'The Fighter', the movie about boxer Irish Mickey Ward, has won the first two big Oscars of the night at the Academy Awards.

Best supporting actress went to Melissa Leo while Christian Bale (pictured with Mark Wahlberg) won best supporting actor.

The wins by the two actors were somewhat of a surprise as there has been little buzz about 'The Fighter' as a major Oscar contender, certainly far less than 'The King's Speech' and 'The Social Network'

The gritty life of Mickey Ward , growing up in Lowell, a working class suburb of Boston, seems a million miles form the rarefied existence of the Royal family in England, portrayed in The King's Speech.'

But so far the underdog is wining the battle at The Oscars just like Mickey Ward did so many times.