Shields believes the portrayal is incredibly accurate to her situation growing up in Michigan
From her meteoric rise out from poverty and a dysfunctional home life in Flint, Michigan, to a pair of Olympic gold medals and world titles in five divisions as a professional boxer, Claressa Shields has built her name upon the principles of always staying true to herself.
Raw, real, brash, unapologetic and relentless would be just some of the adjectives used to describe the 29-year-old who, against all odds, willed herself to a life and career that has produced varying levels of highs and lows in the public eye.
Critics can call Shields (15-0, 3 KOs) whatever they want. Heck, she has gone as far as to call herself the “GWOAT” (shorthand for the Greatest Woman of All-Time) and began doing so as early as her first pro bout. But if Shields’ story is told correctly, it would be difficult to leave out the word inspirational. 
“Being who I am is why I am here today,” Shields told CBS Sports last week. “I tried to make the changes that everybody was saying and it made me depressed, sad and not feel as powerful and strong as I am. I had to throw it out the window and just stick to being me and knowing that regardless of how the world looks at me, I know myself.
“I made a way out for me and my family. I am a once-in-a-lifetime woman and athlete. I feel good knowing that even though people are going to judge me. But I think that Flint mentality is just in me and I just love who I am. I’m happy that I didn’t let the world change me because who knows what it would have changed me into.”
On Christmas Day, the story of Shields’ improbable rise will hit theaters nationwide with the release of the Amazon MGM Studios biopic, “The Fire Inside,” directed by Rachel Morrison and starring Ryan Destiny as Shields. The film chronicles Shields’ run as a teenager to a pair of Olympic gold medals and focuses on the relationship between her and trainer/father figure Jason Crutchfield, played by Brian Tyree Henry.
The film isn’t your typical feel-good, underdog story. In fact, much like the city of Flint, which acts as an intimidating co-star thanks to the grit of Morrison’s cinematography, the movie is an unflinching look at the reality of the hand Shields was dealt growing up with an imprisoned father, alcoholic mother and the responsibility of looking after her younger siblings.
Watching the film adaption of so many bittersweet life memories, like when she first entered Flint’s iconic Berston Field House at age 11 against the wishes of her father, a former underground boxer, and was told that females weren’t allowed to train, brought tears to Shields’ eyes at the film’s September premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.
“I watched it and I said, ‘What the hell? That was really my life,'” Shields said. “And then to see things I put so far back in my head, it was really painful to see how I didn’t grow up with any food and how my mother and my relationship wasn’t that great. At a time when I didn’t have friends and I didn’t have support, I had Jason and I had boxing.
“I know that my life is about to change on Christmas Day. People will have a better understanding of who I am and what I have been trying to tell people the whole time. Now, I feel like they will have a great understanding and want to support me until I die.”
