Dawn Staley makes her feelings known on 2x Olympic gold medalist boxer's movie

Dawn Staley gave a glowing review for "The Fire Inside," a film chronicling the life of women's boxing champion Claressa Shields. She compared Shields' experiences to the plight of the No. 2-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks women's basketball team.

Boxer Claressa Shields of Flint, Michigan, fights women's WBC champion Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse during their main event fight at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Saturday, July 27, 2024. Photo: Imagn

On X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, Staley showed her appreciation for Shields, who won the Olympic gold medal twice in her illustrious boxing career. Staley supported her fellow Black athlete by hosting an advanced screening of the movie at AMC Harbison 14 in Columbia, South Carolina, on Monday evening.

"The Fire Inside is a must see! So much resonated with our WBB plight. Thank you @Claressashields for injecting your fight in all of us. I know the sport of boxing is much better bc of you..women all over the world are better because of your will and fight in and out of the ring."

Staley took inspiration from the life story of Shields, who grew up in poverty in Flint, Michigan. She overcame those hardships to become the most decorated female boxer in the history of women's boxing. Shields had a brilliant amateur career, capturing back-to-back gold medals in the women's middleweight division at the 2012 London Olympics and the 2016 Rio Summer Games.

Shields turned professional in November 2016 and continued to rack up accolades. She made history by becoming one of only four boxers (male or female) to hold all four major titles at the same time in two separate weight classes.

Now, Shields has added a biopic to her list of achievements, with first-time director Rachel Morrison helming the film and Ryan Destiny starring in the lead role.

Dawn Staley overcomes poverty through basketball

Dawn Staley also grew up in poverty, telling her life story in an article she wrote for The Players Tribune on Nov. 28, 2018. She wrote that her mother was a domestic worker who cleaned buildings and houses to make a living. Because of their financial difficulties, Staley acknowledged they didn't have a lot of nice things such as shoes and clothes.

Like Shields, Staley found a way to overcome those challenges through sports. She had a stellar basketball career, winning the Olympic gold medal three consecutive times with Team USA in 1996, 2000 and 2004. The Virginia Cavaliers star also played for the Charlotte Sting and the Houston Comets in the WNBA.

South Carolina Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley directs her team against the Charleston Southern Buccaneers in their NCAA clash at Colonial Life Arena. Photo: Imagn

Staley also found success in her coaching career, leading the Temple Owls from 2000 to 2008 before moving to South Carolina. She made the Gamecocks a powerhouse in women's basketball, leading them to the NCAA title in 2017, 2022 and 2024.