Ryan Destiny Portrays Boxer Claressa Shields In New Film

Source: Michael Buckner / Getty

A new film is highlighting the power of perseverance despite socioeconomic obstacles. 

“The Fire Inside” movie tells the story of Claressa “T-Rex” Shields, the Black teen from Flint, MI who became the only American boxer (male or female) to win back-to-back gold medals at the Olympics. She began training at 11 years old under the tutelage of former boxer Jason Crutchfield who refused to abide by Berston Field House’s “no girls allowed” policy. The pair formed a nurturing relationship.

Boxing acted as an escape from her circumstances, but it represented more that. It offered her the possibility to win enough fights to change those circumstances. Claressa made it to the U.S. Olympic trials in Shanghai, China where she ended up qualifying for the 2012 London Games. At 17 year old, she took home the gold medal.

While “The Fire Inside” captures the alluring highs, it also features sobering lows. After her win, Clareesa returns to Flint. The glow of London begins to fade when Nike and Wheaties don’t come knocking. An agent tells her coach, Crutchfield, that Americans want to see female athletes playing beach volleyball and not pummeling someone’s sister or daughter. Clareesa is forced to reckon with some harsh truths about the American dream.

The film ends on a high note, but not without first highlighting the socioeconomic realities facing people in Flint and how they affect people who look like Claressa. It’s a mind over matter approach that transcends traditional inspirational sports movies.

“The Fire Inside” stars Ryan Destiny as Claressa and Academy Award nominee Brian Tyree Henry as Crutchfied. Filmmaker Barry Jenkins (“Moonlight”) helms the script and Rachel Morrison, known for her cinematography on “Black Panther,” makes her directorial debut. 

The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and opens nationwide here in the U.S. under the Amazon MGM Studios banner on Christmas Day.

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‘The Fire Inside’: Ryan Destiny Takes Center Stage as Boxing Legend Claressa Shields in Inspiring New Film  was originally published on elev8.com