Naman Shrestha
Directed by Andrew Renzi, ‘They Fight’ is a documentary film that follows a reformed ex-con, Walt Manigan, who teaches boxing to young teenagers at an after-school boxing program in Ward 8 of Washington, DC. Apart from that, he also served as a life coach and a father figure to the boxers, guiding them in the right direction and preparing them for life’s hurdles. Through his support and coaching, Ragahleak “Peanut” Bartee and Quincey “Body Snatcher” Williams made waves in the boxing industry at a young age.
Walt Manigan Dedicated Himself to Coaching Young Boxers at a Washington DC Recreation Center
Born on July 29, 1968, Walter Robert Manigan was raised in an unstable household, with his parents being alleged drug addicts. Mostly brought up by his grandmother, Walter turned to boxing to escape the commotion in his life and later became a boxing coach at HeadBangers gym. However, on the side, he got into the drugs business — consuming and distributing cocaine. He was married to the love of his life, Ketta, with whom he shared a son. His life was upended when he was sent to prison for two years for distributing cocaine, leaving behind his family to fend for themselves.
After he was released, Walt was determined to get his life back on track, but he couldn’t face his old boxing students because he believed that he had let them down. The reformed ex-con worked on himself, reconnected with Ketta and his son, and slowly reintegrated into society. In 2012, he began his journey as a boxing coach at Ferebee-Hope Recreation Center in Washington, DC, where he partnered with Coach Scoop to establish the Lyfe Style program. Two of the many boxing students were Ragahleak “Peanut” Bartee and Quincey “Body Snatcher” Williams, who joined the program to avoid the violent streets. Besides being a coach, Walt aspired to raise his students as if they were his own children, keeping them away from trouble.
He was described by his students as a “superhero,” their second father. Walt and the other coaches also provided meals, boxing gear, haircuts, and funds for traveling to tournaments to all the boxing team members of his Lyfe Style program. The ex-con boxing coach raised funds for these expenses by working on construction sites, setting up a GoFundMe page, and selling water bottles on the streets. Around 2017, Walt was offered a full-time coaching job by the city, due to start in a few months. While Peanut competed in the Junior Olympics, both Walt and Scoop didn’t get permission from their bosses to allow them to travel to the competition.
Walt Manigan Died a Few Years After His Relapse
About a year later, when Walt Manigan reportedly went back to using drugs, his boxing students didn’t compete in the Junior Olympics. After he reportedly relapsed and got addicted to opioids, Walt stopped coaching, deeply affecting his boxing students, especially Peanut and Quincy. He also set up a meeting with his two students, who wanted to have an honest conversation about his addiction. However, he failed to show up, according to the documentary. Tragically, Walt Manigan, at the age of 53, passed away on July 11, 2022.
Read More: Where Was They Fight Filmed? All Shooting Locations
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