Original subtitles

- [Voiceover] And now, ladies and gentleman,

from the four corners of the world,

to the four corners of this ring!

Here at the MGM Grand, the fight,

starts now!

- Filling out my...

unemployment thing.

So I can get paid to keep this room right here.

Oof! (claps) And he knocks him out.

Pow, caught on the goop, right there,

knocks him down, man, this is sick, yo.

That's why I want to get back in there.

'Cause hearin' the crowd goin' crazy, just hearing the crowd

when you go in there and you're just throwin' them punches,

and you have the fans goin' crazy and stuff,

it's just adrenaline-- I'm getting chill bumps

just thinkin' about it, you know what I mean?

Just, chill bumps.

(uplifting bass music)

- [Voiceover] I'm gonna learn you, first round.

Second round, I'mma play witchu.

Third round, I'mma destroy you.

- He was winning though, that's the thing that got me.

He was winning.

- [Voiceover] By the time the third round comes,

the ref would stop the fight 'cause

I'm beatin' the hell out you so bad.

- [Voiceover] My total record was 67-13, 36 KOs.

I felt like I was unstoppable.

My whole career was based on going

into the Olympics, win the gold, turn to pro.

You know, that's the path of all great fighters.

- Calvin Brout beat me 1996, I was 25 years old.

And that was my last amateur fight.

Didn't fight no more after that.

- Damn good fighter. If he would've stayed with me,

I said "By now you woulda had a couple titles."

- [Dino] When I was with Butch, I didn't sell drugs,

I didn't do none of that stuff.

But without Butch, I went astray.

Running the streets, selling drugs,

that was something for me to survive, as a man.

- Where I was raised, the late Wild Hunters right here,

homie got killed right here.

This is just bad. Had another homie

that got killed right here in this alley right here.

- Like I said, I hadn't seen him in a long time

but I recognize him right off the bat.

He got them boxing gloves on his ankles,

some goddamn, where I know some mufuckers wear.

- There were some kids in that other house right there,

sayin' I had to leave the block, whatever whatever,

and as I'm walking this way, all I remember is pow pow pow!

So I was like, I just started running.

You know what I mean? I got hit already.

Done stupid shit in my life. Been shot, I sold drugs.

Became complacent and I got lazy.

Now, I'm ready just to fight.

This is what I want. This is my life.

- [Voiceover] Has a little medical problem right now

and is unable to come out this evening.

But again we have three exciting bouts coming.

(overlapping conversations, crowd cheering)

- [Coach] Let's go, baby! (claps)

What time is it?

- [Fighter] Big time!

- [Coach] Yeah!

(crowd cheering and yelling)

(deep breath, sighs)

(light piano music)

- [Dino] At 40 years old, it's like the bell just rung,

the light just clicked like "You gotta do this."

I can't go by another 20 years,

saying "Man, I coulda been a good boxer,"

or "That would've been me."

- You're too much of a thinker.

You gotta do stuff on instinct. You think too much.

- There were some shots, if we were going to the head,

I would've got off.

- If you can hit that boy in the right head,

I'll give you a million myself for a year.

You can't hit those guys, dude.

That boy got a fast, cotton-picking right hand.

And you'll never see it.

(imitates gunfire)

It's somebody pulling a gun, dog. That's crazy.

- Oh, we workin' now, here we go.

("Party Rock Anthem" by LMFAO)

- [Bob] Now, watch you get within his feet. Come on.

Now this is why you ain't workin' for a wink.

Whoa, whoa! Time!

He fine. No, he fine, he fine, he good.

Listen to me, I'mma tell ya.

This is what shoulda happened,

the day he shoulda fought. Just relax.

I gotcha, I gotcha. He's good, he's good, he's good.

Untie his shoes. Untie the shoes, all the way.

- [Other boxer] He ain't back up.

Okay, good. You set up for me?

Set up, just like that. Sit just like that for me.

(brooding piano music)

- He knocked me out yesterday,

I feel like my world is about to get done,

like this is not for me. My skill's not there.

Getting caught with a right hand like that, you know.

I mean, I'm willing to die in the ring to get respect.

I ain't got nothing else to lose, I mean,

my life ain't where I want it to be anyway, so,

if somebody get a lucky blow in, and I'm not here,

hey, so be it.

Desmond is my youngest child.

I still talk to him on the phone,

which I'm thankful his mom is decent,

you know, for letting me be in his life.

I have three other kids, Orlando's 18,

Abia's 16, DeShaun's 11.

I was in every last one of my kids' lives until

things didn't work out with me and their moms.

Do I regret it? Yeah, I do regret it.

Living in Chicago, living in New Orleans,

living in California, I was trying to get myself together,

build some respect, just say I can make it

without living this thug life.

- How you doin' with that hot sweater on?

You got me hot, it's 115 degrees outside.

- Hey, Dad.

And I could do this, and I could do this.

- [Dino] Look at ya, agile! Ha!

You about to be a superstar, look at him!

Mama looking. This is my son, how do you feel about Daddy?

Right now, since you see me?

- Good.

- I saw your elbow!

- This is what I can do. Dad, I'm fresh.

- Feel this. - Okay, that's um...

(light guitar music)

- [Dino] I mean, you don't know me either,

but at least we talk, right?

- [Desmond] Yup. I love my daddy.

- [Dino] I never said I was gonna do something

for you and never did it.

- [Desmond] Well you said you was comin' next week.

- [Dino] I wanted to surprise you.

When did you know it was me standing there?

- Brenda and Brian said, "Those people standin'

by yo Mama", I just ran.

- [Dino] Me being in Des' life,

it's my last shot to being a good father.

He's the most accepting of me.

To be 10 years old, has a lot of understanding

on this whole thing.

(shutter clicks)

- You want to take one of me?

How you feeling right now?

- Good.

- You don't want me to go, huh?

I don't want to leave either man, it's hard for me.

It's really killin' me right now.

But, you always call me. I'mma be back.

I'm telling you, I might be back sooner than you think.

It just is what it is. You can call me anytime you want,

I'mma call you. Keep your phone by you, ok?

Come here, gimme a hug, man.

You can look me in the face, you look like you're sad, man.

Come on, man. Come on.

I like your zoom shirt. Zoom.

Probably don't want me to go.

(sad acoustic music)

I haven't seen my pop in years.

Dude was never really in my life, but,

you know, he was a deadbeat.

Tried to be a daddy late in my life,

but, you know, it is what it is.

I just need to settle a few things with him,

to get some closure, to move on with my life.

Hey, pop.

- Hey, how you doin' there?

Son, David Jr, he's, a... um.

I didn't raise him too much, unfortunately,

but I had my influence on him.

In 1968, in March, I went to Vietnam.

September 3rd, of '68. I got wounded.

I didn't think my life would've been worth anything,

because of me being an amputee,

but I had a girlfriend that she still was in love with me.

We eventually got married, we had a wonderful son.

I wasn't exactly right, and...

Well, I still don't like loud noise.

I have post-traumatic stress,

although now it's not as bad as it used to be.

But, Dino, he was screaming and hollering

in the bathroom, the tub, and...

Unfortunately I don't remember all this,

but they say I was trying to drown him, but...

I'm glad it didn't happen, but then,

the reason my wife left me is because...

I hit her, and knocked her out,

and it scared her so bad, that she...

The following day she left.

I regret that whole situation.

I think the PTSD wore off on my son,

because he was mad at the world for a long, long time.

I guess it took him...

To leave Illinois to actually finally get his...

His life together.

And I'm glad to see him doing well.

(light piano music)

- Why am I a fuck up, or mess up, that I am.

I have to really dig deep into myself to find out...

Who I am.

You know, being away from my kids,

I bounced around so I could get myself together,

so I could be a better father to my kids, but...

I want my kids to look and say "My dad is somebody."

I don't want to be some fool in prison, or be dead.

Because my kids mean a lot. Now I wasn't in their lives,

in their growing up years, now I have a chance to be

in my son's life, and I want to be a better dad to him.

I don't give a fuck about their moms,

and relationships with them, none of that.

I just want to be a dad... (cries)

I want to be a better father than what my dad was to me.

You gotta listen, you gotta pay attention,

you gotta be willing to learn,

what I teach you. Mm-mm, you're telling me shush.

You gotta be willing to learn what I teach you.

Hey! How ya doin'? Yeah! - Put your teeth back in!

- Nah! I don't have no teeth! (laughs)

- Put your teeth back in your mouth, Dad.

- Fourth down and 10. - (mocks him)

- [Game] Looks like they're gonna go for it on fourth down!

- Okay, I see. - Hmm, I see.

- I see! - I see! You good!

- Ah! No, no! No! (Desmond laughs)

- What? What did you call me? (laughs)

- Yes, I am glad that Dino's back in New Orleans,

because it gives him a time to bond with his son,

and take care of business that

he really needs to take care of.

I think he's a little bit more focused than he was

eight years ago, and most important thing to me right now

is him bonding with his son, and I really love that.

- [Dino] First day at the new gym. I love it.

Love the trainer. Trainer is wonderful, awesome.

The gym is great, the atmosphere is cool,

there's not too many people in there.

I'm on another mission right now,

and I have to prove a lot of people,

"Hey, this is for y''all doubting me."

- Comfortable enough?

Now I'm gonna put you in there,

and that's gonna tell me where ya at.

- Yes, sir.

- That'll let me know where you goin',

and where you ain't goin'. - Yes, sir.

- Ya heard me?

- That's why they call me the Lethal Warrior.

- Oh, that's your ring name? The Lethal Warrior?

- There's a peace in him.

- Hey, time, time, time, time! Don't worry, don't worry.

("Sammy Sosa" by Dusty Money)

- Professional boxer Marcus Deon McDaniel,

from the lower 9th ward.

See, I was 12 years old when I started fighting.

I used to sneak to the gym, matter of fact,

my grandmother, she never wanted me to fight.

- Marcus used to always come to the gym,

and follow me to the gym, watch my training regiment,

things of that nature. He's gonna really excel.

He's gonna be world chamption.

- I been working with him, really,

about six years, off and on.

He has raw talent.

He has all the traits of being a world champion.

That's just how good this kid can really be.

Like I always tell him, he's the only person that can make

that decision, if he wants to be a champion.

Personally, I think he will be world champion.

I'm quite sure he will.

*** I got this money on my mind, homie

*** That's why I stay up on my grind, homie

*** And I bought this brand new Roley for my time, homie

*** I'm on this block into a smile, homie

*** We on the block, you know we move that Coca

*** On that corner, look like we needin' a chauffeur

*** Inside the bop, I'm talkin' Sammy Sosa

*** Inside the bop, I'm talkin' Sammy Sosa

*** We on the block, you know we move that Coca

*** On that corner, look like we needin' a chauffeur

*** Inside the bop, I'm talkin' Sammy Sosa

*** Inside the bop, I'm talkin' Sammy Sosa ***

- [Henry] You gotta be comin' off that, Dino.

Whoa!

(yells)

- [Henry] Whoa, whoa.

- Fuck! God dammit.

- [Henry] Don't worry about it.

Gotta protect your body, bro.

- Fuck!

Goddamn.

- [Henry] You gotta protect your body.

- Come on, man, tighten that shit up, man,

tough that shit out, man.

Don't let him work your body, man, work you!

- Body shot, man. - Get him outta there, man.

- Gotta work on that body, man.

- Fuck.

Fuck!

(low string music)

- You ain't just gotta jab him

in the face, jab him in the chest.

- You gotta keep him outside the stick,

it's the only thing gonna work.

- Body, Dino, get it up on his body.

- Just work light, Marcus.

- Work the body, Dino, man.

Put your hands up, Dino, dude gon' knock you out, man!

Work it, Dino, man!

- That's it, that's it.

- You gotta fight, man, that's it, Dino.

You say you wanna fight, you gotta fight, man.

That's it, man. You be fightin' a young

mothafucka like me, Dino.

- Hey Dino, c'mere.

- He's young, he's up and coming, he's good.

Be thankful, be blessed for this, be blessed,

that you're not in here with a bunch of mothafuckas

that don't know what they doin'.

- Layin' on the floor, just thinking about my kids,

my moms, life, finances, everybody.

I don't know how this happened, I gotta have a clear mind.

Just got a lotta stuff on my mind right now.

Put in two applications for work, no call back.

Just to get some kinda more income comin' in.

About to call the unemployment people,

see if I can get my unemployment transferred out here.

You ain't finish yet. - Get it off your mind.

- You not done.

- Oh, yes I am. - No, you're not done yet.

Okay, you got the 40, okay, cool.

Now see, that's what I'm talking about, Mr. Rushin'.

Hold on, we ain't done yet. - You Mr. Rushin'.

- And over here, that's good, correct, boom five,

see that's what I'm talkin' about.

See, that's all it takes, you take your time, Mr. Rushin'.

Rushin' boy.

- You from Rushin', now shut up.

- Look and read your work, son. Check after yourself.

(groans) Being a dad is not easy.

Hold on a second, you gonna hit hard in the face again?

Let me tell you somethin', boy.

Watch how you plain' when you playin' with grown folks, boy.

You hear me? - Yes.

- You don't play like that. I'm gon' give you something.

Every time you give it to me, you get it right back.

I'm gonna whup your butt.

- I wish you would.

- Okay.

- You think that's gonna hurt me?

- Mm-mm, no, your wish is my command.

- Ah!

- Every one you do, I do. Okay, time out. You done.

(laughs)

- His state of mind tells me that

he want to do this, so I'mma ride with him,

until something happens that tells me

that he ain't gonna be able to do it.

Until that happens, I'm gonna work with the young man,

and hope for the best.

- Dude, Dino Wells just came into the gym,

says he's serious about boxing again, making a comeback, so,

I'mma work with him and see if I can get that weight down.

Shit, we'll see how it goes. It's all on him at this point,

if he stays dedicated we can do this.

I've worked with some of the best athletes around the city,

a lot of the Saints players, Marcus McDaniel,

another one of the boxers.

Dude's 40 years old. I'm 25, and I could really give a shit.

I'm not gonna hold his hand, I'm not gonna baby him.

If he can't handle the work, hey man,

good luck to you in the future.

I hope you know what you're in for. It's fun.

Two of each, get 'em in, get 'em in.

Up, use your arms, up, up, that's 15 push-ups.

Sprint, go. Right back in, right back in,

let's fucking go, baby.

One in each, one, bam bam bam,

you skippin', that's five more.

- Sorry!

- It's all about you right now, bro.

It's how bad you want it.

This ain't nothin'. This is called round two.

Come on, no walkin', you want another one?

(yells)

- Turn out and sprint.

Dino, come back. Run back, come on, run back.

Right there, turn around, sprint.

All the way to burg, all the way through.

All the way through!

(heavy inspirational music)

Go! Get that up, get it up.

Go, go! Come on. Come on!

Come on, all the way through.

Let's go!

- Fuck it, let's go!

- Yes, sir.

- [Chase] There you go. Get that shit up.

- Fuck!

- Let's go, there and back!

Harder than that, harder than that. Come on, come on!

You're turning right around at this gate pole,

coming right back, everything you got.

Come on. Good. Come on!

He's actually doing better than I thought.

I mean this is a hard workout right here.

Good job, bro. We're good.

We got time, we just keep it goin'.

- Yes, sir.

- You needed something like this.

- Yes, sir.

- You needed someone like me. You're good, right?

- Yes, sir.

- Stay relaxed, get your gym work in,

do what you're supposed to do in the gym,

and I'll do what you're supposed to do,

I know the best play out here.

- Yes, sir.

- [Chase] Ok? - [Dino] Yes, sir.

- [Chase] We'll be good to go, man.

- [Dino] Thank you very much. - [Chase] Relax. Let's go.

- [Dino] Read that, and do the problems after that.

And then you'll be done for the day.

Reading is easy, reading is essential to life, boy.

- I don't care. - You want to care.

When you're 22 years old, still in the 9th grade.

How you think you gon' get ahead not reading?

I'm serious, man. I'm takin' that shit serious, son.

I mean, fuck these video games and all that,

you gotta really read, you gotta learn to read,

man I know you can read, but you gotta read, read, read,

and understand what you reading.

I know you want to cover your ears and all that shit,

but you ain't gonna play no video games no more today,

or tomorrow, and that's plain and simple.

I told you when it comes to education,

now you messin' with a drill sergeant right now.

I don't care about the video games

of you wrestling, and John Cena, and Seneka,

and whoever the hell they name is,

I don't care about none of that stuff.

But when it comes to this right here, education,

now you in the real world right now, son.

Now I'm gonna be Daddy this time, today,

fuck that. I'mma Daddy him today.

Go ahead, come here. - [Desmond] Well you read it.

- Naw, you, boy I'mma smack the piss outta you,

if you tell me to read some shit.

Now read the second paragraph.

- I don't want to, man! I don't want to read now.

- [Dino] Look in that corner. Stay there.

(Desmond moans)

You want me to get you this, and get you toys,

get you candy and shit, want me to jump for you then,

but you can't read a fuckin' paragraph to me? Really?

Fuck wrong with you, boy?

- [Desmond] (crying) Man I don't wanna read this paragraph,

I wanted to read my story first.

- Like I said, both my parents wasn't supportive.

I don't want my kids to feel like me,

I wanna erase that feeling.

(reading) But real life, hedgehogs have what?

(Desmond mumbles)

For rolling up. What else?

(Desmond mumbles again)

Defending themselves. What is defending themselves?

(light guitar music)

- Man, get your hands up!

- Come on, coach, leave it alone, man, fuck it.

- Y'all know the difference.

- Second to last stair, you cut over, and come down.

- I'm doin' the whole thing?

- Doin' the whole thing.

- Ah, shit!

- [Chase] There you go, push.

Your time, right now! Nobody else is here.

No walk, no talk.

Now we're coasting.

He's even slowing down for ya, go catch him.

This is your championship right here, 10 seconds.

(gasping)

- Bam. Not bad, bro.

You bust your ass, bro, you got a big ass heart,

and you got a big ass melon to be takin' all those shots.

Just use the women's pisser, probably be a little cleaner.

Fuck that touchin' shit, we come out,

we don't touch no more. - Copy that.

- We done with that.

- [Dino] That's always? - Always.

Always in fights, after the fight--

- [Dino] Nothing's like, when in martial arts, you...

- This ain't martial arts, fuck that. This is fighting, bro.

This isn't "Hey, we're gonna keep it friendly

like Shane Mosley", you know what I'm sayin'?

This is like "Hey, I'mma rip your fuckin' head off."

- Get your hands up!

- You alright? Come on. Take mine off, too. Take it off.

(yelling)

- Alright, break.

- Yes, sir.

- You didn't, look, naw, sit down.

- Yes, sir.

(light piano music)

- [Dino] My childhood sweetheart, her name is Patricia Glen.

I used to write her poems, and notes,

and I was pursuing her back, 22 years ago,

but she didn't want to go with me

at the time because I was a gangbanger.

22 years later, she sends me a message on Facebook,

and we've been in touch ever since.

She's one of the biggest supporters

of The Lethal Warrior's comeback.

- Here's the cards, and I want to read them.

I wanna read the card, because the card is true.

And it says, "You're special to me. It's your birthday."

When you see someone that means business,

they're not playing any games anymore.

That makes you want to do even more.

I mean, 23 years ago, when he was wanting to talk to me,

I'm like no, and I didn't deal with him,

probably just because of the lifestyle that he was living,

I mean I was not down for that.

And now, out of all these years,

I see the change, I see the determination,

I mean of course I stepped in to what I need to do.

I'm just proud of him, I really am.

It puts me in tears all the time to see,

just how determined... He's just got his mind made up.

- I'm just...

Pretty much the beginning of the start of a good birthday.

She's a good person that came back in my life last year,

and has opened up her whole heart, and her time,

make sure that I have everything that I need

in training, and food, and personal stuff.

Things just to make sure I stay afloat.

(counting)

- You got two more to go, man. I'm proud of you so far.

Alright, lemme see, lemme check this out here for ya,

go ahead, let me see what's going on around up in here.

Correct, correct, correct.

(imitates boxing bell)

(light piano music)

Like I said, I didn't have one coming up as a kid,

so now I see how hard it is to be a dad,

and I gotta do what I have to do as a father

for Des, through his education, you know, sports,

and just being a man in general.

He riding the pine right now.

My son asking the coach to get in the game already,

I'm lookin' at him.

Ain't no sense, nowhere in the world,

Wells should be sitting on the bench.

Set, go!

Go!

Showin' at the last second, boom, bah, pow!

Hit the hole and go.

(buzzing)

Almost done, little man. Got sideburns,

you about to have a beard in a minute.

You about to have you a beard,

mustache about to grow soon.

Hey, I'm enjoying this mission.

As long as I'm around my son, that's all that matters.

I'm just happy.

This is the country club, this is where I work.

So, security here in the club.

It's a good job, love the country club.

Yeah, this is a wonderful Christmas as a father, actually.

You know, since being a dad.

Because I actually talk to my children,

and make them happy,

for the holiday, you know. It's a blessing.

My son, he got what he want.

Abiah, she's gonna get what she want.

DeShaun has what he want.

Christmas is around the corner,

I get to buy my son a PlayStation 3,

bought my other son his Bluetooth for his PlayStation,

sending my daughter $50, and her sister $50.

And, you know. Only thing I feel bad is Orlando.

Not having nothing for him.

Because I don't know where he at, or anything,

and nobody's not giving me no information.

Desmond is talking to DeShaun on Skype,

so this is a big moment.

Brothers getting to know each other right now,

so it's the first time them two talking, so this is fun.

Your PlayStation should be there tomorrow, son.

You heard me? Alright. I love both of y'all, man,

I love both of y'all. (kisses)

I love it, it's a good thing right now.

You know, brothers can bond with each other.

Why you want a present? Do you think you deserve a present?

- Yes.

- Why do you deserve a present?

- Cuz. (laughs)

Told you you brought me one!

Keeping. This is mine. Thank you, I love you, goodbye.

- Come here, boy. Love you, man.

- Thank you.

(whistles)

- I'm just happy that I get a chance to spend

this year with my son, bringing it in.

- Dad, you're on. Jack one for me!

Oh! That one went that way, dad!

(whooping)

- Peace with my daughter Abiah, my son Orlando.

Healthy during the duration of my training,

having continued income, my mother has continued health.

Peace within war countries, my family believe in me.

Have a successful boxing comeback.

I gotta do like I used to do when I was younger,

this is for training hard as fuck, nonstop.

(light guitar music)

- Alright. Okay, good. Getting the bell ringing,

you just gotta be ready.

- I work out, and I jog, I run,

I'm just thinking of my kids, thinking about my children,

that they Daddy's not here, drinking, sitting on the corner,

being a wino, smokin' weed, hanging with lowlifes.

- You just gotta work hard.

- Somebody told me all, "Look, think realistically,

you not gonna get a WC champion."

- Look, lemme tell you something, bro.

You know how many fighters out here in the world

have dreams, how many people got dreams just like yourself?

People don't talk about you, that's life

Now you got somebody talkin' about you,

they got someone talking about them.

The beat goes on and on. You can't stop.

Can't stop. When you stop, the devil gonna get you.

You doin' your thing, but do your thing.

Believe in yourself. In yourself, nobody will tell you,

In yourself. you can't let people tell you you can't.

Just go "Look what I can do."

- Every time you go back, you gon' get hit, bro.

That's it, man.

- No, let's go! Fuck that!

(inspirational music)

- Higher.

Go!

- There you go.

- 15, 16, 17.

- Jab. One, two. There you go, see.

- Hah!

- I feel if I couldn't do this, I wouldn't have came back.

- Dino, I'mma tell you like this here,

you got a hold of that superdome, bro.

That's what I like about you.

You get in that mothafucka with anybody.

They got fighters wouldn't do that.

I believe in you, like you see.

You should think of this here.

You came too far to turn back.

You too far gone.

You know I can't take nothin' away from Dino.

Dino got more years in the game than me.

Like I said, if he keeps working that, doin' what he doin',

you can't help but to be nice.

From this transition from now, to when I first met him.

He's doin' way better, as a fighter, he's doin' way better.

- Since Dino first walked back into the boxing gym,

not really too many people in the boxing gym

really thought highly of him, even myself.

He proved a few people in the gym wrong,

because Dino kept coming back.

And I told him that a while back,

I said "Dino just keep coming, just keep coming,"

Dino kept coming, kept coming, kept coming back.

And he's like a whole different fighter now.

- Mr. Wells!

- How you doin' sir.

- Lethal Warrior. - Yes, sir.

- This is what the commissioner sent me,

in terms of fighters over 40.

- I don't do drugs, it's all good.

All good, everything looks great.

- What about the MRI and the EKG?

- I mean, I know my brain's great.

- Had you a physical yet?

- [Dino] No, I hadn't had a physical, no.

- You need to go, you need to do that.

- I mean, how much does that cost?

- I dunno what it costs, but you need to do that.

'Cause you know why? 'Cause if you don't do that,

the commissioner may not let the fight go on.

Because of your age, you understand what I'm saying?

- [Dino] Yes, sir.

- You gotta take care of all these little things.

- Alright, thank you man.

- Alright, Dino.

- See you, partner.

- See you, Coach.

- I ain't got nothin' against you, or nobody,

but when you get to be 40, you gotta take a total battery

of tests, and it's gotta go before the full commission.

What we do is take all of those tests, and results,

we give them to Dr. Thomas Ferguson,

who's on our commission, he will go over 'em,

and say "Hey, man, this guy's in great shape,

let him go for a full-round fight."

We'll help pick an opponent that'll be a little older, ok?

Then, if you're deemed ok, medically.

- [Dino] I got all this fuckin' training in me,

and I need to fight, you know what I mean?

I need to get on that fight card.

- Well, I appreciate both of y'all for your help,

and for believin' in me, and putting me onto this card,

and everything, and I know I got a little kink in my

establishment of getting to where I need to be.

Could y'all help me along the way for this,

for some of these medical expenses?

- I don't really want to commit to that,

because I don't know what the cost of that is,

to work with that. It's Jesse calling me.

- Well, like I said, thank you very much.

- Go on, alright.

(melancholy music)

(thunder rumbles)

(coughs)

- Just wanted to say, fuck it all.

Just so y'all know, sometimes I sit here

and just fuckin', just jump off this balcony head first.

My mind, it's going everywhere.

- I don't really know what to say, tellin' how it is.

I mean, I've been doing this throughout

my whole training career, fighters come and go.

It's like a revolving door. You get a certain age,

you can't do the things you did when you was a young man.

Anybody else that's telling him that he could...

do what he think he could do as a young man,

they tellin' him a lie, and I'm not gonna lie about that.

- He was in the gym over at Carson City one time,

and he was throwin' a punch, throwin' a jab,

I said "Dino, been watchin' for the last couple days,

why you ain't extendin' the jab all the way out, man?"

He said "I can't." What you mean you can't?

Says "I can't, I got shot." So I'm thinking,

I'm putting two and two together, you know, fuck it,

You tryin' to fight, you got shot, you can't extend...

A jab, is the fighter's best punch.

- You can't bring back 20 years, just no way possible.

It's gone, bro.

- You supposed to feel this way.

They don't understand the fuckin' hard work

that goes into this shit, man.

Gettin' up in the fuckin' morning,

changing your fuckin' eating habits.

Don't let these niggas tell you no, Dino.

You came too fuckin' far for this.

Keep your fuckin' head up, keep it pushin',

do what you gotta do, everything they ask you to do,

do it. Mothafucka it's where my heart lie at.

This is the right hand that sent me for all the miles

that I had to run. Take that.

This is for all the fuckin' sit ups that I had to do.

Take that. You gon' eat all the shit that I had to do.

- That's what I'm about to do now, go runnin' right now.

- You gonna take that. How fucking bad do you want it?

(light piano music)

- [Dino] Skoob gave me a great pep talk.

He gave me a wake up call.

See, you know I worked hard to get to this point to give up.

No stopping now, I'm not stopping.

I'm just gonna go out and do it.

- We'll do the musculoskeletal, the internal med,

we'll do the neurology visit here, too,

'cause I do neurologic work with the commission.

- And how long does it take to get the results back?

- [Doctor] We're gonna know today.

- Oh, great!

- [Dino] I met Dr. Sonders through Buddy,

told him a little bit about what's going on,

Dr. Sonders is gonna help me out,

get these tests and things, at a nice cost.

EKG, MRI, all the other work and stuff I need.

He's been a blessing for this whole journey so far.

Dr. Sonders is a good guy.

- Everyone needs support when they're

at their lowest point, he has been really pushing for

a long time now, and this was not the time to give up.

- [Dino] If it wasn't for her, it would be nothin'.

She helped me out all on this journey, so,

I can't thank her enough.

- Like I said, what we're gonna be doing is checking

your balance, your brain function.

Because once you get hit in the head, your computer,

your brain, doesn't function as efficiently as it did.

And if you've had a concussion, or you had a brain injury,

you're more at risk for having another one.

Man, if he was firing a gun, that's marksman.

The MR is negative, got all that stuff,

so I'm gonna present everything to him.

Call me if you have any problems.

- [Dino] I'm very pleased, thank you very much sir.

- [Doctor] Peace.

(upbeat bass music)

- So would you be my training coach again?

- No doubt. I told you, I never left you. I never will.

We'll get you fighting. I guarantee we'll get you a fight.

- That's pretty heavy.

- [Dino] I've seen the work that Chase done,

he got me to where I need to be,

so I chose Chase and this is where I'm at now.

(kids counting)

- [Chase] We had about 400 applicants,

took about 15 kids from the neighborhood.

I let 'em see what boxing's all about,

see if we can get them off the streets, out of trouble,

and get 'em into the gym and doing something positive.

Just teach these kids the brilliance of boxing.

- Throw the jab. See how? Stay right there.

Now throw the right hand.

See, it's going down, and then it's going up.

Throw it right here.

- [Kids] Dedication! - [Chase] Hard work!

(repeating)

- Down, son, further.

- Y'all wanna see some hard work? Some dedication?

This young man right here. Eight weeks straight

we were out here, we were out at the stadium every morning,

running up and down the stairs, every single morning.

Dude came in weighing 228 pounds.

- [Kid] Looks like he lost a lot of weight.

- 188, we got down to.

None of y'all need to lose weight,

all you gotta do is work hard.

(kids counting)

- Throw it from here. That dude's right here,

And bring it back.

Freeze it. Keep this hand right here at all times.

Two. Freeze it.

- Spyder will be the one to work with.

He's gonna give you the attention you need.

He knows everything, dude. The dude's the man.

For real. Spyder's good people, man.

We'll go over there this afternoon,

rappin' him a little bit, kinda give him the heads up,

401 on what's goin' on. And then, shouldn't be a problem.

- I'm Steven "Spyder" Hemphill,

two-time working boxing champion.

Five-time mixed martial arts champion,

international kickboxing champion, as heavyweight.

And I'm a hall of famer.

Chase Dixon came to me and talked to me about

if I would like to train Dino.

I said, "Well, I really don't know him personally,

but let's meet and let's try it, and see what happens."

You cannot be an ordinary person,

to get an extraordinary goal.

So first thing you do, is you do extraordinary things quick,

extraordinary discipline, extraordinary work ethic,

The average person out there on the street

cannot take this type of punishment.

We are special. You have to believe that you are special.

You gotta believe in yourselves, fellas.

You gotta believe in yourself.

Everybody got a question for you,

"Dino, man, why you want to do this at this age, Dino?"

They have no value for what you do.

Man, you know what you do? You say,

"I understand," and keep walking, dude.

Anyone of them out there, you cannot allow that.

But your goal should be your motivation.

Your goal should be your motivation.

(motivational piano music)

(sings along with his music)

- [Phone] First saved message.

- [Message] Hey Dino, we got a fight open,

we need to get in touch with you,

Malcolm gonna get in touch with you

and get this contract signed. Alright.

- Yes, sir.

- Squad jumps, squish.

(yells)

- Not playing, Dino.

(yells)

- Cut.

There you go!

- Come on, come on, come on, come on.

- God damn!

- Look, watch this, don't go with your hands so much,

let your eyes do the work.

- Yes, sir.

- Do the next just like that.

Look, you got a blind spot here.

Yeah, keep 'em straight.

(yells)

- Whoo!

- That's what I like to see.

- I just got off the phone with her now,

wanted to see if she was playing this control game.

She said that there's no Desmond this weekend.

But she saying she's punishing him,

'cause he's messing up in his school,

homework, not listening to her.

She's had a way to push my buttons, man.

- What's the deal, bro?

- Just another baby mama, that's all.

Stressing me out about my kid, but...

- No, don't let her fuck with your head right now.

That's the last thing we need, right now.

- And, I want my son at the fight.

That means a lot to me for him to be there,

and she said he ain't gonna be there.

- Why would she do that, she wouldn't be punishing you?

Well, she would try to, but she'd be hurting the kid also.

- Yeah, she already took my weekend from me,

this past weekend.

- No judge is gonna say "Look, there's already

too many black fathers in their kids' lives now,

I think you can sit this one out,

I'm not gonna let you see him."

You were absent at one point, correct?

- Yeah.

- Alright, well, you've been trying to make a concerted

effort for, the better half of the year I've known you.

- Yup.

- What more can she want? You're there.

I'm sure if you could take him

five days a week you'd be alright with that.

- Yeah.

- You have no life. Your life is boxing, and your children.

That's it. That's it, bro! That's fuckin' it.

(melancholy music)

- I say this is emotional.

I'm here, my son is 10 miles that way, can't even see him.

Phone's always off, when I call it always goes

straight to voicemail, it's like, what's the damn purpose.

- Today we're gonna simulate your fight,

see where you are conditioning-wise.

Same preparation, warm up to actual fighting.

You're gonna go 100% today.

- Alright, be first to hit him in the ring, be first.

There you go, bring him back.

Fight already. Get out there.

Fight back, fight him back, there you go, fight back.

There you go, right there, right there.

Stage three, gotta hit him with something solid, come on.

- Fuck!

- [Spyder] Alright, do work. - Fuck, man.

- Everything's gonna be ok.

And you gotta throw the combinations.

Right now, you're passive.

- Yes, sir.

- Right now, you're passive.

You've got to dig something out of you, and say,

look, it's a sport, but it's a fight, too.

We gotta go get it.

- Yes, sir.

- We're here to help each other.

It's gonna be alright, we'll make it. Not a problem.

Everything is fixable.

(light piano music)

- Look, you go out there, live up to your potential.

That's it. - [Dino] Yes, sir.

- You've done everything you can do to prepare yourself.

I have confidence in that. I have confidence

in your training. Go out there and go to work.

- Yes, sir.

My son called, and I spoke to him.

He thought I'd fought already, and I said no,

I fight in a couple hours, son.

Made me feel good just to speak to him.

I know he wants to be there really bad to support me,

but, I'm gonna go out there and win this fight for him.

- [Chase] This is what it's all about right here.

We have four rounds. Four fuckin' rounds, 12 minutes.

Go do your thing.

Nobody, nobody thought that you would be here.

This is for those motherfuckers.

When you step in that ring, think about everything

you've done to get to this point that you're at, right here.

You gotta go out there and make something.

Make something of yourself.

Go out there, handle your business.

Let's go to work, man. Let's go do it.

- When you get in there, let him know,

"Welcome to my office. Welcome to my office."

(announcer yells)

- [Announcer] Ladies and gentlemen,

I want you to put your hands together, for Dino Wells!

(crowd cheers)

(music swells)

(bell rings)

- [Spyder] Be first, Dino.

Go to work right there, Dino. Commit!

Fight back, Dino, fight back.

Fight back. Fight back. Yes.

Keep goin', Dino, keep going.

One-two, one-two.

(audience yells)

(bell rings)

(tense music)

- He's waiting. You ain't say, "Fuck it." Go to work!

- Okay!

- Push, push, let's go!

- Throw your two, straight down the middle.

There you go, do it again!

(bell rings)

- Throw your two, straight down the middle,

right there, boom!

- Work, let's do it! Be first, right now!

- Work, Dino, work!

One one two, Dino.

(bell rings)

- Dino, you go to work every second in that round.

You go to work, go!

Do it again! Keep workin', keep workin'!

Do it again, go go! Go!

- Work it, work it, right there, don't stop!

- [Spyder] Go, go, go! Yeah, go!

Go, go, go!

Keep it rolling! Yeah! There you go! Work it baby, work it!

Come on.

- Let's go! Come on, come on!

- [Spyder] Take him out, Dino, punch him out.

(crowd yelling)

(bell rings)

(crowd cheers)

- [Announcer] I'm just gonna name the scores,

38 for Dino Wells, 38 for Marcus Clay.

Judge, what's the lead with scores?

40 for Dino Wells, 36 for Marcus Clay.

Judged with total scores,

40 for Dino Wells, 36 for Marcus Clay.

And the winner is Dino Wells.

(crowd cheers)

(bell rings)

- [Announcer] Dino Wells won the fight ladies and gentlemen.

(light guitar music)

(crowd cheers and boos)

- I'm not understanding correctly.

I'm gonna think that Dino won, correct?

That's what I had, no? I'm gonna look at this again.

I'm sorry, sir, can I look at that one more time?

Dino Wells won, correct?

- No, 40-36...

- You are correct. They had him winning.

Which is crazy, because... look,

under his name is supposed to be the score.

(melancholy piano music)

- Defeat is more a spiritual thing to me,

whereas you don't want to do it anymore,

you just want to give up, you want to quit.

Man, Dino went in there, he battled,

he battled, he battled, he dug deep.

He put forth his best effort, and,

the competition itself was lost.

But Dino is not defeated.

- In that particular bout, one guy's 39, one guy's 40,

these guys scrapped it out from bell ring to bell end.

Sure, a competition was lost, the bout was lost,

but there was no defeat.

He's like, "What else in life can I conquer now?"

I think that's awesome.

- [Dino] I was just happy just to be in the ring,

doing what I love to do. And at 42 years old... (scoffs)

That's just a blessing, you know?

I'm not looking back anymore, I'm just moving forward.

On to the next mission.

- Here comes my daughter right now,

walking across the street.

("Get Right" by Kaboose)

*** We need to get right

*** Need to get up and get tight

*** Pushin' for a change in ya life

*** And you're loose and you're lookin' back

*** On the days what's past is past

*** We're only here a short time

*** Life moves fast, to get right

*** Need to get up and get tight

*** Pushin' for a change in your life

*** Ain't no reason lookin' back

*** On the days what's past is past

*** We only here a short time, life moves fast

*** Too many times we find a rewind button is nonexistant

*** To go back and make things right and fix it

*** All the places we've been, things we done wrong

*** Some claim to be on the path of aggression, but still

*** Sing the same old song in the rain without dancing anymore

*** Trapped in the shadows from battles of self

*** With no help or even a sense of direction

*** 'Cause you spent your last change trying to

*** Weather the pain but found doubt, it didn't last

*** Now there's nothing left to put into this looking glass

*** To go back and learn from the past

*** Then get right, right now, with no excuses

*** So come on, just listen

*** It's like an alcoholic claiming to be free form addiction

*** But still lives with a 12-pack in the second

*** Rack of the fridge, itchin'

*** To open it up and pay a little visit

*** Pop the top, rustle it down, and now

*** You're back in the same spot

*** It comes down to your choices

*** Be real and stop frontin'

*** A choice could be your weapon of mass destruction

*** That could save your life from something that you

*** Never saw comin' like

*** AIDS from the girl that you chose to sleep with

*** A death by driving home drunk on a weekend

*** Or an overdose that left you comatose from the drugs

*** Or an exit from this life, by the knife, or worse

*** You need to get right

*** You need to get up and get tight

*** Pushin' for a change in your life

*** Ain't no use in looking back on the

*** Days what's past is past we only here a short time

*** Life moves fast to get right

*** Need to get up and get tight

*** Pushin' for a change in your life

*** Ain't no use in looking back on the

*** Days what's past is past we only here a short time

*** Life moves fast

*** It's like the end of intersection in the middle of

*** A migraine, trying to unclot your vision

*** 'Cause you can't see sideways

*** Trying to quit this expedition

*** You haven't left the driveway

*** A million decisions

*** And you can't get your mind straight

*** Anticipation of what's to come just like a blind date

*** You're lost in time trying to anticipate

*** Every move that comes next and you didn't do your research

*** Life's an open book, for those who choose to read first

*** The rebirth, the plan of attack

*** And the strategy of second time around

*** And recharge your battery

*** 'Cause it's hard to make a change with unlearned lessons

*** And hard to know where you're going

*** When you have no direction

*** You need to get right

*** Need to get up and get tight

*** Pushin' for a change in your life

*** Ain't no use in lookin' back on the

*** Days what's past is past, we only here a short time

*** Life moves fast ***