Diksha Sundriyal
In Hulu’s ‘They Fight,’ an ex-con finds purpose as a boxing coach for young boys. The film begins with André Holland as Walt Manigan receiving early release from his five-year prison sentence. He promises the parole officers and himself that he will do better and turn his life around. However, with no job prospects and nowhere to live, things seem a bit dire for him. His estranged partner, Ketta, doesn’t want anything to do with him, not until he has proven he has reformed and is ready to return to her and their son’s life. Walt tries different things, but eventually, it is boxing, which he thought he’d left behind, that gives him something to hold on to. Directed by Sheldon Candis, the sports drama film presents a raw, grounded story inspired by real-life events. SPOILERS AHEAD.
They Fight is a Fictionalised Rendering of a Real-Life Boxing Coach
‘They Fight’ adapts the real-life story of Walt Manigan, which was presented in Fox’s 2018 documentary of the same name. The original film focused on Walt’s backstory and how, despite all the problems he faced, he found his drive again through the children he began coaching at a local rec center in Washington, D.C. In an interview with the Washington Post, he revealed that he had a turbulent childhood, where he was raised by his grandmother because both his parents struggled with drug addiction. He noted that he didn’t have any role models to help him. One day, he took his stepson to HeadBangers Gym, where he learned boxing himself, and the love for the sport turned him into a coach.
Tragedy struck when his oldest son died on his 18th birthday in a shooting incident in 2002. The gym helped him with the money to do his son’s final rites. And then, Walt was arrested on the charges of distributing cocaine. He spent two years in prison, and when he got out, he couldn’t find the courage to return to the gym because he felt he’d let down the kids he coached. He got another chance to make things right at Ferebee-Hope Recreation Center. In 2012, he started a boxing program called Lyfe Style in collaboration with the coaches who were already working there. Things were financially difficult. They had to raise money through crowdfunding, sell water bottles, or even pay out of pocket to cover basic gear and other expenses for the children.
They Fight Presents the Story of the Real Peanut and Quincey
Despite the struggles, Walt Manigan had found his calling, and he and the coaches were not ready to give up so easily. Not especially when they found some promising talent. Walt took a young boy named Ragahleak Bartee, aka Peanut, and his friend, Quincey Williams, under his wing. The purpose of being a good coach and a good role model to the boys kept Walt going. At the same time, the boys saw him as a father figure. Bartee called Walt “a second dad” who taught him about fatherhood. He noted that no matter how anyone played, the coach always ensured that they felt included and were encouraged. Williams revealed that in his early days, he would cry whenever he lost, but Walt taught him to accept the losses and keep working towards the wins.
The boys carried their coach’s teachings into adulthood. Now, Bartee is an officer with the Metropolitan Police Department. One of the reasons he chose this career path was that Walt had taught him to look out for people in need. Williams, on the other hand, is a professional boxer, and he credits Walt with helping him inculcate the discipline that continues to serve him in his training even now. For Walt, coaching the boys was everything. He wanted to “raise them from boys to men.” When Peanut won in his category at the 2015 Junior Olympic national championship, Walt cried. A year later, Quincey won in his weight category at the junior nationals, and Walt knew that he couldn’t “do anything to mess up [and] kill their dreams.”
The Director Wanted to Emphasize the Positive Message of the Film
In the movie, Quincey wins the championship, and a proud Walt gets back together with Ketta. He is a part of his son’s life again, and he has left his addiction behind. In real life, however, he didn’t receive this happy ending. Walt passed away in 2022 at the age of 55 due to his struggle with drug addiction. By this time, he had stopped coaching due to his relapse. When Sheldon Candis, who co-wrote the film with Andrew Renzi, took control of the movie, he decided to change the ending for Walt. He didn’t want the movie to be centered around Black trauma.
Instead, he wanted it to focus on the young boys, their inspiring journey, and their celebratory wins. “Walt Manigan had a sad, tragic ending to his life, but what is triumphant, what should be celebrated, what should be discussed with this movie is his living legacy in Quincey and Peanut,” he noted. Candis’ focus was on making a movie about young Black boys and their untapped potential, which unfolds in the context of the sport. He was influenced by movies like ‘Rocky’ and ‘The Karate Kid,’ and even referenced John Hughes as an inspiration.
To lend the film a realistic touch, he and his team ensured the young actors received proper training. The filmmakers visited boxing gyms such as Upton and NoXcuse to better understand the culture of these gyms. He wanted the sport to become a character unto itself and teach the audience that despite all the punches life throws, one can always find a way to get back up and fight. At the end of the day, he called ‘They Fight’ a coming-of-age film about young dreams and friendships, which everyone can relate to, no matter whether the characters are real or fictional.
Read More: Ragahleak “Peanut” Bartee: Where is the Boxer Now?
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