.

“I know everyone is anxious to ask Vinny about the incident that happened in Warwick recently,” said Devine. “We’re not going to address it. It’s a pending charge.”

The Warwick police arrested Paz last month after being called to a Greenwich Avenue gas station for a report of a man passed out in the driver’s seat of a car. The police eventually charged him with drunken driving, noting that the car’s engine was running, and cited him for refusing to take a Breathalyzer test.

In 2005 — one year after he retired from the ring and a year before admitting that he had lost millions to Las Vegas casinos — Paz lost his driver’s license for a year for refusing to take a similar alcohol test.

Yesterday, Paz, who is 44 and has never shied away from the microphone, chose not to follow his lawyer’s advice.

“It’s not nearly as bad as it appears,” he said of the “incident.”

“I don’t drink and drive. I’d like you to know that. The night the incident happened, it’s a little bit unfortunate and there was some circumstances. But I don’t drink and drive. I haven’t driven since that happened to me in 2005.”

Paz said he was proud to have been a successful fighter from Rhode Island. “I left a legacy that, you know, I’m not being cocky but, I left a legacy that will probably never be touched, and I’m very proud of that. I really am. But the bottom line is — that’s what I want to be remembered by, not this careless, self-destructive incident that happened.”

As his lawyer and promoter Jimmy Burchfield appeared to grimace, Paz went on: “I am not an alcoholic. I am not a drug addict. I’ve never done drugs. There are some nasty rumors around about me, but that’s because I’m in the public eye.”

Paz said he’s not married, doesn’t have children and enjoys going out at night with friends.

“You see me now, I’m blowing my nose constantly only because I’ve broken my nose hundreds of times since I was 6 years old.” But Paz says people will see him out “having fun, there are girls around, drinking a little bit” and next thing he hears is that he’s using cocaine. “I really can’t stand that rumor about me.”

“I would never do anything to intentionally dishonor Rhode Island or myself,” said Paz. “I am the real champion. Nobody or nothin’ has ever kept me down ... maybe a few good-looking women” (several of his supporters in the crowd began to laugh) “but not even.”

Thunder Doyle is the story of an up-and-coming boxer whose career is derailed when he walks in on his father beating his mother and ends up killing him.

The boxer is imprisoned for 10 years, joins a carnival when he can’t find a job, and befriends a dwarf (played by New Bedford resident Kerry Souza) who works in the “dwarf-throwing tent.”

The boxer gets his chance to fight again, but not before falling in love with a woman who, for recreation, it seems, likes to manipulate boxers and get them to throw fights.

Director Celico says the film has a budget of less than $1 million and will be shot in Rhode Island starting around mid-May.

Celico had planned to shoot Thunder Doyle in 2001. But two weeks before the scheduled shooting, the investors pulled out. This time around, Celico says he has the money to make the film and isn’t relying on investors.

One of the big changes this time around, Celico said, is “Vinny can’t play himself in his early years. That will have to be casted out.”

Greg Vartanian, Paz’s first sparring partner and lifelong friend, sat in the front row for yesterday’s announcement, wearing a hopeful smile.

“This kid needs a break,” he said of his friend Paz.

“He’s trying to put all that happened behind him and move on. You know, he’s amazing. Look at him.” At that moment, Paz was leaning down and speaking with Kerry Souza, a big ring on his hand resting on the small man’s shoulder. “He’s got no job, but he’s looking for things to happen. He just has this ability to put bad things aside and move on. He just needs a break.”

Paz said he hopes the movie will be the “return of the Pazman. … I’m excited about the project because it’s going to be my transition from boxing to the movies. And it’s going to be hot.”

As for the looming drunken-driving charge? No, it won’t affect his ability to work in the movie. “I’ll just come back from this,” he said. “People love that.”

A Rhode Island story. Coming soon to a theater (or courtroom) near you.

tmooney@projo.com