The Fighter storyline, I believe, aligns with a couple of the rules. One that jumped out was rule ‘#15: If you were your character, in this situation, how would you feel? Honesty lends credibility to unbelievable situations.’ Our hero is a pretty undramatic, patient character, with strong families ties. The story is ‘gritty’ so the situation itself isn’t unbelievable. However, I think it’s due to the hero’s ‘honest’ responses to the disappointments, challenges and his unfulfilled dreams that keep you rooting for him right from the beginning, through to his culminating successful win.
compass000 
Usually this question ties as well into, “What about this character’s situation and way out if it” can apply to you? What if you were the character and took a different path? We do this because maybe we see some of ourselves in someone else?