[DISTANT CHEERING]
[ANNOUNCER SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]
CHRISTY: Somebody told me onceI fought like I was trying to destroy
everyone who'd ever done me wrong.
They said I foughtlike I had demons in me.
Maybe it's true.
Maybe I do.
-[HEAD OVER HEELS PLAYING]-[DISTORTED SHOUTING]
[SONG CONTINUING]
CHRISTY: First time I ever steppedin a boxing ring, though,
all I knew was I had to beatthe shit out of that bitch
before she had a chance to hit me.
[SONG BUILDS UP]
[CHEERING]
[SONG CONTINUING]
-[MUSIC STOPS]-[DOOR OPENS]
Hi.
Hey, Momma.
Something's up. They're being weird.
Check this out.
You won?
-No way.-Mmm-hmm.
-Did you get hit?-Hardly.
[RANDY CHUCKLES]
I mean, I don't know,my eyes were closed half the time.
Easiest 300 bucks I ever made.
I can't believe you did that.
I know, me neither.
RANDY: Three hundred bucks? Jesus Christ.
Randy Salters! Language.
Sis won the Toughman competition.Check this out.
[BOTH CHUCKLE]
[DOG BARKS DISTANTLY]
What's going on?
Why is nobody talking?
Dad.
We'll talk about it after lunch.
What's going on?
-Why can't you just...-Pam Doolan called me.
About what?
I don't know.Maybe she's confused or something.
But she said some horrible,
horrible things
about you and that girl.
You know her name's Rosie.
JOYCE: Oh, I don't knowwhat I know anymore.
'Cause you tell us she's your teammate,
and then she's your best friend,
and now Pam is saying this about you two.
Now, Pam is taking her to see a priestto get her straightened out,
and Dad and I think that we shouldprobably do the same with you.
I'm not going to see a priest.
Well, Dad and I have discussed it,
and we can't be helping youwith your rent anymore
if you're gonna keep doing this.
Keep doing what?
What the hell is a priest gonna do?
Is it true?
Is what true?
-JOYCE: What people are saying.-What are they saying?
Well, we don't want youto see her no more.
People are gonna say it's my faultin the way I raised you.
Who cares what they say?
Pam Doolan is a crazy bitch.Why the fuck do you care what she thinks?
-Don't you speak to me like that...-CHRISTY: Why the hell not?
You're allowed to say whatever dumb shitpops into your head.
-Stop this! Just stop!-[SLAMS TABLE]
What you're doing
isn't normal.
And we want you to havea happy, normal life.
[KISSING]
I'm just gonna go talk to the priest.I have to do it.
If I don't at least talk to him,she's gonna cut off my allowance.
Just get a job.
What job?
She's gonna stop paying for my apartment.
Her cousin has a room.She wants me to move in there.
What for?
To keep an eye on me.
Why do you think?
I can't stay.
I gotta go.
[GROANS SOFTLY]
[INDISTINCT SHOUTING]
-Over here!-GIRL: I got her!
[BOTH GRUNT]
-[CHRISTY GRUNTS]-GIRL: Oh...
[CHEERING]
Fucking lesbian.
[BOTH GRUNTING]
-[CLAMORING]-COACH: Hey! Break it up!
Break it up now!
Basketball is a team sport.
You can't be on the teamif you keep punching the team in the face.
It's not funny.
She started it.
Oh, come on, Christy. Grow up.
Well, she fucking did.
How?
What did she do?
Huh?
What did she do?
Fuck it. Just forget about it.
-It doesn't matter.-[CHAIR SLIDING]
[SIZZLING]
-[BARKS]-All right, hold your horses, Casey.
I got you some right here.
Here you go.
You're a madman.
[PHONE RINGING]
Oh, shit.
Hello, Christy speaking.
RICHARD: Christy,this is Richard Christmas.
I work for Larry Carrier.He asked me to call you.
Sorry, Larry who?
RICHARD: Larry Carrier. He's a boxingpromoter out here in Bristol, Tennessee.
Larry saw you fight a few weeks agoat the Toughman Contest.
He owns the Bristol Speedwayand he's putting a show together.
He wants to know how you'd feel aboutmaking your professional boxing debut.
[CHUCKLES] I'm not...
I play basketball.
I'm not a boxer, sir.
I've never been in a boxing gymin my life.
I entered Toughman for fun.
RICHARD: Well, Larry likedthe way you fought.
We'll put you upin a nice hotel for the night,
and the purse is $500.
How's that sound?
-[INDISTINCT ANNOUNCEMENT OVER PA SYSTEM]-[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
MAN: Over here!
[SNAPS FINGERS]
OFFICIAL: Come on.
ROSIE: Here.
Good luck.
[WHISTLING]
-[CROWD JEERING]-MAN: Yeah, yeah, yeah!
[PEOPLE LAUGHING]
[BOOING]
MAN: Go!
[CROWD JEERING]
Go!
Fighters, center of the ring.
Okay, your trunks are good here.
Your trunks are good here.
I already explained to youthe rules earlier.
Protect yourself at all times.
If I say "stop"while you're fighting, stop.
Do you have any questions?
You have any questions?
Touch gloves. Go back to your corners.
[CROWD CHEERING]
-[BELL DINGS]-Start!
[MAN SHOUTS INDISTINCTLY]
-[GRUNTING]-[PEOPLE CHEERING]
[BOTH GRUNTING]
[GROANS]
[ALL CHEERING]
REFEREE: One! Two!
Three! Four!
COACH: Get up.REFEREE: Five!
COACH: Get up! Get up! Let's go!REFEREE: Six!
-Seven!-COACH: Let's go!
REFEREE: Eight!
-Nine! Ten!-[EXCLAIMING]
-[BELL DINGS]-Yes!
-Whoo!-[ALL CHEERING]
[CHUCKLES]
-BOXER: Move!-REFEREE: Hey, hey, hey!
WOMAN: Whoo!
[BOTH CHUCKLE]
-Look at you.-Tsk.
-[GIGGLES] Stop.-MAN: Christy.
Larry Carrier.
You did great.
Well done.
-Thank you, sir.-LARRY: You earned that.
[CHUCKLES]
That was fun.
Hey, let me talk to youabout something real quick.
I loved what I saw out there tonight.
-[CHUCKLES]-I got a trainer, wants to meet you.
His name's Jim Martin.He's an excellent trainer.
Trains my son, as a matter of fact.
Why don't you come up next weekfor a couple days and meet him?
Have a look around my gym,work out with him some?
See if you like it.
If you do, I want to promote you.Get you more fights.
Um...
Yeah, okay, sure. [CHUCKLES]
Maybe you want to bringyour father up with you.
Uh, my dad can't take time off work.
LARRY: Okay, well, bring your mom then.
Just your mom.
Jim's a... He's a family guy.
You understand me?
[SMACKS LIPS] Yes, sir.
He's excited to meet you, Christy.
Let's see if we can't make a boxerout of you.
[GET FUNKY WITH IT PLAYING ON SPEAKERS]
[THUDDING]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
[DOOR CLOSES]
-[SONG CONTINUING]-[PUNCHES THUDDING]
MAN: Nice.
[BOXERS GRUNTING]
Can I help you?
I'm looking for Jim Martin.
That's him, over by the ring.
[PUNCHES HITTING]
Excuse me?
Are you Jim Martin?
I'm Christy Salters.
Mr. Carrier told me you'd be expecting me.
I'm here to train with you.
JIM: Hands up!
-Sir.-What?
I'm working. Tony's trying to concentrate.What do you want?
Hey, where you goin'? Hmm?
LARRY: Christy! You made it.
He doesn't want to train me.He's an asshole.
Christy!
-Jim. Hey, Jim!-Yeah?
LARRY: Get down here.
Keep it up, fellas.
Jim, this is, uh, Christy Salters.
Told you she was coming in today.
Oh, yeah. Hi... Hi, Christy.Pleased to meet you.
Hey, Jim Martin.
I'm Joyce. I'm Christy's mom.
JIM: Pleasure.
[THERE'S A RAINBOW PLAYING ON SPEAKERS]
JOYCE: Larry paid for the hotel already.
You said you were gonna give it a try.
I said I'd come and check it out.
I checked it out.
Guy's a dick. I wanna go home.
I just think if Larry's offering youa place to stay, rent-free,
and a job and a trainer,
that's a real opportunity.
And now you're just being ungrateful.
He don't wanna train me.
You saw it. It was embarrassing.
Well, fine.
We'll go home.
Didn't come all the way down here
thinking you were goingto quit so easy, is all.
And just 'cause a man saidsomething mean to you,
well, that's how training works.
It's tough.
It is supposed to toughen you up.
[SONG CONTINUING]
Mmm.
I honestly thought you was tough already.
I want to see how you move.
Use your jab.Show me some of your combinations.
Nothing too fancy. Walt, go easy on her.
Let's see what you got.
[CLAPS]
[WHISPERS] Get her out of here.
Bust her up.
Break a rib if you have to.
-[GRUNTS SOFTLY]-[SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING]
[CHRISTY GRUNTS]
-[GROANS]-[SHARP INHALE]
[CHRISTY PANTING, GROANING]
[PANTING]
Come on.
[BODY SLAMS]
[CHRISTY GASPS] I'm sorry.
-I'm so... I didn't mean to.-WALT: Jesus Christ.
I'm sorry.
Huh.
[ENGINE REVVING]
[SOMBER MUSIC CONTINUING]
[ENGINE TURNS OFF]
[VEHICLES RACING BY]
[VEHICLE ROARING BY]
-[DOOR OPENS]-RICHARD: All right, Christy, this is you.
Yep. Utilities are all paid for.
Telephone's connected to the office,
so any calls that come through for you,they'll just patch them over.
After hours,
calls come directly to you.
If anyone calls the office,then just take a message for Polly.
Or you could have Pollyhave them all go to the machine
but then that meansthat nobody can call you at night.
I'm guessing you don't want that.
You can figure it out with Polly.
Anything else, give me a call.
You only got 12 daysbefore this next fight, so make 'em count.
No problem.
All right.
[DOOR CLOSES]
Get over here. [GIGGLES]
[UPLIFTING MUSIC PLAYING]
Push off the back foot,step, snap the punch.
[SHARP EXHALE]
[MUSIC CONTINUING]
[SHARP EXHALES]
JIM: Elbows in!
What's your hand doing? Get your hands up
or you're gonna get yourselfknocked on your ass.
[MUSIC CONTINUING]
[SHARP EXHALES]
[BARKING]
[SHARP EXHALES]
[SILVER SHIPS PLAYING ON SPEAKERS]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
[DOOR BELLS CHIME]
What did you eat?
A burger.
Yeah, I come for the steaks.The steaks are good.
[JIM SMACKS LIPS]
You wanna sit?
[SMACKS LIPS]
-Sure.-[CHAIR SLIDING]
-Well, hey, Jim.-Hey.
Just the usual?
-JIM: Appreciate it.-Okay.
-And you gonna have the pie again, hon?-Yes, please, ma'am.
She'll just have coffee.
I don't want coffee.
Well, I don't want to train a fat fighter.
Just the check, please.
You work harderthan most of the men I train.
[SCOFFS] I'm training my ass off.
Larry's a smart guy.
And he seems to think there's somethingto this lady boxing business.
I don't know. We'll see.
And maybe he's right.
Maybe I'm gonna make youthe best woman fighter in the world.
[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]
[TAPE RIPPING]
[HOPEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC CONTINUING]
JIM: How you feeling?
Good, I think.
Just jab, jab, jab. Turn her like a top.
I'm gonna go watch 'emwrap Whitcomb's hands.
You look cute.
[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]
[SIGHS]
[MUSIC CONTINUING]
[BREATHES DEEPLY]
[INDISTINCT ANNOUNCEMENT OVER PA SYSTEM]
[MUSIC CONTINUING]
[CROWD CHEERING]
[BOTH GRUNTING]
[GROANS]
JIM: You look good in there.Just keep snapping those jabs, yeah?
Move your head. Jab, jab, jab.
[BOTH GRUNTING]
[GROANS]
REFEREE: Stay back.
[CHEERING]
Yeah!
Five!
Six!
Seven!
Eight!
Nine!
Ten!
-[ALL CHEERING]-Yeah!
Yeah!
[LAUGHS]
MAN: Whoo!
Well done!
Yeah! Okay!
CHRISTY: Can you fucking believe this?
I mean, it felt so great.
I... I don't even know how to describe it,but it was fucking amazing.
I mean, this other girl,she was tough, but she was slow
so I kept slipping all of her punchesand all my jabs were landing.
It was just... [SIGHS]
I think I've found my thing.
I bet most people go their entire lives
and they don't even knowwhat their thing is.
ROSIE: Here, take this.MAN: All right.
Let's go.
Rosie, you still there?
ROSIE: So, boxing's your thing?
Yeah, maybe. [LAUGHS]
I mean, I don't know.I'm really fucking good at it.
ROSIE: But it's not a career, is it?
I've got another fight in six weeks.
I was thinkingmaybe you might want to come to it.
ROSIE: Yeah, maybe. I don't know.
Larry's also got me a... a jobat the supply store next to the gym.
For a little extra cash.
ROSIE: Christy, I wanted to do thisface-to-face, I did.
But also, I...
I just need to come out and say it.
I guess I thought this could work,long-distance, but...
I met someone.
I met a guy.
You'd actually like him, I think.I don't know.
I feel really bad about this...
[SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING]
-[CROWD CHEERING]-[BOTH GRUNTING]
[GROANS]
[CROWD CHEERING]
REFEREE: One!
Two!
Three!
Four!
Five!
Six!
Seven!
Eight!
Nine!
-Ten!-Yeah!
-[CROWD CHEERING]-Yeah!
That's Christy!
[HOPEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
[SHARP EXHALES]
[MUSIC CONTINUING]
[SHARP EXHALES]
[BOTH GRUNTING]
[CROWD CHEERING]
Yeah!
-Oh!-Yeah!
Mmm!
Yeah!
WALT: Yeah!
[CHEERING CONTINUES]
Whoo!
[ROCK MUSIC PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS]
Oh!
[LAUGHS]
-Oh, man.-There it is. It's over there.
You play angry.
That is what my basketball coach told me.
I am too aggressive.
That's why I like boxing.
Well, boxing is onlyabout five percent aggression. The...
The rest of it is...is strategy and control.
[BALLS CLATTERING]
It's chess.
You can't play chess angry, can you?
You're setting up moves.
-[BALL CLATTERS]-Ah.
I mean, you're slipping, you're feigning.
You think I'm going over here,but I'm actually going over here.
You're playing a character.
You're the...little pretty pink character.
[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]
You should grow your hair long.
It'd look better longer.
It gets in my face.
You'd look prettier with longer hair.
Looks butch like that.
Nobody wants to see a butch girl fight.
And you know that.
-[BALL CLATTERS]-Don't you?
I spoke to Joyce.
She said you...you had to leave West Virginia. She...
She told me about Rosie.
When did you talk to my mom?
Why don't you have a boyfriend?
Mmm. Don't think you can get a man?
I just...
I just wanna put all my energyinto boxing.
Yeah.
I see that.
I might...
[SETS BOTTLE DOWN]
rag on you sometimes,
but it's only because I want youto work hard.
I want you to work hardbecause I... I think you've got something.
[CHUCKLES] I'm not sure whatthat something is, but it's somethin'.
I believe that.
[SCOFFS]
Your shot.
[EMOTIONAL MUSIC PLAYING]
[ENGINE REVVING]
[PHONE RINGING]
Hello?
JIM: Hey there, it's Jim.
What you doing?
Um...
Nothing.
Just sitting.
JIM: You wanna come over?
Hey.
We should get to the gym.
-[WATER SPLASHING]-[FAUCET TURNING]
[SHOWER RUNNING]
[EMOTIONAL MUSIC CONTINUING]
[SIGHS]
[PHONE RINGING]
[RINGING CONTINUES]
JOHNNY: [ON PHONE]Johnny Salters speaking.
CHRISTY: Hey, Dad.
JOHNNY: Hey, sweet pea. How are you?
CHRISTY: I'm all right.
JOHNNY: Are you okay, honey?
[EMOTIONAL MUSIC CONTINUING]
[SNIFFLES]
Yeah, I'm fine.
[VOICE BREAKING] I just miss you.
I think I want to come home.
[KNOCKING]
Come here.
[JOHNNY SIGHS]
[EMOTIONAL MUSIC CONTINUING]
[ROOSTER CROWING]
[DOG BARKS DISTANTLY]
-Hey.-[DOOR CLOSES]
CHRISTY: I said I'd try it outfor six months.
I did that.
I need to start thinking about whatI'm actually gonna do with my life.
Boxing.
Boxing's what you're gonna do.You're doing it.
I can't make a living doing it.
Larry can't find women to fight me.
I've trained a lot of guys,
and...
I never had one that I really thoughthad what it takes to go all the way.
Well, you're lucky if you getone of those your whole life.
That's what I see in you.
I'm serious when I say
I can make youthe greatest female fighter in the world.
Compared to who?
Nobody's doin' it.
Nobody's getting paid to do it.
JIM: That's gonna change.
Lenny Del Percio in Floridawants to promote you.
He's got an apartment for us in Daytona,and he can get us fights.
And when the time is right,
I'll make the call to Donald King.
Don just moved back to Miami,and when you're ready,
I'll make the call.
But you... you gotta do the work.
You gotta want it.
Now, if you wanna stay herein West Virginia,
[CHUCKLES] I... I can't stop you.
But I don't think you do.
I can see it in your eyes.
And I got thisreal nice situation set up just...
waiting for us in Daytona.
Daytona Beach?
Daytona Beach.
[SIGHS]
-Daytona Beach, baby!-[WIND CHIMES CLINKING]
[EMOTIONAL MUSIC PLAYING]
[LAUGHTER]
Now, Aaron Pryor is a buddy of mine.You know... You know Aaron Pryor.
JOHNNY: He's a fighter.JIM: Yeah, he's a fighter.
-Yeah, legend from Ohio.-JOYCE: Oh!
JIM: He introduced me to Mike Buffer.JOYCE: Oh!
JIM: You know who Mike Buffer is?JOYCE: No.
JIM: "Let's get ready to rumble!"
JOYCE: Oh, my goodness!
[EMOTIONAL MUSIC CONTINUING]
[DISTANT SIREN WAILING]
How far is the beach?
I can't do this.
It doesn't feel right.
This doesn't feel right.
Just treat her the same as a man. It's...
It's fine, Shortdog.
Go easy on him, Christy. He's only small.
[CHUCKLES]
-I'm kicking your ass next.-[BUST A MOVE PLAYING]
[QUIETLY] Fuck. All right.
[BEEPING]
[MAN YELLING INDISTINCTLY]
-[SONG CONTINUING]-[BOTH GRUNTING]
-REFEREE: Back to your corner!-[CROWD CHEERING]
[GRUNTS]
[BOTH GRUNTING]
[WOMEN CHATTERING]
[WOMEN GIGGLING]
[BOTH GRUNTING]
-REFEREE: Back, back, back!-Yeah!
[CHEERING]
[GRUNTING]
Keep moving your head.Watch the jab, use your right.
[BOTH GRUNTING]
REFEREE: Back to your corner.
[CROWD CHEERING]
[GRUNTING]
-Ooh!-[BIG JEFF LAUGHING]
You gotta fix that face, Christy.Fix his face!
[GRUNTS]
Get her. Fuck her!
[BOTH GRUNTING]
[CROWD CHEERING]
Yeah!
-That's it, champ!-CHRISTY: Yeah!
[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]
[INDISTINCT TV CHATTER]
[PHONE RINGING]
Hello?
[STAMMERS] Hey, how... how are you doing?
Yeah, that'd be great.I'd love to see you.
Where are you thinking?
How about 2:00?
Great. Can't wait to see you.
CHRISTY: I've been winning.
A lot. Like, every fight.
[GLASS CLINKS]
Thanks.
He knows a lot of really good people.
So, yeah.
Feels like something really bigcould happen.
ROSIE: That's great.
What about you and him?
Jim?
ROSIE: Mmm-hmm.
It's fine. [CHUCKLES] I don't know.
My momma loves him.
ROSIE: Mmm-hmm.
[CHUCKLES]
Every time she calls,she just wants to talk to him and not me.
What's the sex like?
[CHUCKLES]
I don't know, you tell me.
How would I know?
Well, how's your boyfriend?
Yeah, that didn't work out.
He was a dick.
Thought you liked dicks.
[BOTH LAUGHING]
I need to talk to you.
Jim, this is Rosie.
Outside.
-What are you...-Hey, don't fucking grab at me!
What are you doingsneaking around behind my back?
I'm not sneaking around!
What's she doing here?
She's in town to see her grandma.We were just having a drink.
How do you think that makes me look,you sitting in a bar with a damn lesbian?
I don't know. Who the fuck cares?
I called your dad.
What'd you say?
I told him I was worried you might be gay.
Jim, why would you say that?
[SCOFFS]
I'm in the damn dark here.
You're breaking his heart.
You're gonna lose your family.
Is that what you want?
You're gonna lose your trainer.
Jim, we were just having a drink.
Who's turning you into a great fighter.
I'm the only one who believes in you.
I mean, I'm... I'm the guywho can pick up the phone to Don King
right when you're about to take off,and you're gonna go do this? For what?
So you can be a damn dyke boxernobody wants to train?
Jim, I'm not...
See, that in there is your past.
Not your future.
Your future is with me.
You understand?
We're right there.
[WHISPERS] Why can't you see that?
We're right there.
We're... We're... [CHUCKLES]
We're in this together. We're a team.
You want to lose that?
Huh?
You want to lose your family,
your trainer,
your career,
all of it?
Or do you want to marry me?
Well, come on, I'm on one knee, damn it.
Christy Salters, will you marry me?
Just... Fuck, just get up already.
-Okay, just get up!-Okay?
-Yes?-Yes, just get up.
-Yes?-Yes, get up, Jim.
-[CHUCKLES]-[SIGHS]
-Yes?-Yes, all right.
-Yes, all right.-[LAUGHS] All right.
Okay!
Whoo! [LAUGHS]
All right.
[PHONE RINGING]
[RINGING CONTINUES]
Jim and Christy Martin.
JOHNNY: Hey, Jim, it's Johnny.
Hey, Johnny, how you doing?
JOHNNY: Good. Is Christy there?
Oh, no, you just missed her.She went out for a run.
But I will tell her you called.
And I'm in a little bit of a rush, too.
JOHNNY: Oh.
Yeah, but will you send my love to Joyce?
-JOHNNY: Yeah, will do.-You take care now.
-CHRISTY: Who was that?-No one.
[TOILET FLUSHES]
CHRISTY: What if I did a couple of shiftsa week down at the drugstore?
They're looking for people.
You wanna box,or you wanna work at a drugstore?
[SCOFFS] I wanna be able to paythe damn phone bill.
We need to earn some money.
Or maybe I just go back to Itmann.
If you leave me, I'll kill you.
You just need to be seenby the right people.
You just keep training and be readywhen the opportunity comes.
I am ready.
I don't know what else I'm supposed to do.
I mean, I'm... I'm training my ass off,I'm... I'm winning my fights.
Well, keep doing that.
One of us has gotta get a job.
I can't keep asking my dadto send us money.
-I mean, why don't you just get a job?-I have a job. I'm your trainer.
Well, it's not paying the damn bills.
I mean, what kind of man has a jobthat can't pay the bills?
[GULPS]
[SETS GLASS DOWN]
I'm not getting enough fights and...
and I'm not getting paid enoughwhen I do get 'em
and I just wanna make surethat if we're gonna...
[PLATE CLATTERS]
I told you what you could doto make some more money, didn't I?
And you didn't want to do it
because you're too good for it,and that's fine.
But if you don't want to do it,
-how about you stop bitching to me...-[SLAMS TABLE]
...about the damn phone bill?
[SIGHS]
[DISTANT YELLING]
[DISTANT YELLING CONTINUES]
[CHILD CRYING IN DISTANCE]
[CHILD SQUEALS IN DISTANCE]
[DOOR OPENS]
Douglas.
Yeah, Jim and Christy.
[DISTANT SCREAMING]
[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]
[RUSTLING]
[MONEY RUSTLING]
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
[TENSE MUSIC CONTINUES]
[BOTH GRUNTING]
[DOUGLAS PANTING, GRUNTING]
[GRUNTING CONTINUES]
[CHRISTY GROANS]
[GRUNTS]
[BOTH GRUNTING]
[DOUGLAS PANTING]
[DISTORTED GRUNTING]
-[GRUNTING]-[CROWD CHEERING]
-[GRUNTS]-[CROWD CHEERING]
You to the corner!
Five! Six!
Seven! Eight!
Nine! Ten!
Yeah!
[ALL CHEERING]
Yeah!
SHORTDOG: Man,she didn't stand a fucking chance.
Bam! She went down.
You did great.
-[DOOR OPENS]-BIG JEFF: Right, here.
Christy!
I want you to meet an old friend of mine.
Jessie Robinson.
Christy.
It's a pleasure to meet you.
I mean,
that was one hell of a show.
JIM: Hey.
Jim Martin.
-Nice to meet you.-Yeah, likewise.
-Oh, yeah.-Yeah.
We gotta get her out of here.
She needs to meet Don.
JIM: [LAUGHS] Yeah, yeah.You want to pop outside and have a chat?
-[I WISH IT HADN'T ENDED THAT WAY PLAYING]-JIM: [COUGHS] Shit.
CHRISTY: Fuck,why didn't you check the oil?
JIM: Why didn't you check the oil?
'Cause it's your job, you're a man,
and men are supposedto check the goddamn oil.
I gotta pull over.
No, we can't be late.
Do you wanna blow a head gasket?
I don't give a fuck what we blowas long as it's not this goddamn meetin'!
We're gonna go meet Don King!
We're gonna go meet Don fuckin' King!
Fuck!
DON: Ho! [LAUGHS]
-Here he is!-Hey, Don.
All right, all right! Mmm!
Good to see you, Don.
-You know Jim Martin.-Nope.
-I thought you two met.-Nope.
Yeah, we met back in Detroit.
Nope.
-There were a lot of people around...-Nope.
I don't forget people.
So, you're the trainer and the husband?
Yes, sir.
I like that.
And you must be the ladyI've been hearing so much about.
Christy.
How old are you?
I'm 24, sir.
You're pretty.
And you're really a fighter?
Yes, sir.
It's an honor to meet you, Mr. King.
Well, tell me about yourself.
Jessie here says that you fightin all pink.
That's good.
I like pink.
Well, I'm from West Virginia.
What's that got to do with pink?
Nothing, sir.I'm just telling you about myself.
Yeah, pink was my idea.
West Virginia.
-Coal-mining country.-CHRISTY: Yes, sir.
My daddy and my brother work the mines.
So why in the hellare you fighting, Christy?
What's a pretty girl like you doinggetting punched in the face for a livin'?
[CHUCKLES] I'm good at it, sir.
And I figured you could help mewith the "making the living" bit.
[LAUGHS]
[DON AND JIM LAUGHING]
DON: Okay, I like you.
I wanna see what you got.
I have never had a lady fighterin my office.
-Jessie says you have a tape.-Yes, sir.
Bonnie!
Put Christy's tape in the machine.
[TAPE SLIDES INTO VHS MACHINE]
[VHS MACHINE WHIRRING]
[TV STATIC CRACKLING]
JESSIE: Is it on the right channel?BONNIE: I think so.
I can hear it spinning in there.
JESSIE: Is it connected to the TV?
[SIGHS] Damn. Oh, well, justleave it there. I'll look at it later.
No.
Wait, no. Uh...
[SHARP EXHALES]
[SHARP EXHALES CONTINUING]
Ooh!
[SHARP EXHALES]
Show him your left hook, baby.
Left hook.
[CHUCKLES]
Okay, Christy. Okay. Okay, Christy.
You look good.
A coal miner's daughterwho fights in pink trunks
and sleeps with her corner man.
I love it. [LAUGHS]
Fuck it. Sign her up. Let's do it.
Bonnie, have Dana draw up a contract.
Five six-round fights at 5,000 a fight.
[GASPS SOFTLY]
Honey, I'm gonna throw you in there.
Sink or swim.
But what I need from you,
fight good,
and make sureeverybody's saying your name.
-You hear me?-Yes, sir.
All right. [CHUCKLES]
-Thank you, Mr. King.-Yeah.
JIM: Thank you, Don.
We'll take that contract,show it to her lawyer
and get it right back to you.
Your name is Jim.
[STUTTERS] Yes, sir.
How much did she make on her last fight?
$400.
That contract don't leave this office.
You sign it here,or you don't sign it at all.
-[LAUGHING]-[CHUCKLES NERVOUSLY]
DON: Only in America, baby.Only in America.
[PENSIVE MUSIC PLAYING]
[BREATHES DEEPLY]
DON: [OVER MIC]Oh, boy! Ladies and gentlemen,
have I got a treat for you.
I want to introduce to you
-the first lady of boxing...-[CAMERAS CLICKING]
...a new and dynamicand beautiful boxing sensation.
"The Coal Miner's Daughter,"Christy Martin!
[APPLAUSE]
Y'all, give it up now.
Give it up, everybody.Y'all keep your hands going now.
Come on up here, baby.
[APPLAUSE QUIETENS]
[PENSIVE MUSIC CONTINUING]
-Thank you, Mr. King.-Yes.
[CHUCKLES] Uh...
I wanna thank you for this opportunity,
and say what an honor it isto be fightin' on a Mike Tyson undercard.
I can hardly believe it. [CHUCKLES]
And... And to be the first woman fighton pay-per-view,
I don't think I could have everdreamed I'd be here.
[MICROPHONE FEEDBACK]
[EXHALES]
But here I am.
And can I just say,I... I don't expect people to be tuning in
because I'm the first woman or whatever.
Everyone should watchbecause I'm the best and I can fight,
and I'm gonna prove that Saturday night
when I stop Deirdre Gogartyin such spectacular fashion
that every motherfucker in that arenais gonna be talking about it.
-[CROWD EXCLAIMS]-So get ready, honey,
'cause Christy Martin's gonna knock youthe fuck out.
[EXCLAIMING, CHEERING, AND APPLAUSE]
DON: Christy Martin, everybody!
-[CAMERAS CLICKING]-Who's smooth?
[PENSIVE MUSIC CONTINUING]
[QUIETLY] Stay still.
DON: Ho!
There she is!
Coal Miner's Daughter!
The whole coal mining family.
-You must be the coal miner.-Yeah, that's right.
[DON CHUCKLES]
How you feeling, baby?
-I feel okay.-DON: I hope so.
Make this a good fight.
Please don't let me down.Make this a real good fight.
I'm sticking my dick out on this one.
I will.
Thank you, Mr. King.
Okay.
Stay still.
-Hey, be still.-I'm trying.
[DISTANT CHEERING]
[SCRIBBLING]
[SIGHS]
[PENSIVE MUSIC PLAYING]
[SIGHS] Oh!
It's freezin'.
I thought the desertwas supposed to be hot.
I didn't bring a coat with me.
Hey, let's go shopping tomorrow.
I can't think about that right now, Momma.
Can't think about what right now?
JOHNNY: Joyce?
Let it be.
What am I doin'?
I'm talking to my daughter.
I never see her anymore.
CHRISTY: Goddamn it!
Okay, uh, everybody out.Let's go get our seats.
Huh? Let's go.
[SHUDDERS]
[DOOR OPENS]
CHRISTY: I'm so fucking nervous.
[BREATHING HEAVILY]I can't get my hands to stop shaking.
Hey, you're okay. You're fine.
You just treat it like any other fight.
I can't. This is huge.
Just do what you do, baby.You've done the work.
Bring that action. Okay?
You're a star.
[CHRISTY EXHALES]
You bring that action.
[PENSIVE MUSIC CONTINUING]
Introducing to you first, on my left,
fighting out of the blue corner,
joining us from Dublin, Ireland,
-at 130 pounds...-[CROWD CHEERING, BOOING]
...with a record of ten winsand three losses, two draws,
nine wins coming by way of knockout,
introducing the hard-hittingDeirdre Gogarty!
[CROWD CHEERING, BOOING]
And her opponent,
fighting out of the red corner,
she weighed in at the lightweight limitof 135 pounds even,
coming to you by wayof Mullens, West Virginia,
with a record of 34 wins,two losses and two draws.
She has 25 wins by way of knockout,
introducing "The Coal Miner's Daughter,"
Christy Martin!
-[PANTING]-[THE BEATITUDES PLAYING]
[BELL DINGS]
SHORTDOG: Come on, Christy!MAN: Come on, Deirdre!
BIG JEFF: Come on!
[BOTH GRUNTING]
Come on, sweet pea!
[BOTH GRUNTING]
JIM: Get on it!
[BOTH GRUNTING]
[BELL DINGS]
[SONG CONTINUING]
REFEREE: Ten seconds.
[BOTH GRUNTING]
-[MAN YELLS INDISTINCTLY]-[GRUNTS]
[CROWD CHEERING]
-Whoo!-[WHISTLING]
[DISTORTED CHEERING]
REFEREE: ...four, five, six,
seven, eight...
Whoo!
Step.
[CROWD CHEERING]
[BOTH GRUNTING]
[GRUNTING]
-Yeah!-Keep going! Come on!
[CROWD CHEERING]
Yes!
[DEIRDRE PANTING]
[BOTH GRUNTING]
-[DEIRDRE GRUNTS]-[CHRISTY GROANS]
[CROWD CHEERING]
[BOTH GRUNTING]
Break, break, break!
WOMAN: Whoo!
[PANTING]
[SONG CONTINUING]
[PANTING]
You're doing good,but you gotta use that jab more.
[PANTING]
She keeps going backwards.
Well, use that jab,throw that right hand behind it.
DOCTOR: How's that nose?
I'm fine, Doc. I'm really fine.
[BELL DINGS]
[SONG CONTINUING]
[CROWD CHEERING]
[DEIRDRE GRUNTS]
[BOTH GRUNTING]
[DEIRDRE GROANS]
[BELL DINGING]
REFEREE: That's it!
[CHEERING]
[SONG CONTINUING]
[ALL CHEERING]
[PANTING]
After six rounds of boxing,
we go to the judges' scorecardswhere we have a unanimous decision.
The judges scored the bout 60-54, 59-54,
and 60-53,
all three in favor of the winner,
-"The Coal Miner's Daughter..."-Yes!
-Yes!-ANNOUNCER: ...Christy Martin!
[ALL CHEERING]
-BIG JEFF: Whoo-hoo!-Ah!
-"The Coal Miner's Daughter..."-Whoo!
-Christy Martin!-[ALL CHEERING]
[LAUGHS]
JOURNALIST: Maybe after this, Christy,
we could get you in your kitchencooking breakfast or something like that.
Boxer by night, housewife by daysort of thing, you know.
But don't worry. It'll be fun, playful.
Oh, we get it.Yeah, we've done a bunch of this stuff.
She just did Jay Lenoand Good Morning America.
JOURNALIST: [CHUCKLES] That's great.
So, Christy,
they are calling your fightwith Deirdre Gogarty
"the most lucrative bloody nosein boxing history."
You're the first woman boxer
to ever appear on the coverof Sports Illustrated.
You have been called the fighterthat's put women's boxing on the map.
And yet, you are on record sayingthat you're not really interested
in being a champion for women in sport?
I don't see that as part of my job.
I'm not here to give some kind of leg upto other women.
I'm here for one thing,and that's Christy Martin.
I wanna be recognizedas a great fighter, period.
Christy's a regular wife, actually.She... She's very ladylike herself.
I mean, she cooks, she cleans, all that,but she ain't no feminist.
I'm just a regular wife
who happens to knock people outfor a living.
[BOTH CHUCKLE]
[WHAT YOU NEED PLAYING]
[GRUNTING]
[BOTH GRUNTING]
[CROWD CHEERING]
[SONG CONTINUING]
PHOTOGRAPHER: Good.
-[SONG CONTINUING]-[BOTH GRUNTING]
BIG JEFF: Christy,
meet your new cutman, Miguel.
I hear you're the best.
Well, I'm not so bad.
Well, I got a nose that loves to bleed.
I could have stopped itin the Gogarty fight.
Good thing you weren't in my corner, then.
That nose is making me a lot of money.
JIM: That bitch is fighting dirty.She's using her fucking head.
You don't put up with that.You put her on her ass.
-[SONG CONTINUING]-[BOTH GRUNTING]
[EXCLAIMS]
[CROWD CHEERING]
-[LAUGHING]-Get back. Back to your corner.
[CHEERING CONTINUES]
I just wanna say,
Lisa Holewyne, you're looking real nice.
This is the first time I've seen youin a nice dress
looking like a woman.
But when I'm done with you,
you're gonna be so ugly
that not even your girlfriend'sgonna recognize you.
[PEOPLE LAUGHING]
[SONG CONTINUING]
Okay, ladies, we went over the rulesin the dressing room.
I want you to protect yourselfat all times
and keep the fight clean at all times.
Touch gloves.
Good luck.
Good luck getting knocked the fuck out.
[GRUNTS]
-[CHEERING]-There it is!
Stick and move!
[BOTH GRUNTING]
-Ha!-[CROWD CHEERING]
-The winner, "The Coal Miner's Daughter."-Coal Miner's Daughter!
Christy Martin!
Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad! I love you!
Well, if you ask me,
I'm the best thing that's ever happenedto women's boxing.
I've done more for the sportthan anyone else,
and frankly, I'm not gettingpaid enough for it.
JOURNALIST: So, you'd like to see womenboxers get paid more for their efforts?
Well, I don't know about other women,but I definitely should.
[CHUCKLES]
Don King, if you're watching,
I think pretty little Christy herewants a raise.
FLOOR MANAGER: And, we're out.
-[CAR HONKS]-DRIVER: Love your work, Christy!
CHRISTY: Hey.MAN: Hi.
[CLOCK TICKING]
CHRISTY: Hey.MAN: Say hi. Come on. Don't be shy.
He loves you.
CHRISTY: Oh, he's got good taste.
[MUFFLED CHATTER]
[CHRISTY LAUGHS]
-Nope. No, it has to be 5:00 or 5:30.-[DOOR CLOSES]
MAN: [ON PHONE] Hold on a second.
Hey, Big Jeff.
Hey, champ.
Yeah, that works.
What are you doing? Where's Shortdog?
I sent him home.I'm gonna spar with you today.
Are you still pissed at meabout this morning?
No. Get changed.
[VELCRO RIPS]
I'm sorry. What... [SIGHS]
He's our neighbor.What am I supposed to do?
He was being polite.I was being polite back.
Get ready.
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
[CHRISTY GRUNTING]
[JIM GRUNTS]
[COUGHS]
[COUGHING CONTINUES]
Have you heard from Don yet?
[COUGHS] Yeah,[VOICE BREAKS] I... I'll handle it.
I know you're handling it.I just wanna know if you heard anything.
I'm in the deep freeze over here.
I just wanna knowwhen this contract's gonna get done.
-Yeah, I'll get it done.-When?
If you screwed us by making me saythat dumb shit on TV
about wanting more money...
Yeah, what?
I wanna fight.
I need a contract.
Okay.
All right, come on.
[CHUCKLES]
[JIM PANTING]
When was the last time you called him?
JIM: Keep your hands up.
-Have you even tried him?-Keep your hands up.
You gotta call his office every few hoursjust to check in...
[JIM GRUNTS]
[CHRISTY GROANS]
I told you to keep your hands up.
BIG JEFF: What happened?JIM: Oh, she...
What she did was ran right into my punch.
-She wasn't concentrating.-BIG JEFF: Let me see.
-Let me see.-JIM: Baby, you just ran right into it.
You know you're not good[LAUGHS] at moving your head.
BIG JEFF: You okay?
She's not that good at moving her head.We gotta work on that.
[JIM SIGHS]
All right.
Let's get you out of here. Come on.
On June 28th in the year of our Lord 1997,
Tyson's gonna fight Evander Holyfieldat the MGM Grand.
I'm putting you on the cardagainst Andrea DeShong.
[SIGHS] Thank you, DK.
I promise it'll be a good fight.
I mean, I'll mess her up.
That dyke bitch is crazy.She fucking hates me for some reason.
Ha! [CHUCKLING] For some reason!
[CHUCKLES]
I like you, Christy.
You got some real personality.
But if I ever hear you talking smackabout me to the press again,
bitching about your purses being too smallor whatever else,
there ain't gonna be no more fights.
Do you hear me?
Yes, sir.
[PAPERS RUSTLING]
Now, I know you gonna beat DeShong, baby.That's what you do.
You're the queen right now.
-Ain't that right?-[CHUCKLES]
You think you what makes the world turn.
But one day, you gonna wake up and realize
that it turns just fine without you.
And, sugar,
that morning's gonna come like...
[SNAPS FINGERS]
[THUNDER BREAKING]
NARRATOR:It has been billed the greatest fight
-in women's boxing history.-[INTENSE MUSIC PLAYING]
Laila Ali, daughterof the greatest fighter of all time.
Her record speaks for itself,
15 fights, 15 wins.
And Christy Martin, the 14-year pro
who single-handedly put her sporton the map
with 45 victories, 2 defeats,31 wins by way of knockout.
But does this veteran have what it takesto beat a fighter
now considered the new faceof women's boxing?
I was the past,
I'm the present, and I'm the future.
[MUSIC STOPS]
[EMOTIONAL MUSIC PLAYING]
[GRUNTS SOFTLY]
[CHRISTY SIGHS]
You know, I was thinking maybe we could,uh, bring on someone else
to co-train with you on this one?
Just for a couple weeks.
Just a co-trainer.
Not a trainer. You're still my trainer.
I just want someone who, uh,can help take me to the next level.
You think I can't take youto the next level?
It's not...
[SIGHS] It's not thatyou're not training me right.
My fault you're not at the next level?
We just... We gotta figure outhow I'm gonna beat this girl.
She's younger and bigger than me.
[LAUGHS]
Do you want me to call off the fight?
-Uh, tell 'em to keep their money?-CHRISTY: God.
-Do I tell 'em that?-CHRISTY: Jim.
Jim, I'm not trying to undermine you.
[JIM CHUCKLES]
Christy's not at the right level.
She doesn't thinkshe can get to the next level.
CHRISTY: I know I can beat her.
I just... We were all talking yesterday.
We were all thinkingthat maybe we could mix up my training
and make sure I'm ready.
JIM: "We... We... We all"?Who the fuck is "we all"?
CHRISTY: Big Jeff and Miguel and me,we were thinkin'...
JIM: So you're sneaking behind my backat the gym?
You're talking to my guys at my gym
-about how you should be training?-[SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING]
CHRISTY: It's not your gym. It's our gym!
[CHRISTY GASPING]
-[CLATTERING]-[JIM GRUNTING]
[CHRISTY GROANING]
-[THUDDING]-[CHRISTY GROANING]
JIM: You shit your pants and blame me?
-[CHRISTY GROANING]-[OBJECTS CLATTERING]
-[CHRISTY GRUNTING]-[SOMBER MUSIC CONTINUING]
Come on. Take it easy.
Okay! Okay, guys, just take a break.
What's the matter with you?
[PANTING]
We gotta fight different.
You can't slug Ali.You're not gonna beat her that way.
You gotta fight herlike you fought Lisa Holewyne.
We gotta prep like we preppedfor that fight.
You need to spar with someone better.
Shortdog ain't gonna get you there.
-I'll get Lisa in to spar with you.-[SCOFFS]
Lisa Holewyne isn't gonna wantanything to do with me.
We'll see about that.
Take five, guys.
See you later, Jeff. I'm outta here.
Yo, champ. Come in.
What's up?
Have a seat.
How you feelin'?
[CHUCKLES] I'm good.
You're training hard.
I've never seen you train this hard.
Well, Laila's, uh... [SIGHS]Laila's no joke.
And how's everything else?
You okay?
[SIGHS]
Yeah.
I'm just checking in. That's all.
If you ever need anything...
I'm here.
Anything.
[SIGHS]
Yeah, I know.
Thanks.
[DOPE IS REALITY PLAYING]
-[SHARP EXHALES]-SHORTDOG: Nice.
-[SHARP EXHALES]-[SONG CONTINUING ON SPEAKERS]
Christy will show you around.
Why don't you get warmed up,and, uh, we'll get to it?
I really didn't expect you to come.
Yeah, well, I actually need the money.
We don't all get purses like yours.
We're paying you? How much?
Not enough for you to be an asshole.
[PENSIVE MUSIC PLAYING]
Create angles.
[GRUNTING]
Get out of there.
Hey, create angles.
[SHARP EXHALES]
[BOTH GRUNTING]
[CHRISTY BREATHING HEAVILY]
You good?
Yeah, I'm good.
You're good?
Yeah, I'm good.
[HORN HONKING]
-[SHARP EXHALES]-[PUNCHES THUDDING]
Find it, please. Call me back.
[SIGHS]
-How do you think she's looking?-JIM: She's looking good.
She's a little chunky,but she had to come up in weight
so it is what it is, I guess.
You know, Jim, I don't meanto question her abilities, but...
I'm worried about this fight.
I'm bigger than Christyand Laila's too big for me.
I bet you wish it was you going upagainst Ali.
No.
I don't think I could beat her.
You're right, you couldn't.
Christy can.
She keeps her head right,and her attitude.
So, yeah.
Now's probably the time for you to leave.
When Big Jeff gets back,
he'll take care of whateverwe still owe you. We...
We really appreciate you coming out.
LISA: You know, when we fought,you beat me because you fought smart.
You know it.
And to beat Laila,you're gonna have to fight smart.
I'm gonna peek-a-boo that bitch.
She's gonna think I'm over here,but actually I'm over here.
She ain't gonna know where I am.
[SOFTLY] Okay.
Well, thanks for having me come in.
It wasn't my idea.
I wanted a new trainer. I got you instead.
[SCOFFS]
[LAUGHS]
You know how easy you make itfor people to dislike you?
It's like all this tough girl shit.
Bravado.
Maybe Jim tells you to do it,I don't know,
maybe it's all part of the show...
I don't know who's telling you what,
but you don't need it.
Whatever you say.
Do you remember what you said to me
when I wished you good luckbefore our fight?
Yeah. I remember.
You were fucking with me.
No.
I was just wishing you luck.
[SIGHS]
[SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING]
Sorry, ma'am. Restroom's occupied.
Right on.
Here we go.
Laila Ali, 162.
-CROWD: Yeah!-[CROWD CHEERING]
Let's go.
All right.
-[COINS CLINKING]-[SOMBER MUSIC CONTINUING]
Whenever you're ready.
Christy Martin, 159.
-Yeah!-[SCATTERED APPLAUSE]
CHRISTY: We should've made hercome down more.
I'm 143.
By the time she rehydrates,she's gonna be 170.
You're nervous.You're always nervous before fights.
Get off your legs.
I should be fighting Lucia Rijker.
You know she wants to fight me.I mean, that makes sense.
Rijker is small-time.
You're big-time.
Get off your feet.
[SOMBER MUSIC CONTINUING]
HOUSEKEEPER: Excuse me, ma'am.
I just wanna let you knowthat I'm rooting for you tomorrow.
I think you can beat her.
[CROWD SHOUTING]
MIGUEL: Stay focused.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
JIM: Hey, this isn't right.She shouldn't be making Christy wait.
Well, that's the coin toss.
It's bullshit.
Well, I don't knowwhat you want me to say.
You guys lost the toss.
Goddamn it.
CROWD: [CHANTING] Ali! Ali! Ali!
It's all good. Focus on my hands.
[CHANTING CONTINUES] Ali! Ali! Ali!
Ali! Ali! Ali!
Ali! Ali! Ali! Ali!
Get that up there.
[KNOW MY VOICE PLAYING ON SPEAKERS]
[CROWD CHEERING]
-[MUSIC ENDS]-All right, Laila. Come on, Christy.
Ladies, you both received instructionsin the dressing room.
I told you what I expected of both of you.
Don't make me have no decisionin the fighting.
Touch 'em up. Come out fighting. Let's go.
[GLOVES THUD]
[CROWD CHEERING]
[BELL DINGING]
-FRED: Let's go.-[GRUNTING]
SHORTDOG: Come on, get in there!
[BOTH GRUNTING]
-[GROANS]-[CROWD EXCLAIMING]
[CROWD EXCLAIMING]
[GROANS, PANTING]
[BOTH GRUNTING]
Guard up!
-[GROANS]-[CROWD EXCLAIMING]
[SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING]
REFEREE: Hold, hold.
Break up, break up, break up.
-[PANTING]-[CROWD CHEERING. CLAPPING]
[PANTING]
JIM: Why are you slugging?
Am I fighting crooked? I'm dizzy.
JIM: No, you're all right.
Just keep your defense up.Don't slug at her.
I'm dizzy.
I feel like I'm on a slant.
Don't slug at her. Enough of that.
MAN: All right, all right!
[BOTH GRUNTING]
[GROANS]
MAN: Let's go. Let's go!
Get off the ropes!
-[BELL DINGS]-[SOMBER MUSIC CONTINUING]
Breathe in through the nose.
[GROANS]
Out through the mouth.
[PANTING] I'm still dizzy.
I can't get my balance back.
Hey. You're all right.
You're all right.Just give me one more round.
Get your composure back.
REFEREE: Seconds up!
Break, break, break.
[INDISTINCT SHOUTING]
[GROANS]
[SOFTLY] Fuck, fuck, fuck.
[GRUNTING]
[GROANS]
Jim, she's not good.You should throw in the towel.
[CHEERING]
[SOMBER MUSIC CONTINUING]
[DAY OF A MACK PLAYING ON SPEAKERS]
[SHARP EXHALES]
[PANTING]
Get in close, Shortdog.Get in close. Get out.
Move.
Move. You're short, Shortdog. Use it.
-Stay in close.-Who's the fucking trainer here?
-You keep running your damn mouth.-All right.
Dig in.
Jim, I'm done.
I'm not feeling great.
Two more rounds.
CHRISTY: I'm not feeling it today.
[SONG CONTINUING]
JIM: Two more rounds on the heavy bag.
Why? I don't have a fight.
I'm working on that.
How?
Well, I spoke to Bob Arum,
and he said a Lucia Rijker fightis looking good.
When?
Why didn't you tell me?
I don't have the details.He's getting into it.
Just stay ready.
[SNIFFS]
[EXHALES]
Have you heard from Bob?
Bob who?
Bob Arum.
Do you know anything moreabout the Rijker fight?
[PHONE VIBRATING]
Why is Deana calling you again?
Because I need a haircut.
She called you yesterday.
Yeah, well, I missed her call yesterday.
[CHUCKLES] How many calls does it taketo organize a haircut?
It only takes one, but you actually haveto talk to the person
to make the appointment.
It's like every time I pick up your phone,there's another call from her.
Okay, so why the fuck are you lookin'at my phone all the time?
Stop lookin' at my phone!
I have to look at your phone.I need to know what you're doing.
How else am I gonna knowwhat you're doing?
I'm gettin' a damn haircut.Give me my phone back.
Why are you getting a haircut?
'Cause that's what people do.
They get fucking haircuts.
-You just had one.-I had one two months ago.
Then it fuckin' grew.
Maybe you'd understandif you had any hair to cut.
[BOTH GRUNTING]
[CHOKING]
[CHRISTY CHOKING]
Uh-uh.
[GASPING]
[JIM CHUCKLES]
It's the Salters!
-Hey, Jim. Where's the birthday girl at?-JIM: Hi, come on.
Good to see you.
-JOHNNY: Hey, Jim.-Yeah. Come on in.
Well, Bob thinks it's a good idea.
Tie in the fightwith the home video release of the movie.
Marketing tie-in.
-Yeah, Rijker was involved with that film.-JIM: Yeah.
Get Hilary Swank on board.
Yeah.
-SHORTDOG: Hilary Swank?-JIM: Yeah.
-SHORTDOG: No way.-JIM: Yeah.
SHORTDOG: That's awesome, boss.
JOYCE: Hi.
[PANTING]
Mom, I need to talk to youabout something.
Well, yeah. Shoot.
Can I talk to you in private?
Will you go out front with me?
Things aren't right.
He knows everything I do or sayinside the house.
He must have the whole house set upwith hidden cameras or something.
And he's angry at me all the time.
-What's he angry about?-Everything. I mean...
[WHISPERS] And there'sother stuff too, Mom.
He's making videotapes of us doing stuff.
He's scaring me.
I don't know what I'm supposed to do.
I don't wanna be here.
I don't want him to train me anymore.
I got this...
this... this fightwith Lucia Rijker coming up.
It's supposed to be a real payday.
And I'm gonna need that money
'cause I gotta get outta here,
and I don't knowwhat I'm doing, and I don't...
I don't even knowhow I got in this situation, but...
[WHIMPERING]
I... I need help, Momma.
Oh.
Oh, Christy.
You sound crazy.
Jim told me you've been messing aroundwith some kind of drugs.
And I can't tell youhow to live your life,
but you need to get your act together.
I'm not comfortable havingthis conversation behind Jim's back,
so I'm gonna go back in there
and you pull yourself togetherbefore we do the cake.
Drove a long way to be here for this.
[CRYING] I know, Momma.
JIM: [SINGING] You are my sunshine
[SNORTING]
-My only sunshine-[GLOOMY MUSIC PLAYING]
You make me happy
When skies are gray
You'll never know, dear
How much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away...
JIM: [ON VIDEO] Oh, yeah, come over here.
JIM: [SINGING] The other night, dear
JIM: [ON VIDEO] Come over herewith that big dick.
JIM: [SINGING] As I lay sleeping
I dreamed I held you
In my arms
When I awoke, dear
I was mistaken
And I held
My head
And cried
[GLOOMY MUSIC CONTINUING]
[VEHICLE APPROACHING]
[SIGHS]
[PANTING]
BIG JEFF: Hey, champ, how you doin'?
Yeah, I'm good.
Are you sure?
What do you need to tell me?
Jeff.
Honey, you are like family to me.
And you know I don't like getting involvedin other people's business,
but I am worried about you.
I've heard some stuff.
What stuff?
Jeff, what stuff?
Jim has been skimming moneyoff of your fights.
He's been hiding the money in a tin canin your backyard
and sending Marcelto go get it while you're at the gym.
I think he's giving itto his ex-wife or his kids.
I don't know what elsehe would be doing with it.
And there's other things, too.
Videotapes.
Of you.
[SIGHS]
You know.
I think you need to be very careful.
How do you know about this?
The young guys at the gym...
they were saying some things about it.
[SIGHS]
I was hoping you were going to say
that he's having an affairand wants to leave me.
BIG JEFF: Sorry.
I didn't know what to do.
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
I gotta keep this Rijker purseaway from him, somehow.
How do I do that? I need that money.
Champ, that fight ain't happening.
I don't know why he keeps telling youit's on, but it's not.
[SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING]
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
[SHOUTS]
[TIRES SCREECH]
[CAR DOOR OPENS. CLOSES]
[MEN SHOUTING]
You piece of shit!
You motherfucker!
You piece of shit!I bled for that money, you piece of shit!
It's not yours!
[GROANS]
JIM: Calm down!
You're embarrassing yourself.
I'm leaving you.
JIM: No, you are not.
You are not leaving me.
There is no Christy Martin without me.
[MOANS]
You'd think you'd bea little bit more grateful.
[PANTING]
[SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING]
JIM: Where you been?
I thought maybeI'd order some ribs for dinner.
What are you doing?
Hold up, Christy.
Hold on.
We gotta talk.
Christy?
Look at me. Unpack that bag.
Unpack that bag.
Look at me.
Christy, look at me.
All the sacrifices I've made for you.
Where are you going?
If you leave me, I'll kill you.
You do what you have to do.
[DOOR CLOSES]
-[INDISTINCT CHATTER]-[SOMBER MUSIC CONTINUING]
ROSIE: Glad you called.
I've been following your career.[CHUCKLES]
It's amazing what you've done.
Thanks.
Is everything okay at home?
Sounded kinda edgy on the phone.
You're still with Jim, right?
I'm gonna leave him.
Really?
[CHUCKLES]
[CHUCKLES] It's just...
You know, I haven'ttalked to anyone about this.
I don't really have anyone I can talk to.
What's going on?
-[PHONE VIBRATING]-[CHRISTY SIGHS]
I don't know...
I don't know.
I don't even know where to start.
I mean, I should've done this years ago.
What's going on?
[PHONE VIBRATING]
Is that him?
Do you need to answer it?
[CHRISTY SIGHS]
What?
JIM: I see the way you greeted her.
[SINISTER MUSIC PLAYING]
What do you think you're doing?
I'm so close I could touch you.
What's going on?
He's here.
He's watching us.
What do you mean?
What's he gonna do?
He's not gonna do anything to you.
But we should go.
I booked a hotel.
I'm coming with you.
[TIRES SCREECHING]
[SIGHS]
[DOOR OPENS]
-[SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING]-[WAVES SPLASHING]
[SEABIRDS CAWING]
[DOOR OPENS]
Where you been?
I couldn't sleep.
[PHONE BEEPING]
What the fuck?
[PHONE RINGING]
ROSIE: What is it?
Jeff?
BIG JEFF: You okay?
I just turned my phone back on.
I've got, like, a hundred messages.Jim sent a picture of me to everyone.
BIG JEFF: Yeah. What's going on?
What's the picture of?
BIG JEFF: It's, um, you know...
It's dirty, it's not good.
He's telling everyoneyou're leaving him for a woman.
He sent the picture to everyone.
My boxing contacts, my family, everyone.
BIG JEFF: Is there anythingyou need me to do?
No, I gotta go.
Let's pack up and get out of here.
You can call him from my place.
Tell him you'll organize a truckto come and pick up your stuff.
And then I'll call my friend Sharon,who's a lawyer...
I'm going back home.
What?
I have to go back there.
I need to go home.
Are you fucking crazy?
I'm not running away.
I'm not going into hiding somewhere.
I spent half my life hiding.
That's my house.
That's my things.
That's my fucking gym.
I'm not gonna let him push me out.
I don't get it.
[SIGHS]
I don't understand you.
[BREATHES DEEPLY]
[SNIFFLES]
I want you to do something for me.
I want you to memorize my phone number.
Can you do that for me?
[SINISTER MUSIC PLAYING]
[CLOCK TICKING]
[SINISTER MUSIC CONTINUING]
[SIGHS]
JIM: We have to talk.
I'm gonna lie down.
My head's killing me.
I'm gonna take a nap and then we can talk.
[SIGHING]
[OBJECTS CLATTERING]
[KEYPAD CLACKING]
-[PHONE RINGING]-[SIGHS]
ROSIE: You okay?
Yeah, I'm fine.
I just had a nap.
ROSIE: Is he there?
Can you talk?
He's in the living room.
ROSIE: What happened when you got home?
Nothing.
I just told him I had to take a nap.
JIM: I need to talk with you.
I'm on the phone.
I need to talk with you.
I'll talk to youwhen I'm done talking to Rosie.
I gotta go, Rosie.
[SIGHS]
[SINISTER MUSIC PLAYING]
[GASPS]
-[JIM GRUNTING]-[CHRISTY SHOUTING]
-[CHRISTY GROANING]-[STABBING]
-[GROANS]-[CLATTERS]
[PANTING]
[CHRISTY GASPING]
-[KNIVES CLINKING]-[CHRISTY GASPING]
[JIM GRUNTING]
[CHRISTY GASPING]
[CHRISTY SOBS]
[SHUDDERING]
Jim, I'm sorry.
Go ahead, call your girlfriend.
Please don't let me die.
[SIGHS]
[CHRISTY GROANS]
[OBJECTS CLATTERING]
Nope, it's, uh... it's not working either.
[SPUTTERING]
[WATER RUNNING]
[SINISTER MUSIC CONTINUING]
[SPUTTERING]
[CHRISTY GASPS]
[SPUTTERING STOPS]
[TAPS]
[CUPBOARD OPENS]
-[FAUCET SQUEAKS]-[WATER RUNNING]
[GROANS SOFTLY]
[WHEEZING SOFTLY]
[GROANING SOFTLY]
[MOANING]
[WATER RUNNING]
[SOFT EMOTIONAL MUSIC PLAYING]
[GROANING SOFTLY]
[FROGS CROAKING]
[GROANS SOFTLY]
[WHEEZES]
[CAR CHIRPS]
[GROANING SOFTLY]
[EMOTIONAL MUSIC CONTINUING]
[SHUDDERING]
Please, please.
Please...
Please help me.
MAN: Come on.
Yeah, go ahead. What happened?
CHRISTY: Drive, please, sir.I don't wanna die.
I don't wanna die. [SOBBING]
I'm sorry, I'm... [GASPING]I'm getting blood all over your seat.
MAN: Just keep breathing.
Let's get her hooked up.Get me some saline and some gauze.
All right, if you can get herhooked up to the monitor.
And, Brooke, if you can get an IV for me.
Hon, I'm gonna cut your shirt open, okay?We gotta look at your wounds.
One in the left AC.Pulse is good on this side.
DOCTOR 1: All right, she's bleedingpretty good over here.
DOCTOR 2: I need two units, O-neg.
Hi, my name's Nancy. I'm an ER nurse.Can you tell me your name?
[CHRISTY PANTING]
Christy Martin.
NANCY: Okay, Christy, we're gonnatake good care of you, okay?
Can you tell me what happened to you?
I was shot and stabbed by my husband.
NANCY: It's okay, honey.You're safe now, okay?
[SOBBING]
You're gonna be okay.Is there anybody I can call for you?
-[SOBS] Rosie.-NANCY: Rosie?
Okay, do you know Rosie's number?
681-735-0102.
NANCY: 681-735-0102?
-CHRISTY: Yeah.-NANCY: Okay.
I'm gonna go call herand tell her what's happening, okay?
-You're gonna be okay.-DOCTOR 2: Let's push her two of...
NANCY: We're gonna takegood care of you, okay?
DOCTOR 2: Let's get her preppedfor the move and let's stop this bleeding.
CHRISTY: [SOBBING] Please call Rosie.
[MONITOR BEEPING]
She's okay.
Sweetheart.
She's in bad shape,but the doctors say she'll be okay.
JOHNNY: Oh, sweetheart.
Has she been awake?
ROSIE: She was awake when I...when I got here.
She's been in and out.
[JOHNNY SOBS]
Oh, I'm so sorry.
I'm so sorry.
Can I talk to you outside, please?
You need to leave.
It's not right that you're here.
Christy wants me here.
Christy doesn't know what she wants.
You're the reason this has happened.
I'm her mother, and I want you to leave.
And I don't wanna talk anymore about it.
Where's Rosie?
She left.
Where'd she go?
I don't know.
Where's Jim?
RANDY: He's been arrested.
The police found him.
Hiding in your neighbor's tool shed.
He's lucky they found him before I did.I'd have killed that son of a bitch.
You know, it's all over the news.
And everyone is saying
that you were gonna leave Jimfor that woman.
That woman's name is Rosie.
I know.
So, I thought
that you could saythat you were with the other Rosie.
You know, Rosie Graham.
And that way, people would understandthat she's just a friend.
RANDY: Mom.
What are you doing?
You're fucking kidding me.
You might as wellhave pulled the trigger yourself.
[SCOFFS]
I wish I could've beenthe daughter you wanted me to be.
I tried my whole life.
I tried so fucking hard for you.
[EMOTIONAL MUSIC PLAYING]
And look where I am, Momma.
Look where I am.
[INHALES SHARPLY]
[EMOTIONAL MUSIC CONTINUING]
NURSE: The doctorwants you walking, Christy.
You've got your walker right here.
I don't need that.
You don't go anywhere without your walker.
Doctor's orders.
Lisa fucking Holewyne?
What the hell are you doing here?
LISA: I hope it's all rightI just showed up.
I just wanted to see if you were okay.
Thanks.
So who's Rosie?
-[LAUGHS]-[SIGHS]
You sure as hell didn't creepquietly out of the closet.
Yeah.
You peek-a-boo'd this bitch.
[CHRISTY LAUGHS]
Man.
People are gonna tear me apart.
I spent half my careertrash-talking women I fought.
Calling 'em dykes or whatever.
-Oh, really?-CHRISTY: Mm-hmm.
-Wow.-[CHRISTY CHUCKLES]
People are gonna laugh in my face.
Maybe they will.
-You deserve it.-[SIGHS]
Yeah.
But maybe they won't.
Maybe you've just learned to expectthe worst from people.
I want to fight again.
[SIGHS]
Really?
Yeah.
You know no one will hold itagainst you if you don't.
Right? You kicked every assthere was to kick.
I want it back.
I want the ring back.
In there, I'm calm.
In there, it's quiet.Just everything goes quiet, you know?
Yeah.
Yeah, I know.
There's rules and there's boundaries.
Everywhere else is chaos, but...
in there it's quiet.
And it's mine.
And I want it without him.
[SCOFFS]
Well...
good luck.
Thank you.
Okay, let's get you up.
Put that thing away.
LISA: Come on, old lady.
I ain't doing that.
LISA: Get you boxing ready.
-Let's go, granny.-I ain't using that.
-LISA: Not using this?-Mmm-mmm.
-LISA: I think it's required.-It ain't.
No? I'll take it then.
[CHRISTY LAUGHS]
Let's go.
I look like a fool. [GRUNTS SOFTLY]
It's nice. It's good for dips.
Get a good workout in.
Keep up.
[PUNCHING BAGS THUDDING]
SHORTDOG: Nice. Get in there.
Psst. Yo.
SHORTDOG: Hey, fellas, hold up.
I'm sorry.
[MOUTHING] Come on.
[SONG CONTINUING]
MIGUEL: I don't know, Christy.
Let me remind you,you got shot and stabbed two weeks ago.
Yeah, so?
Yeah, so, I... I don't knowthat you should be training yet.
-You need to get better first.-This is me getting better.
I wanna fight.
I want you to train me.Can you get me a fight?
Come on, papi. Get me a fight.
Jeff.
[CHUCKLES]
All right, champ.You've got it. We'll get you a fight.
-[CHUCKLES]-SHORTDOG: Fuck yeah!
[US, THEN PLAYING]
[PANTING]
[GROANS SOFTLY]
CHRISTY: I go to a restaurantand I realize I don't know what to order.
I don't knowwhat to cook for myself at home.
I don't know what clothes I want to wear.
Or what I want to watch on television.
I have no idea who I actually am.
Every aspect of my lifehas been controlled by this man.
Every decision.
Everyone I talk to.
I don't know who I can trust anymore.
Not even my own family.
I don't have many regrets in my life.
But I regret not accepting helpwhen it was offered.
And I wish I would have walked outthe first time you promised to kill me.
Maybe I thought you were joking.
But I know nowthat whatever it was you intended,
a good man doesn't say that shit.
[SHARP EXHALES]
But you said it.
You said it over and over again.
And then you came good on that promise.
But guess what, motherfucker?You didn't kill me.
Your Honor, I'm going to objectat this time. This is confrontational.
Are you fucking kidding me?
-I'm confrontational?-Sustained.
Ms. Salters, I need youto just read your statement, please.
You stabbed me.
Look at me.
Look at me, Jim.
You stabbed me.
You shot me.
[OATH (TRIPTYCH) PLAYING]
You left me for dead on the bedroom floor.
But like most else, you came up short.
You came up short, didn't you,you fucking piece of shit?
-LAWYER: Objection.-JUDGE: Ms. Salters.
It's all right.
I'm done.
-[CROWD CHEERING]-[SONG CONTINUING]
[UPLIFTING SONG CONTINUING]
Knock her out, champ.
[CROWD CHEERING]
[UPLIFTING SONG SWELLS]
[CROWD CHEERING CONTINUING]
[UPLIFTING SONG SWELLS]
[SONG FADES]
[SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC FADES]