Aahana Swrup
‘The Fire Inside’ charts an inspirational tale about a boxer’s ascent to the top in spite of the various hurdles in her path. Claressa Shields becomes a staple at her local gym in Flint, Michigan, from the age of 11 after Jason Crutchfield scouts her potential and begins training her. As a result, years of training and hard work finally brought the young athlete and her mentor to the finish line of their dreams: the 2012 Olympic Games. However, Claressa finds herself in for a bitter surprise when she realizes that the coveted Olympic gold medal she has won isn’t enough to be the ticket to ultimate success. Thus, faced with the reality of the sports industry—especially in female boxing circles—Claressa must fight for her future on her own.
As the film adapts the real-life of renowned boxer Claressa “T-Rex” Shields, it highlights her remarkable journey, showcasing the significance of her Flint roots for better and worse. Consequently, her relationship with her high-school boyfriend, Zay, becomes a notable addition to her story. Naturally, the character must have spawned some interest in the Olympic athlete’s potential high school sweetheart.
Ardreal “Bossman” Holmes Jr. Likely Inspired Zay’s Character
Since ‘The Fire Inside’ is a biopic about Claressa Shields’ boxing origin story, the film remains true to life for the most part. However, some aspects of it diverge from reality either in service to cinematic storytelling or due to privacy reasons. It’s likely that the creation of Zay as a character with a fictionalized name is a result of the latter. In the film, Zay is a fellow young boxer at Berston Field House who trains under Jason Crutchfield from an early age. Therefore, he and Claressa soon become training partners over the years, sparring and honing their skills together. Eventually, romance brews between the duo, paving the path for compelling young love.
In real life, Ardreal Holmes Jr. had a similar relationship with Shields. Both boxers grew up in Flint and trained together. Reportedly, he was her first boyfriend, and their relationship lasted from the ages of 16 to 21. While the details of their past relationship aren’t available to the public, they continue to have an amicable friendship today as adults and pro-wrestlers. This seems to be in line with Claressa and Zay’s on-screen dynamic. In the story, their relationship comes to an end due to her decision to move away from Flint to pursue her boxing career and train for her second stint in the Olympic Games. Nonetheless, even after their relationship ends, the two maintain friendly relations—similar to Shields’ real-life friendship with her ex. Thus, it would be fair to assume that Zay’s character has some roots in Holmes Jr.
Ardreal “Bossman” Holmes Jr. is Fighting for a Title
Similar to his childhood training partner, Ardeal Holmes Jr.— better known by his nickname, Bossman—has also made a name for himself in the world of pro boxing. In addition to his Flint-based training, some of his training camps also took place in Las Vegas. Nonetheless, he continues to represent his hometown throughout his career, adding to the list of boxing champions who have come out of Michigan. The southpaw boxer is a USBA junior middleweight champion and has an impressive unbeaten winning streak with multiple wins seventeen wins, six of which were achieved through KOs.
In 2024, Holmes Jr. racked up three victories and received a ranking of 14 by the WBO. Even so, he expressed his personal dissatisfaction with his performance. As such, he aspires to continue working on his skills and making it into the Top 10, which would bring him closer to his goal of winning an actual pro boxing title. Therefore, he seems to have clear goals set for his career moving forward under the management and promotion of Split-T Management and Salita Promotions.
On the other hand, Holmes Jr. appears to prefer more privacy in her personal life. The 30-year-old boxer is a father to a 3-year-old son whom he co-parents with the mother, Tayetta. Furthermore, he continues to have a close friendship with Claressa Shields. In fact, his younger brother, Jaquan McElroy—another boxer hailing from Flint—is signed under Shields’ promotional company, T-Rex Promotions. Shields also came out to support him in one of his recent Big Time Boxing USA matches. As such, Holmes Jr. seems to be on the road for great, big things.
Read More: Briana Shields: Where is Claressa “T-Rex” Shields’ Sister Now?
