Original subtitles

* it's all about love

* it's all about love

* it's all about love

* it's all about love

* it's all about love

* it's all about love.

Lucia rijker!

* it's all about love

* it's all about love

* it's all about love

* it's all about love

* it's all about love.

Lucia rijkerhas faced a test here tonight

and passed the test.

Lucia rijker!

Rijker!

I've been fightingsince I was 12.

I started in karate,

and then my brotherintroduced me to kickboxing,

and then I started kickboxing.

From one thing, you know, came another.

I got the attentionthat I wanted at that moment,

'cause I was good at it.

I won my fights.

Dutch championship, european championship,

world title.

You get addicted to it.

It's like a lifestylethat you get used to,

like a new challenge, one challenge after another.

And then after a while, I wanted something else,

and I moved to L.A.

And then I realizedthat part of me is a fighter,

and that... that I have to dosomething with that.

Don King flew me to Vegas withfreddie roach, my new trainer.

I sat down with him, andhe offered me four contracts,

but not what I was looking for.

So then the same day, I went to Bob arum,

and he didn't want me.

He was, like, "what are you doing in here?"

A lot of these women who arefighting really have no talent.

They have very little.

They havea lot of determination,

but no talent.

So then I start talking,

and I says, you know,"I want you to look at my tape.

I'm not leaving."

Well, you know, I wouldn't do women's boxing.

So, she came into my officewith a real sexy dress,

and she was very feminine, you know.

And I said, "oh, what the hell?

She's gota great, great personality."

And so I make an exceptionwith her, and I'm not sorry.

He looked at it, and he wasreally very enthusiastic.

Called his whole crew.

She is different.

She is a true professional,

and she's really learnedthe techniques of boxing.

So then the ballstarted rolling.

I think Lucia rijker as a boxer

is gonna bea long-reigning world champion

in the women's boxing.

She's doing goodfor the women boxing sport

and for boxing, in general.

We're at a point nowwhere the large promoters,

the don kings and Bob arumsare taking notice of the women.

However, there have always beenwomen in boxing

as far as I can remember,

at least going backto the 1930s.

But there were so few in numberthat it wasn't a major event.

My name is Barbara buttrick.

And I was a boxerback in the '50s.

When I was about 15 or 16,I was working,

and I took my wagesand bought some boxing gloves.

Back then, it was justthe odd one here and there.

I knew I had to travelto find the girls

that wanted to boxand compete with them.

But it wasn't until 1995when the golden gloves,

after 68 years of competition,

allowed the womento come into boxing,

that so many womencame into the sport.

Ladies and gentlemen, you have just seen history.

How about a niceround of applause

for these two special ladiesfor all they have accomplished?

Bravo, ladies. Bravo.

Do you realizeyou just made history,

and if so, how do you feel?

Were you thinking about thatgoing in the ring?

Of course, of course.

And the big question most menhave and I have is, why?

Why do you want to be a partof history in the making?

Why do you want...

figure it out.

What are you gonna do now? Where do you go from here?

I'm gonna go to Disneyland.

But seriously.

But seriously, folks,

I'll probably go fix my face, brush my hair,

and then hope that my husbandstill wants to be married to me

'cause I haven't spoken to himsince my training began.

Your husband afraid of you now?

No. Nah.

I never really achieved

what I wanted to achieveas a gymnast,

and I never got over that.

And I think I would havecarried that throughout life,

that I just never quitegot to the spot I want.

So with boxing, I said,

"whateveri didn't do with gymnastics,

I'm gonna do with this."

With the gymnastics, I wanted to win.

This is like I have to win.

Focus.

Come on, let's go. Hands up.

I used to feel differently

about a man getting hurtas opposed to a woman.

I have some doctors I train,

and they gave mesome words of wisdom,

that women heal the same as men.

It's just excitingto train women.

I've never hadthis experience before.

They somehow knowthey can take better punches.

I don't understand it.

They just go to another level.They continue to fight it.

You give metwo rips to the body,

and I think we cango with this one, all right?

Yeah, baby.

She felt the power, chanequa.

I guess it helps usunderstand women better,

know that there's some powergoing on there

that we don't really understand.

And it's exciting to knowthat it's there,

and also to knowthat there's no way for women

to express that kind of feelingin the world.

* oh, girl

* oh, girl.

I don't have any mixed feelingsabout hitting people.

I'm gonna try to, you know, do as much damage as I can.

It's kind of sick, but I don't mind getting hit

because I know I can come back, you know, just as hard.

Getting hitis not only just part of it,

but it's more... it increases the challenge.

It increases the test.

Those of uswho get the opportunity

to do it and take it,

you know, I mean, what a greater joy it is

to be able to actually perform.

Even if I don't win...

Ladies and gentlemen, the winner...

...it's just stepping in there, doing what I had to do...

...from the gold corner, tanya Dean.

...and doing it, actually going through with it.

And as far as we're concerned, they're both winners.

There's no way I could havewalked away from it.

So, everyone is saying it'sthe best fight of the night.

I'm not kidding you, really.

Are you gonna fight again, you think?

Not for a little while.

I just couldn't understand

why she wasn't going downevery time I came clocking her.

That's what was frustrating me. She kept coming back.

She was strongerthan I expected her to be.

She fought a good fight.

When I'm fighting, I think...

I think just, "how dareshe get in the ring with me?

"How dareshe come up against me?

Doesn't she know the power? Doesn't she know who I am?"

That's exactlywhat I'm thinking.

Did I mess up my makeup?

No, it's perfect.Come this way.

Did I mess up my makeup?

You were pretty jumpyout there.

Yeah, well, you know, it kind of...

the whole thinggets you a little bit revved up.

I don't know what it is, but...

how did you preparefor this fight, coming in here?

Got a manicure and pedicure.

* ooh-LA-LA

* ooh-LA-LA

you know it, baby.

Crowd, they say, was cheering for me.

They started cheering, "yellow, yellow."

I was wearing the yellow shirt, and I couldn't hear it.

I kept running backup to the line, you know.

I didn't... I didn't back up too much,

and I just... I just tried.

I just tried to stay in there.

I just tried to stay toe-to-toe.

If I would have heardwhat they were saying,

I know it would have helped me.

I know it would have pushed me

because in the third round, they had me over to my corner.

They asked my trainers, you know,

"should we stop the fight? Should we stop the fight?"

And everybody was, like, "no, no, no."

As the corner manstarted to walk away, um...

I mumbled to himto stop the fight.

Which is, uh...

You know, that's somethingthat I have to live with

for the rest of my life.

Well, I'm upset becausei thought I won the fight.

She got me in the third round.

But hey.

You have to have the character, to be able to take a punch

and be able to sustain it

and to retaliate at some time,

but in a cool manner, not in a...

in a very cool manner.

Not in a way that, you get hit, and you go crazy.

You take it, and you're just there.

You say, no, you got to findways to hit him.

Three or four punches.Come on, let's do it.

Every three punches is a point,

so you want toalways triple your punches.

I wouldn't let my daughter box, and I wouldn't let my son box.

Boxing is a brutal sport.

It's a tough man, tough woman competition

that makes, you know...

it's a hurting game.

You're trying to hit a targetthat can think

and that can moveand then can hit you back.

I have a posteriorvitreous detachment.

It's in my right eye.

I knew something was wrong.

It affectsthe peripheral vision,

and according to the eye doctor,

I shouldn't riskgetting hit there.

It could lead toa more serious detachment,

a loss of vision completely.

Hey.

Are you left-handedor right-handed?

Right-handed.-Oh, yeah?

I'm not a southpaw.-Good.

One of the greatest boxersi ever worked with

was Louis, Joe Louis.

I was his sparring partnerfor both the walcott fights.

You know him?-Yeah.

Well, the funny thingabout boxing, the knockout.

Pure and simple.

See, most of my fightswas knockouts.

What round?

First and second.

Ooh. Impressive.

Yeah.

How does it feelwhen you knock somebody out?

It just feels like I just. ...lt just feels great.

Feel real great.

Well, I didn't lose consciousness,

which was what was good,

but I guess it was just scaryto be laying there,

not really know what happened,

and to wake up and seea whole bunch of strangers.

Like, my eyes were all blurry, and then all of a sudden,

people were asking mewhat my name was,

and I just couldn'tget anything out.

And then the next thing I know, they bring the oxygen mask.

I said, "oh, my God."

And as it turned out,

my sister's watching at homein hysterics,

crying because they cut to thaton channel 5,

and they showed medown on the ground.

They showeda bunch of other fights,

and then they went backand said, "she's fine.

We just talked to her."

My sister's, like, "where is she? Where is she?"

And it wasa really weird experience.

I used to come home,

and he used to be, like,"take those gloves off.

What are you doing?"

So I used to have Togo into my bathroom

and actually shadowboxin my bathroom.

I didn't really care for it.

I didn't really thinkanything would come of it.

I would go to training,

and then he thought I wasfooling around with my trainer.

I haven't even seen herin the last year

'cause she's been trainingwith this guy every night.

And then eventually whenthe gloves were coming around,

he saw the big hype of it.

He was, like, "wow, you know, she's gonna be on TV."

And then he was all gung-ho.

He was like, "wow, that's my wife."

He's like, "check her out.

"You know, she just knocked that girl out,

check her out, that's my wife."

I'm proud of Christine.-We're proud of her.

How does it feel? You made history.

It feels good. It feels really good.

It definitely feels good.-What's this all about?

What's what all about?

You know what it is? I know what it is.

It's mind over matter.

I am not a gifted athlete.However, I can get in and box.

Marciano was not pretty.

He wasn't technicallya great fighter, but he won.

He never lost.

And what I love about boxing

is that, you know, little miss every day,

you know, office personcan get in the ring,

land a right cross, and feel great,

and not even think about it.

Boxing takes a lot of work.

It takes a lot of discipline,

and I always wanted todo something good,

and this was my chance to proveto myself and to others,

you know, that I'm a good person,

and you know, I could bea positive role model.

And I wanted to doeverything right, you know.

Everybody was pulling for me.

The whole New York citydepartment of corrections

was behind me.

And when I steppedinto the ring,

I had no feeling, actually.

I just was there.

And it felt like...

it was like an out-of-bodyexperience, actually.

As I was fighting, it was like,

I could see myselfnot giving it my all.

I just seen all the life leave,

and it was likei was outside looking in,

watching myself lose,

and I couldn't do anythingabout it.

Well, I told her.

I said, "look, anybodycan lose a fight, right?"

So, I lost fights,

and I fought a lot of fightsall over.

So, she could do the same thing, come back and fight.

It's hard to be so dedicatedand so focused.

And all I did was work, train.

You know, I neglected my son.

Not badly, but you know, as far as,

I really wasn't there for himbecause I just...

I put everything aside.

I see some of these girls,

they work just as hard assome of the fellas in the gym.

More dedicated thansome of the guys that train,

and even hit harderthan some of the guys,

so I think it depends on theindividual, you know, herself.

It was a devastating loss

because my trainersbelieved in me,

and I worked so hard for them, as well as for myself,

and I feel like I letall the guys down in the gym.

Basically, you know, I let a lot of people down

because they believed in me,

maybe even morethan I believed in myself.

Men here, they fight golden gloves

because they have dreams ofbeing world champions some day

and making big money.

Where do you go from here?

Um, to a bar.

No, I'm only kidding.

Has anybody asked youto fight for money?

They askedif we wanted to go pro,

and I said probably not.

Why not?

I told people before, if you asked me five months ago

if I would have foughtin the golden gloves,

I would have said,"absolutely not.

It's crazy.I would never do it."

And here I am, so I don't knowwhat the future...

so you're saying pro?

Maybe, maybe not.

Maybe gonna go pro?-Mm-hmm.

I got into boxingas just a workout,

and I did the golden glovesas just for fun,

and I did well in it.

And I got addictedto that whole high of,

you know, being in the ringand fighting.

I liked the flashiness of pro

and the kind ofdown and dirtiness of pro.

So, I turned pro.

In the golden gloves, I had two first-round knockouts,

and I figuredi'd just knock her out.

So, I went in thinkingi'd just knock her out,

and after two minutes, she was still standing.

And I didn't know what to do

because all my ring experiencewas about 21/2 minutes.

Plus I got head-butted, and I got a cut over my eye,

and I got dizzy.

So, it was a really bad scene.

As they werestitching up my eye,

I said... I said,"I'm never gonna do this again.

This is the last time."

And someone said to methat they were thinking,

"next week, she's gonna say, 'I got to do this again.'"

and sure enough, it took about two days,

and I was sitting there, and I said...

it hit, and I said, "I have to do this again."

At first, I just felt humiliated.

I lost. I was cut.

It was such a letdownfrom winning the golden gloves,

and it was justsuch an incredible letdown,

I didn't even... I even had the outfit

I was gonna wearafter the fight all picked out.

And I ended up in a hospital, you know, lying...

I looked like a homeless personthat fell on the pavement

in my pajama top.

It was so humiliating, you know?

I was, like,"this is good for me.

It's building character."

And I just, you know...

and then everyone looking at youlike you're pathetic.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

You know, like... right away, they think that's it.

Like, you'll do it whileit's glamorous and easy and fun,

but the minute you get hurt, or you lose,

well, now it's not fun anymore.

I'm not gonna do it.

But that made mewant to do it more.

So, each time I go in, I do better and better.

I think a little more.

I get a little furtherin the fight.

I box a little moreinstead of fight.

I don't get as... as out of control.

You know, if each timei get better, that's my goal.

Bah. Boom.

That's what I want.

And win or lose, I'm gonna do it again.

And fightingout of the red corner,

weighing in at 109 pounds, wearing black trunks,

no wins and 1 loss, from New York City,

Jill "zion lion" Matthews!

All right, Jill.

I wanted a payback,

and in boxing, if you win, that's your payback.

If you walked out in the streetand got hit by a car

and died at that moment, it wouldn't matter

because you've... you've arrivedat the happiest, most satisfied.

Everything was worth it.

And everything.

Even thoughyou just won in boxing,

all the work I've ever done

in everything else in my life

seems to be... well, now I have my payback.

Right afterthe initial golden gloves,

women were getting into it.

They obviously turned pro, like many of the men do.

And like the men, absolutely no difference.

They all have a dreamof becoming a world champion

or someone very wealthythrough the sport.

Don King has picked up a female.

Bob arum has picked up a female.

They highlight 'em.They give 'em a lot of money.

They showcase them

as undercard fighterson major events.

And the publicity is thereto follow them.

I'm not a devoteeof women's boxing,

but it's a pleasure for meto promote Lucia rijker.

It's, you know, my breakthrough,

my first big fight herefor... for top rank

so I have to prove, you know...

I thinki'm the first female fighter

that Bob promotes on a big card,

so I have to provethat I can fight.

A couple weeksbefore the fight, I...

you know, I focus on the fight, and I go there in my mind,

and I visualize it, and I feel it.

But not just before the fight.

What I do today is just relax.

It's beautiful.

I think it's 18,000 it holds.

I met Freddie through a friend.

It really worked well.

Yeah, we clicked.

Financially, I'm not really interested...

interesting for him becausehe trains world champions

who make millions.

But I'm happythat he was interested,

and that he's training me now.

I had 54 professional fightsand 150 amateur,

so I had quite a few fights,

and I can tell youafter a couple of rounds

if they can fight or not.

When she's at her best, and she's sharp,

she can beat anyonein the world.

She makes it kind of funto work with.

Let's go, come on.

Right hand. Right hand.

Right hand.

Again.

Got it.

I have three world championsright now,

and she works just as hard,

if not harderthan all of them put together.

Okay?

I just want to comewish you guys the best of luck.

Lucia, I'm glad that finallyyou get to fight in Nevada, so.

Thank you.

All right.

I've seen you a lot, I watch on TV.

She's gonna do wellagainst her.

She's 30, and knows kickboxing, a 4-time world champion.

She really... she's...

you'll be impressed.I was.

Yeah.-Okay?

Someone told me, "this girl can fight."

I say, "okay, she can fight for a girl."

She can fight for anybody.

Luc. Lucia.

Loose. Loose.

Jab, jab.

Jab.

Two.

Sorry?

This hand's no good. Jab.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Two.

One jab.

First fight just started, freddie.

One, two. One, two. One, two.

Right here.

Again.

Loose, loose, loose.

Focusing on new challengeand letting go.

Focusing on a new challengeand then letting go.

That's what turns me on in life.

Before a fight, you know, you're not really in the world.

You live in your own worldbecause of that lifestyle

of training and dietingand living for the sport.

Weighing in at 125 pounds, here is Lucia rijker!

Rijker!

Take care of business, huh?

Ladies and gentlemen, the time,

1 minute, 43 secondsof the first round,

the winner by technical knockout

and still undefeated, lucia rijker!

Rijker!

Pleased. Pleased as punch.

This is her first fight, in this a big venue

here in Reno.-First time.

And a big hbo title fight.

A lot of pressure on her, and she did well.

She's a little bit nervoustonight.

She forgot her boots.-Sure.

You know, them things happen.-Yeah.

Now we've got our starthere in America,

and we're gonna justshoot right up there.

Next.

Shoot.

It's been three years for mesince I fought in Holland,

and I'm looking forward to it, to fight for my own people.

A lot of people from amsterdamare coming.

It's the citythat I'm born and raised in,

and I'm excited.lt's totally new... boxing.

You know, last time I was here, I kickboxed,

and yeah, I'm very excited to... I... I...

when I... when I'm in my bedat night, I don't sleep,

but I only see the fight, the arena.

Everything, like... like coming back here

and starting all over, like a new life.

I'm the first registeredpro female boxer in Holland.

I feel good working with Freddie

because he really works with meas an individual.

You know, works on what I need.

He's one of the toughestfighters in the world.

He really fought battles.

He doesn'tneed to prove himself.

He's there to help you.

He brings out my strengthbecause he let me be strong.

Attagirl.

I made a conscious decisionthat I want to be a boxer,

and I want to grab the beltsthat are out there.

He loves what he does.

He can feelthat I love what I do.

It, like, works together.

A lot of fighters... ex-fighters

don't make good trainers

because they tryto make the fighter

too much like themselves.

What I found to be the best way

is to take their natural abilityand just improve on that,

and make them believein me and themselves.

Because when she comes backto the corner,

if she's not coming back

to somebodythat she trusts and believes in,

she's not gonna listen.

When I'm at my bestis when my mind is empty.

You know, you can sabotage yourself

or motivate yourself.

I just want it clear.

More energy now.

That's new.

I never had that treatmentbefore the fight.

You know, I decide to boxand do it right,

so why not, you know, take all the help you can get?

'Cause it's offered.

Every little bit will help.

It's not just me.

It's a combinationof people around you

that makes you successful.

The first thingpeople always ask is,

"is Lucia stronger than you? Does she hit you?"

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

I say, "always, yeah, yeah, yeah, " but it is true.

I'm bigger, you know, but she's not easy.

12 minutes straight.

Yeah.

Two downstairs.

Okay, one big hit right here. There you go.

Just go out there and box.Show your skills, okay?

Everything behind that left jab.

Once that starts hitting home, everything'll come, okay?

You look like a pro out there, all right?

And you're using your footwork, all right?

Feints, head movement, everything.

Put it all together now, okay?

Good job, good job.Deep breath.

* rhythm, rhythm

* rhythm, rhythm

* rhythm, rhythm.

Lucia rijker!

It's not that I try to hurtsomeone or destroy someone.

It's just, I try to winbecause it's in my way.

I have to, you know, eliminate it.

I felt sorry for her again

because I didn't want tohurt her.

It's hit or getting hit.

You never know, some people grow in a fight.

And so, I'd ratherjust keep throwing punches

until she doesn't want no more.

They threw the towel,

and I thoughtthat was the right thing.

I wanted to thankall the people

who helped me financially, emotionally, and spiritually.

And I also thank the peoplewho tried to sabotage me

because they helped meto become who I am

and a part of my success, as well.

I don't want my parentsto be here

because they were never therewhen I started.

They don't know anythingabout fighting.

I mean, when I have a daughter, I will be there.

I probably will train herbecause I know the sport,

but they don't know the sport,

and it's very painful to seeyour daughter getting hit.

It's, you know, part of the game.

Blood is part of the game. Pain is part of the game.

I don't want to do that to themuntil it's done

so they can see later.

She visualizeswhat she's gonna do,

what she wants to do.

She really wants to bewhat she is, so that's why...

gives her joy.

She... she's... she respects me for that,

for my determination, my strength.

It's kind of hard, the way I...

I'm kind of hard on myself, and she knows that.

Yeah.

My hand's a little cold.

But it's nice becausei never hear her, you know,

talk about me like this.

And I look like her a little bitif you look...

big ears, and her eyebrows and eyes.

But my nose is a little small.

That's because of my dad.-Big nose.

What surprises me is thatthey never talked me out of it

because it's a dangerous sport.

Yeah!

Lucia rijker!

I love to be home.

I'd like to reintroduce myselfas a boxer here.

But my goal is America.

'Cause when you conquer America, you conquer the world.

Lucia is young, and she couldfight for a long time,

but I'd like to seeafter a couple years,

her accomplish her goals

and you know, become the bestwoman fighter in the world

and make some moneyand get out healthy, you know.

This is a very demanding sportand, you know, go out on top.

That's the best way, I believe.

Through fighting, I'm forcedto work through things

that I would normally never go.

It's too scaryto go certain places.

I have this newspaperon my mirror

above a picture of me as a baby,

and it's about a fighterwho died in the ring

'cause I want toreally stay aware

of the side effects of boxing.

So, I'll be out of therein time,

'cause you get addicted, you know, to the publicity,

to the money, the fame.

Before you know it, you're hooked.

And like, you know, many other fighters

who keep making comebacks.

Like, when you see muhammad alibeing, like...

I'm like, "God."

You know, and there are a lotof other fighters who,

you know, you don't really see it.

But they're slower, think slower.

They move slower.

They can't read. You know, can't concentrate.

I mean, it's, I guess, part of the job,

but I hope I'll be out of therein time.

I don't want tobecome one of them.

Part of growing upin my family.

My dad was a fighter.

All my brothers are boxers, so it's just part of growing up.

That's my dad there.

He was new england featherweightchampion in 1947,

and then I won that titlein 1979.

And that's metowards the end of my career.

A little bit beat up.

I don't have to be a boxer.

I don't have to confront myselfwith myself.

Some reason I do, and I geta lot of benefits out of it.

It's only afterwards, of course, you realize that

in the heat of the moment,

you're just trying to survive.

I knew that something was wrong, that my opponent was, like,

unexpectedly differentthan women in general...

stronger than womenin general physically.

But also appearedlike very masculine.

I thought, no matter who my opponent is,

I just have to be strongerand better.

That's all.

A sword is uselessin the hands of a coward.

Touch 'em up. Let's do it.

I go within, and I just fight with myself.

The moment the bell rang, I just wanted to box,

but she came at me like, she just was in my face.

So I kind of panickedand thought,

"okay, let me hold you," and then think, what can I do?

And I remember her making faces, like she was, like, wild.

And the only thing I thoughtwhen I was held her.

"How can I control her?

"How can I make her calm down

so I can, you know, have a little control here?"

She doesn't care about whetherthe reputation Lucia rijker has.

She has come right outafter her,

and hallback is unafraid.

This is shadesof hearns and hagler.

When I went back to my corner,

Freddie was so calmin the corner,

and he gave me the right advice, and in the third round,

he told me, "one, two, three, step off to the side."

Just like we did in the gym, lateral movement, okay?

Three-punch combination, off to the side.

Three-punch combination, off to the side.

Make her turn to you, okay?

Don't try to grab her

'cause that's whereshe's strong, inside, all right?

That made me win my fight,

and that made me knock herout of the ring.

She's close to finishing itnow, and down goes hallback.

Five, six, seven.

At the count of eight,

she is up, mandatory eight count.

A couple of more punches,

and I thinkthey should stop this fight.

Hallbackis a very weary fighter.

She can't hold up anymoreif she can't keep rijker off.

She's trying to fight back,

but she is so fatigued, she can't get any leverage...

she's down againand through the ropes,

and this fight is over.

Lucia rijkerhas faced a test here tonight

and passed the test.

I made it.

No matterwho they put me in with,

I proved that I can fight.

And that was a first.

She picks up her trainer.-She picks up her corner man.

Yes, yes!

There's Lucia.She's happy young lady.

That's nice.

It's nice to see, what can I do, what I'm worth, you know,

how far can I go?

This is like an old-fashionedtype of training facility

to get awayfrom all the distractions

from the city life, you know.

The noise and the night clubsand the friends.

This gives you isolationand focus.

She lives with the guys,

with the whole crew, spar partners,

and James toney, five-time world champion.

Here we go, another dayat the office for the pony.

If you don't pay the bills, the lights must go out. Pow.

I spoke with her about thatbriefly yesterday,

and she said that, you know, it was kind of strange at first

'cause of, you know, being in the setting

with just males only.

You know, had the male language,

had the malelocker-room language

and the male attitude, but...

I think she's startingto tame them with her charm.

All the time, they joke

or they, like, you know, you really have to...

when you come out of the shower,

you have to be carefulwhat you're wearing

because every part of your bodythat you show,

they might just, like, "hey, baby."

So, I walked out in a t-shirt, and there was this guy, Jody.

"Did you see her this morning?"

And I'm, like, "what? What was up?"

"Oh, yeah."

'Cause I wasn't wearing. I was wearing shorts,

but you couldn't see becausemy t-shirt was hanging over it.

And then that's the talk atbreakfast... what I was wearing.

But I understand it, you know, and I said to them.

I said to one of them, I said,"within a week,

I'll look so... even morefeminine and beautiful, and..."

because there's no woman around,

and, you know, they don't have anybody.

So then they start to justlook for me,

the only woman in the house.

So I'm, like, "oh, you'll get over it."

But it's fun.lt's really... I learn a lot.

I learn... I learn to seewhere a real boxer comes from.

Boxing has been my lifefor 18 years.

And when I had to retire, it was, like, a total shock.

I was crying every night

for, like, the lastyear and a half, two years,

you know what I mean?

I'm just like the...

I guess the camp aide, you know what I mean?

I have no exact title, just the guy who helps people,

helps guysmake little adjustments

in their fighting style.

I see a lot of things, and I get to make suggestions.

If I had a child, a son or a daughter,

they wouldn't box, you know.

They get up in the morning, and they run.

They have breakfast.They go to the weight gym.

They come back. They rest a little while.

They go in and do their sparringor floor work.

Lucia's sparring partner, this guy was good for her.

He's a young man from New York.

A rough, tough customer, andhe's not holding back at all,

which'll make it good for herwhen she fights females.

Okay.

We all yearn for, you know, that instant roar of the crowd,

instant gratification.

And fighting is one of the fewendeavors that allow that,

you know what I mean?

You're the man for a second

or, in Lucia's case, the woman for a second.

Now that I'm retired, and she'll be retired some day,

you take it for what it's worth, you know?

You can't take it personal.

Just enjoy it for the moment, have a good time.

'Cause it's gonna end, you know?

During the day, we're kind of on our own,

then around 5:00, 6:00,we go off to Stan's house,

and we havea great, great dinner.

His wife is a great cook.

After my workout, I reallylook forward to eating there.

What I like about it,

it's like this big, huge table,

and we're in therewith, like, 10 to 15 people

enjoying our mealsand talk boxing.

Yes, sir.

Ali was my champion, sir.

Yes, he was, sir.

Stanley?

I'm just trying to think.

No, he wasn't. That was prior to liston, sir.

That was 1960...

I said, but, sir, this was my next thing.

But I'm saying, but he did fight Ali.

Yes, he did.

How many times did Archie Moore

challenge forthe heavyweight championship?

Don't choke on the chicken.

Every time he foughtfor the title, he got stopped.

Who were they?

There were... one was my man, rocky marciano.

Who was the first femaleworld champion?

You mean now?

Now.Oh, my girl.

That's my... my homey, my compadre.

Lucia rijker.

No. No.

Aka, rijker's island.

That's the name.

For real, man.

Okay.-Yes, ma'am.

What's James toney'sfirst girlfriend?

Oh, man.

Hey, Vanessa Williams.

Here's one for you.You, too.

Why don't you tell... about females?

Who's the last boyfriendthat...

Miss rijker had knocked out?

Damn.

As a matter of fact...

matter of fact, he's a fatal attraction now.

He still calls.

She beat him up so bad, he became fatal.

He always come backfor the whoopings.

I told him, "Derek."

I said, "man, how do youhave respect for yourself?

"You keep calling a womanthat whooped your butt

time and time again."

"Man, I just love her.I love her whoopings."

It's a very growing experience

to be in the one housewith, I think, eight men.

Or should I say eight animals?

These guys scream. They have loud music.

Yeah.

You know what?

I think for me, it would have been better

to stay in I.A.Because I am very focused,

but I can relaxon the weekends.

I don't get aggravatedby pee in the shower,

by the carpet is wetin the bathroom,

by dishes who are not washed, by loud music at night,

the bass, 5:30 in the morning, turns on the blast.

Boom, boom, boom. That's how I wake up.

Second law of nature, you know,

is to be civilin the presence of a lady,

regardless of her occupation.

To stay sane, I chant.

If I don't, I become like them, you know?

I become angry, and...

and start to use intimidation, too, to get what I want,

and I don't want to go there.

Like, when I want tomake a phone call to intimidate,

when I want the channel onthat I want on.

No.

To stay aware, I chant.

I was telling Lucia yesterday, you know, I boxed for 18 years,

and I've donea lot of different things.

This is the toughest thingi have done mentally,

physically, spiritually, emotionally, you know.

You know, I've never given birth,

so, you know, I can't experience that.

But I've spoken to many women,

and my mother says that, like, you know, giving childbirth

is the toughest thingthat she ever experienced.

And aside from that,

I think that this isthe toughest thing

that she'll ever experience. Lucia, I mean.

Of course, I'm used toa certain degree of abuse,

or else I wouldn't be a boxer.

But when I know why I'm a boxer

and where I want to go with it, I can take it.

It's something I knowhow to do well or best so far,

so it's a tool for me.

When you accomplish something, it gives you a certain power,

so I can use the fameto create something.

Especially when you want towork with children,

if you have a name, if you accomplish something,

people respect youand will listen to you.

That's why I do what I do.

Every fight, I grow,

and I learn a lot about myselfand about life,

and that wisdom I can pass onto a new generation.

If I didn't knowwhere I was going,

I could not deal with it.

Your environmentare people who've been abused,

so are used to abuse.

It becomes normal.

Suck it up, whatever,

but we have to protect ourselvesas a human being.

Your environment is, they want you to win.

Results, results, your fans, they want you to win.

A boxer does whateverto become a champion.

It's very addictive.

It's very addictive becauseyou get used to the attention.

Your performance todayis your self-worth.

You're bad, you're bad.

You're good, you're greatin the ring.

So if you stop doing... stop being good,

then you think you're worthless, and the attention gets less.

You think that you're unloved.

We love that perennialtap on the back, you know,

that, "hey, champ. How you doing?"

We love that, and all boxers do.

It's part of my personality.

I need an audience,

but it doesn'tneed to be boxing.

I hope by the time thati'm a recognized world champion,

that I made some money,

that I can do some thingson my own.

To me, winning is important, but also my health.

When a doctor tells you to stop,

when I tell you that your brainis from a 70-year-old woman,

if you continue boxing, you'll be like a plant,

you have no choice.

And all these thingsare part of this game,

and it makes me awarewhat I got myself into.

It doesn't take awaythe beauty of the game

because I think it's beautiful.

But it's the other sideof the meadow.

It's a price you pay.

Night, baby.

I'm gonna tape himat 8:30, okay?

What time is it now?-And then I'm gonna glove you.

It'll take me 15 minutes, okay?

Okay. All right, toney.

Feeling good.

Okay, all right.

It pays bills.

The lights must go out tonight.

Long overdue.You know what I'm saying?

Lights out.

Okay?

Okay? Want to stretch out?

I need the padding in here.

Hmm?

Okay?

All right.

Okay, Lucia.

You get ready to rumble.

Handle your business, Lucia.

Okay, let me sign these.

See, this ain't walls.These are curtains.

You can't lean on 'em.

She just likes to touch 'em.

Yeah.

She's been touching themfor a while now.

I'm starting to like it, too.

My butt's hitting himin the back.

Yes.lt's your night, baby.

Do your thing.

Two.

Three.

That's it.

One, two.

One, two.

One, two, hook.

One, two, hook.

One, two, right hand.

Nice.

Slow, slow, slow.

Jab.

She's gonna come at youwith that wild set.

You got it. That's it.

Okay, here.

That's it.

That's a girl. Attagirl.

When I go to fights,

I see them pounding intoeach other and blood and cuts.

I'm, like, "am I doing that, too?"

I can't picture myselfin the ring doing that,

but I do it.

Jab here. Right hand to belly.

I don't think ofhurting someone and health issue

because then I'll stop.

Good combination.

Nice and loose.

Jaw.

Yeah?

We're ready, all right?

Ready to go?-Yeah.

Let's go.

And I sawone moment of weakness in her

because she looked at me,

and she thought, "wow," for one moment.

And then I thought,"now, you're mine.

I broke your spirit."

Undefeatedin five professional bouts,

all five winscoming by way of knockout.

She now hailsfrom Los Angeles, California.

Here is Lucia rijker!

Rijker!

* what you gonna do?

* what you gonna do?

* what you gonna do?

* what you gonna do?

* what you gonna do?

* what you gonna do?

* what you gonna do?

* what you gonna do?

* what you gonna do?

It's human nature to avoid pain

and to avoiddifficult situations.

By fighting, you confrontyourself with all these things.

You can get hit.You can get hurt.

You can get knocked out.

So it's like real life in there.lt's like real life.

* what you gonna do?

* what you gonna do?

It's not just fighting.

It's more than that.

A lot of women can find strength

in seeing other women fightand be strong.

They can find something therethat they have, as well,

even though they're not boxing.

If I know I won't get hurt, then it's less of a challenge.

* what you gonna do?

* what you gonna do?

* uh-huh

* uh-huh.

I thank herfor giving me the opportunity

to show my strengthand to overcome my weaknesses

because without my opponent, I can't go there.

Ladies and gentlemen, one more time

for these two fine competitors.

They deserve your applause.

Dora Webber and Lucia rijker.

Very good. Very good fight, Luc.

She was a tough girl.-It was an excellent fight.

You don't have toknock everybody out.

You beat 'em up.-How's your hand feel?

Very good.-Good.

Luc, believe me, you foughta beautiful fight out there.

That girl's tough.

Thank you.-Very good fight.

Even if you lose, it doesn't matter,

because you did it.

You confronted yourselfwith what was out there.

Smile. Come on, come on.

You're a beautiful girl, and you fought a great fight.

Believe me, okay? I wouldn't tell one lie to you.

I wouldn't lie to you, okay?-Thank you very much.

All right?-Yeah.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a unanimous decision.

All three judges at ringside...

Lou bogash, Robert paolino, and Bob o'brien...

score it 60-54 to the winnerby unanimous decision,

Lucia rijker!

Rijker!

There's nothingthat can give you that high.

It's like you fly, and you walk on clouds.

The heightwould be to be world champion.

We'll see.

* ready, ready, ready, ready

* ready, ready, ready, ready

* ready, ready, ready, ready

getting readyfor the world title fight.

This is, you know, what she wants.

She worked very hardto get there.

* one time

* one time

this girl from Germany,

I really don't knowwhat to expect.

We have to go out therein the first round

and feel her out a little bit, and we'll just go from there.

* ready, ready, ready, ready

* ready, ready, ready, ready

* ready, ready, ready, ready. I just want to see her fight.

* one time

* come on

* come on, come one

* come on, come on, come on

* ready, ready, ready, ready

* ready, ready, ready, ready

you got it.

* come on, come on.

I don't like itwhen other women fight,

but when she fights, I concentrate on her technique

and how she throws punches, and I really enjoy it.

Two.

One.

One.

* one time, one time.

I would rate her as one of

the most talented fightersin the world today.

Forget being women boxing.

She does everything.

* one time.

I think thatshe's a great person,

a very attractive person, and a good fighter.

* ready, ready, ready, ready.

Your world out there.Your world. Let's go now.

All right.-All right.

Show time.

Wibf super lightweightchampionship of the world.

In the blue corner,

coming from the great countryof Holland

and making her home nowin Los Angeles, California,

she wears black trunksand weighs in at 136 pounds.

She is undefeatedin 8 professional bouts

with 7 winscoming by way of knockout.

Here is Lucia rijker!

I did not knowwhat to expect at all.

I remembergetting hit on my ear.

I saw everything in slow motion.

And I thought,"okay, you lost your hearing,

"but you still have your eyes, so just...

you know, you don't need your ears."

You hear me?

All right, Luc? You hearing me?

Part of me said,"you're on your own now.

"And that's good. You know what to do.

It's you and yourself, and you got to do it."

The opponent could be somethingin life that you're afraid of.

People have many fears in life.

And I face themthrough fighting.

When I have to, I can drawfrom this power within me.

I can go there'cause I've been there.

There's this strengthinside everyone.

I went there'cause I had to go there.

The new wibf super lightweightchampion of the world,

Lucia rijker!

I really go within, find my strength.

There's nothingthat can stop me.

* it's all about love

* it's all about love

* it's all about love

* it's all about love

* it's all about love