However, upon witnessing her raw talent and unyielding determination, he commits to shaping her into a champion. Under his guidance, Claressa secures her first Olympic gold, but the road to victory is filled with hurdles. One of her most difficult moments comes when Jason is unable to accompany her to the qualifiers in China, leaving her feeling abandoned. Despite this setback, they reconcile, and Jason stands by her side on the day she achieves Olympic glory once again.
This article contains spoilers.
The Fire Inside (2024) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis:
The film opens in Flint, Michigan, with little Claressa Shields, running to the gym to learn how to box. The coach there, Jason, asks Claressa not to join in on the boys’ boxing class as Jason does not teach girls. Another boy named Zay teases Claressa, so Coach Jason lets Claressa fight Zay. In the first round, Zay takes on Claressa quickly. So Jason helps Claressa by teaching her about Zay’s weak points. In the next round, Claressa gets in a few jabs at Zay, amusing Jason. When Claressa gets home, there isn’t any food for her, so she scrapes off some leftovers.
Why does Nicole ask Jason to lower his expectations of winning an Olympic Gold?
Meanwhile, Jason asks his wife, Mickey, what she thinks of women’s boxing. As he has never coached a girl, he is unsure what to do. So Mickey encourages Jason to teach boxing to girls. Five years after the incident Claressa has now become a boxer fighting matches. Furthermore, Claressa also has a nickname as a boxer, and she is called T-Rex because of her tiny hands. Claressa dedicates her life to boxing, and she trains hard every single day. At home, Jackie (Claressa’s mother) is busy drinking and hanging out with men, not bothered to care for her children. One day after practice, Jason needs to leave early, so Zay drops Claressa home, and they bond.
Along with regular matches, Claressa is having a tryout to represent the United States at the Olympics. At the 2012 National Championship, Claressa defeats her opponent Kira, who is much older and more experienced than Claressa. When the reporters ask Claressa how she feels, Claressa is not that happy as she thinks the score is low. However, Jason cheers Claressa up as she will go to China for the qualifiers. At the event, Jason meets Nicole, Head of Marketing and Media Relations for USA Boxing. As they talk, Nicole asks Jason to keep the expectations for the Olympics low as the USA has not won a gold medal since 2004. In her room, Claressa is hopeful while talking to her siblings, promising them a better future after she wins gold in the Olympics.
Why is Claressa upset with Jason?
After a chat with Nicole, Jason takes Claressa’s training seriously and has put Claressa on a strict diet. While training Jason realizes Claressa and Zay like each other. On the drive home, Jason asks Claressa to keep her mind focused on winning the gold and only after that to think about dating a boy. Although Claressa agrees to do what Jason says, Claressa still goes on a date with Zay. They reach Zay’s house, where Zay tries to sleep with Claressa. Claressa stops Zay and says when she was a child Jackie’s friend used to touch her inappropriately. Hence, Claressa needs to take things slow. Thankfully, Zay understands Claressa.
When Claressa gets home, there is a party, and Jackie is drunk. One of Jackie’s friends tries to dance with Claressa, so she punches him. Immediately, Jackie kicks Claressa out. With no one else to turn to, Claressa calls Jason, who brings her home. The arrangement now is for Claressa to stay with Jason and his family. It’s time for Claressa to head to China, and she receives the awful news that Jason will not be able to go with Claressa as only authorized coaches are allowed. This news upsets Claressa deeply. In the first match of the trials against Pooja Rani, Claressa wins easily. Claressa does not have filters while talking to the reporters.
Why does Claressa break up with Zay?
Nicole explains that unfortunately for women, they need to look certain and behave in a certain way to get advertisements and sponsorships. Hence Claressa needs to change her strategy in front of the public. The second match of the trials is against Savannah Marshall from England. During this fight, Claressa loses, which bothers her a lot. Thankfully, Jason calls and explains this is Claressa’s first loss, which is okay. According to Jason, it’s all about the mind, and Claressa is strong. Even though Claressa lost one match, she made it to the Olympics. Once Claressa returns home, she constantly looks at the game with Savannah. This obsession makes Jason angry. Later, Jason and Claressa get into a fight and Claressa blames Jason for the problem as he was not in China with her.
At that time, Brie comes to Jason’s house and tells Claressa she is pregnant. Brie also hopes to have a new place with Claressa once she wins the prize money. During training, Zay is messing with Claressa, which infuriates her. So Claressa wants to take a break from dating Zay until the Olympics is over, as it distracts her. Hearing this breaks Zay’s heart. The next day, Claressa’s father arrives at the gym. For most of Claressa’s life, her father has been locked up in jail. Now that he is out, he has come to take the family out for dinner. However, Jason does not like the man. Still, it is her father, so Claressa leaves early from training.
Who does Claressa need to fight to win the Olympic Gold?
At home, Jason advises Claressa to leave her family in Flint as it will help Claressa focus on her game, drowning out all the noise. Furthermore, Jason gives the good news that he will be with Claressa in London, supporting her throughout. The training for the Olympics begins immediately. Along with winning the gold medal, Claressa desires to defeat Savannah during the finals. Since it’s the Olympics, coaches are assigned to the Olympic team, and Jason can only support Claressa from the sidelines. However, Jason knows Claressa the best and cannot stop himself from coaching Claressa during training. The USA boxing team celebrates Michael Phelps’s victory in swimming.
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The Olympic Boxing Championship begins, and Jason sits with Nicole in the audience. The first match is against Anna from Sweden and Claressa wins the game. After her match, Claressa watches a game between Savannah and Nadezda from Russia. Unfortunately, Claressa’s wish to fight Savannah is not fulfilled as Savannah loses against Nadezda. At dinner, Jason reminds Claressa why she is fighting at the Olympics. Claressa remains disappointed about not fighting Savannah and scared to fight Nadezda. In the first few rounds of the match, Claressa struggles, and the coach cannot help much.
Why is Claressa not interested in training anymore?
However, Jason seems to be understanding what to do to help Claressa. Nicole uses her card to access the front and help Claressa fight. Just in time, Jason arrives and guides Claressa to her victory. Claressa makes her country proud. Six months later Jason struggles to get advertisements for Claressa. One day, Claressa’s father blames Jason for not helping Claressa make money even though she won gold. Now, Jason organizes a meet and greet event where Claressa can sell merchandise and make some money. When Jason pays Claressa she is unhappy with her share as Jason is only supposed to take 10% as an agent. But Jason reminds Claressa that he is losing money and not making any money.
Since nothing is coming through, Claressa is dejected and does not take her boxing training seriously. However, Jason orders Claressa to listen to him as he is her coach. To crack some deals, Jason visits PR and marketing agencies in person. In one agency, the man is a fan of Claressa, but women in boxing do not bring them much money. Before Jason comes to the gym, Nicole and her colleague give Claressa a chance to train and stay in Colorado and train with the boxing team. When Claressa worries about the money, they offer to pay $1000 as a monthly stipend. However, that does not work for Claressa, as she cannot leave her family in Flint.
The Fire Inside (2024) Movie Ending Explained:
Once Jason comes, they get into the details, and Nicole asks Claressa to mellow down when she talks to people as she comes across as a bully. Claressa has had enough and tells them that the stipend they are offering her is unfair when men in boxing who don’t have a single medal make much more than Claressa. At home, Claressa and Jason have a major argument, blaming each other for what is happening. Later, Claressa decides to move back home. The next day, Claressa does not show up for practice. Since Claressa is home, Brie leaves her son with Claressa for a while. Taking care of the baby has already left Claressa in a mess. The baby needs diapers, so Claressa visits a supermarket. There, Claressa sees Michael Phelps’s face on a cereal box and becomes upset.
In need of money, Claressa decides to pawn her gold medal. Thankfully, the man in the store knows Jackie, so he calls her as he is unwilling to take the gold medal. Jackie also says that the gold medal is not just about Claressa but a hope for everyone in town and that if Claressa can do it then anyone can. It’s Claressa’s graduation, and Zay takes Claressa to her prom.
After spending a night with Zay, Claressa has an epiphany. Now, Claressa starts training again and tells the boxing committee that women should get equal pay as men, and only then will she start training for the next Olympics. Before leaving, Claressa meets Jason and says as long as she is boxing she will be fine. As Jason had advised, it is suitable for Claressa to drown out all the noise. Before wishing Claressa luck, Jason tells Claressa that the first medal was for Flint and this one is for Claressa.
Is ‘The Fire Inside’ based on a true story?
In the 2016 Olympics, Claressa Shields became the first US boxer to win a back-to-back gold medal. Claressa Shields is the only American boxer, male or female, to win two consecutive Olympic gold medals. Additionally, Claressa won her fight for equal pay for all Olympic boxers. In 2022, Claressa and Savannah had a re-match; this time, Claressa won. Jason still volunteers in Flint, Michigan, and has taught boxing to over 700 kids. Since turning pro, Claressa has won 15 titles in 5 different weight classes.
Claressa is yet to lose a fight. The film is loosely based on the story of Claressa Shields. It is true about all the medals that Claressa has won; however, some other story details are slightly dramatized. Claressa was also the film’s executive producer and had a lot of input into the script. Most parts of the story are accurate. Towards the end, Claressa’s relationship with her mother/family improved immensely.
The Fire Inside (2024) Movie Review:
Over the years, countless sports dramas have emerged across various film industries. However, The Fire Inside sets itself apart as a deeply heartfelt narrative rather than an adrenaline-fueled spectacle. The film follows the inspiring yet challenging journey of Claressa Shields, a boxing champion who grew up with limited means and a strained relationship with her mother, Jackie.
What makes this story truly resonate is the emotional bond between Claressa and her coach, Jason. Beyond being a mentor in the ring, Jason becomes a guiding figure in her life, stepping into multiple roles that extend far beyond coaching. The film thoughtfully explores the often-overlooked struggles behind an athlete’s success—the unseen battles that aren’t as glorious as the victories. One of the film’s most compelling arcs highlights Jason’s relentless efforts to help Claressa secure better financial opportunities, juxtaposed with her growing frustration over not receiving the recognition and earnings she rightfully deserves.
Ryan Destiny delivers a standout performance, bringing both physical intensity and emotional depth to Claressa’s character. Her commitment to the role is evident in the way she embodies the grit and determination of the real-life champion. Visually, the film uses poignant imagery to underscore Claressa’s inner turmoil. One particularly striking moment occurs when she visits a supermarket, cradling a crying baby, and notices Michael Phelps’ face on a cereal box—a subtle yet powerful reminder of the disparities in recognition and financial rewards between athletes.
Despite its strengths, the film falls short in fully immersing the audience in Claressa’s struggles. Unlike traditional sports dramas brimming with high-energy sequences, The Fire Inside deliberately avoids the genre’s usual intensity—an artistic choice that works to some extent but also leaves gaps in Claressa’s personal journey. This may be due in part to Claressa’s own involvement in the film and the way she chose to portray the people and events in her life. While we understand the hardships she faced, the emotional weight of these challenges doesn’t always hit as deeply as it could.
One of the film’s most crucial themes—fighting for equal pay in boxing—feels underdeveloped. Although the issue is briefly addressed, the narrative presents it in a way that feels more like a fleeting conversation than a pivotal battle. Given Claressa’s financial struggles and the real-world impact of this fight for fairness, this aspect of the story deserved more depth and urgency. The lack of emphasis on this struggle makes it difficult to fully grasp the magnitude of what she endured to spark change.
Nonetheless, The Fire Inside remains an engaging watch, largely due to its willingness to break free from the clichéd tropes of traditional sports dramas in favor of a more intimate, character-driven story. While the fire promised in the title never fully ignites on screen, the film still burns with quiet intensity, offering a fresh take on an athlete’s journey beyond the ring.
