LOS ANGELES, Dec. 24 (UPI) — Boxer-turned-MMA champion Claressa Shields said the new movie about her life, The Fire Inside, in theaters Wednesday, puts more pressure on her to win her February bout.
The film stars Ryan Destiny as Shields, who became the first American female Olympic gold medalist in boxing in 2012. Shields transitioned into MMA in 2020, but will box against Danielle Perkins on Feb. 2.
On the line in this homecoming bout will be Shields’ WBC heavyweight title and WBO heavyweight title, and she’ll also compete for the vacant WBA title. She has a 15-0 professional boxing record, including three knockouts.
“Who wants to have a biopic about their great life and their great story come out and then lose a fight with all these new fans?” Shields, 29, told UPI in a recent Zoom interview.
“To have a biopic come out about your life while you’re the No. 1 woman fighter in the world, it adds a little pressure to your plate,” she said
The film begins in 2006, when an 11-year-old Claressa (Jazmin Headley, with Kylee D. Allen for running scenes) walks into a Flint, Mich., gym. Coach Jason Crutchfield (Brian Tyree Henry) agrees to train her.
By 2011, 16-year-old Claressa (Ryan Destiny) is a contender for USA Boxing’s female Olympic team. Shields confirmed the film’s training montages reflected her real preparations.
“In the ring, running, push-ups, the crunches, punching the bag, hitting the pads, it was a great training montage,” Shields said. “She did very well.”
Destiny sought Shields’ advice over Zoom, particularly in how to cope with soreness after exhausting training and boxing scenes. Shields told her to rest.
“Go and get a massage, ice bath, hot bath, rest, drink some water,” Shields said. “It’s OK to recover. I think a lot of athletes should do more recovery.”
After winning the gold medal in 2012, Shields still struggled financially. She was not winning endorsement deals like male athletes, and USA Boxing paid female fighters less than their male counterparts.
Shields has been an advocate for pay equality in sports, specifically boxing, bringing it up whenever she can in interviews. She said she’s pleased the pay gap is closing, but feels there is more work to do.
“I try to let other girls know what I’ve learned and give them the blueprint to where they can make millions of dollars being professional women fighters,” she said.
The film did take some artistic license with Shields’ post-Olympic struggles. A scene in which she tries to pawn her gold medal never happened, but Shields said it reflected her frustration that winning the gold did not alleviate her financial struggles.
“I locked it in a drawer for a long time,” Shields said. “I considered throwing it in the Flint River because Muhammad Ali threw his gold medal in the Ohio River.”
Shields said watching The Fire Inside made her emotional and brought back memories of struggles that were not included in the film. The film does touch on Shields’ volatile relationship with her mother (Olunike Adeliyi), going hungry as a child, coping with a loss in the ring and more.
“Seeing how hungry we were when I was a kid, it showed it only two times in the scenes, but it was all the time,” Shields said. “I remember everything else that was going on in my life at that time and it makes me very emotional.”
The film ends in the lead-up to the 2016 Olympics. Even in 2024, Shields said she feels like she still has more work to do, like defend her belts in February and win more.
She said her transition to MMA made her feel complete, as well as humbled being thrown to the ground. Shields also learned how to get back up and resist arm bars and other MMA moves.
“I am a complete fighter now,” Shields said. “I was already the best woman fighter in the world in boxing, but now I feel like I can go to the other side and do some damage, too.”
There will be no holiday break for Shields when The Fire Inside opens. She will train for the Perkins fight, and didn’t even let interviews interrupt her regimen.
“I just trained this morning,” Shields said. “I have to. I am eight weeks out from the fight and I have to perform.”
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“But over time this decision can change. I will support him and discuss it with him. I will leave him for some time to be with his family, then we can discuss it.”
“Floyd Mayweather. Sugar Ray Leonard. Pernell Whitaker.”
Mayweather retired with a perfect record of 50-0, winning world titles in five weight classes from super-featherweight to super-welterweight, beating the likes of Manny Pacquiao, Oscar De La Hoya, Shane Mosley, Miguel Cotto and Juan Manuel Marquez along the way.
He had been heavily linked with a two-fight deal against Joshua this year, however, those plans have now been thrown out the window following Fury’s recent revelation.
“I can understand why people would want to see it,” Jordan said.
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Nonetheless, Tyson got paid handsomely to secure his long-term future and that of his family too; which includes a wife and six living children, after Exodus tragically died in 2009 at the age of four.
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Tyson Fury’s sudden announcement of retirement has left a noticeable void in the heavyweight landscape, one that could provide Parker with an opportunity to step in for what was originally pegged as a Joshua-Fury showdown at Wembley Stadium this summer. If Parker defeats Dubois, Wembley might just play host to a rematch steeped in redemption.
Yet, Parker’s path to a Joshua rematch is far from a foregone conclusion. Daniel Dubois is no stepping stone. The British powerhouse is known for his ferocity and has his own ambitions of climbing the heavyweight ranks. Their February clash in Riyadh promises to be a battle of wills and a defining moment for both fighters.
“Claressa is such a badass force and an incredible athlete. And I follow sports, so for me to not know it, it felt like 
Rachel Morrison signed on to direct ‘The Fire Inside’ once she found out about Shields—and she couldn’t believe that she hadn’t heard it before.
The ‘Gypsy King’ retires with an impressive record of 34 victories and two defeats, both coming against Usyk, while never suffering a knockout loss throughout his career.
Despite confronting numerous challenges, counting a intense childhood and budgetary battles, Mayweather devoted himself to boxing. His tireless work ethic, coupled with his common aptitude, moved him to victory. At fair 19 a long time ancient, he won the bronze decoration in the featherweight division at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, making him a family title and opening the entryway to his momentous proficient career.