"Don’t Quit Champ" is a powerful documentary about the life of Lennox Blackmoore, a former Guyanese boxing champion and legendary trainer who is now in his 70s. The film follows Lennox as he trains his last fighter to compete for a world title, while reflecting on five decades of his life, victories, and losses. The documentary also explores the transformative power of boxing, as Lennox shares personal stories of his intersection with immigration, race, class, and notions of masculinity. His life story is intertwined with those of the fighters he has trained, including Jill "Zion the Lion" Matthews, the first woman to win the Golden Glove, who is fighting a life-threatening illness, and Elton Dharry, a soft-spoken West Indian Ghanaian-American lightweight boxer who Lennox hopes to make a world champion before he retires.
Lennox's rise to championship status is told against the backdrop of the social and political climate of Guyana, his home country. The documentary features rare vintage footage from the 1970s and 80s, chronicling Lennox's championship rise and the conflicted celebration he received as a hero by the Forbes Burnham government. Lennox's emigration to the United States and subsequent work as a trainer at Gleason’s gym, one of the most renowned boxing institutions in New York, is also explored. Through Lennox's story, the film offers a unique perspective on the brutal economics of the sport and how a gym can become a community and family.
The second part of the documentary follows Lennox's dream to train two more champions to world titles, with a focus on Elton Dharry. Shot in gyms and boxing rings across Guyana, and the Dominican Republic, in addition to New York, Lennox's deep connection to other Guyanese boxers, and the culture and traditions of his home country, emerge.
The documentary also reflects on the changes in Guyana, including its transition to a Cooperative Republic, rising seas and the impact of climate change, and the country’s recent discovery of a massive amounts of oil that is rapidly developing the economy.
Overall, "Don’t Quit Champ" is a moving tribute to a boxing pioneer whose impact continues to be felt in both the Guyanese and Brooklyn boxing communities.
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