Right to Fight

The women featured in this remarkable documentary weren't extended much of a welcome by the boxing industry and found their careers cut short for a variety of reasons. In some cases before they barely got started. If it wasn't bad enough that they were battling the fight game's powers-that-be, the women were even betrayed and conspired against by those who were supposed to be looking out for their best interests. But they waged battles in their time, both within and beyond the ring, that benefited future generations and eventually made women's boxing what it is today.

However, to them it was always about more than just boxing. Their goal in part was to prove that the American Dream was attainable to women as much as it was to the patriarchy that wrote the rulebook they were being forced to play by. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness often carry a heavy cost that comes payable, ironically enough, to those whose will it is to crush the very aspirations some endure great hardships chasing after.

Right To Fight's writer/director Georgina Cammalleri is unsparing in taking inventory of such reality checks. These freedom fighters chose not to conform to society's expectations so that they could push back against nasty stereotypes and existential obsolescence. As a result, they were restricted in their time to measuring success not by financial gain and title belts but by the number of closed doors they were able to smash off their hinges, no matter how extraordinary the risk or resistance.

Wow what a documentary!! This is an absolute masterpiece from start to finish. It includes beautifully shot archived footage, interviews from badass women boxers who are SO inspiring, and its all set in the context of 1970s America where you learn about what it was like for women who wanted to go professional and turn their love of boxing into monetised work. These women were the pioneers of boxing and it's just a shame it's taken this long for their story to be told. As a woman who loves to box, this really hit me hard in the feels and there were some tears at the end for sure. Really can't wait to see what the director comes out with next - 10/10.