Boxers

“When someone hits you in the face, you know yourself in that instant,” says social worker Becca Gilgen of her experience as a member of Team Uppercut, one of the few all-female amateur boxing teams in the world. Joanna Kohler's BOXERS tells the inspirational story of the seven women in Team Uppercut, led by coach and gym owner Lisa Bauch, as they prepare for the Ringside International Tournament in August of 2005. While the athletes reflect on their motivation, their goals, and their obstacles, they travel the country to hone their skills. In their daily training, their challenges are not only physical but also mental, emotional, and societal-ranging from facing public rejection to facing their own fears. Yet, in overcoming these difficulties, these athletes prove their own personal strength as well as pave the way for women around the world, reaffirming that a woman's physical prowess is no less than that of a man. – E.J.B.