Rachel is a teen boxer competing in the Daughters of America Cup. She adheres to a nihilistic philosophy following the childhood loss of her home to a wildfire, wearing a raccoon hat to deliberately unsettle others. As the only girl in a family of boys, she expects minimal praise and prefers to leave a disturbing impression rather than receive traditional approval.

Rose is a tall teenage boxer from suburban Dallas, Texas. She struggles with her Catholic upbringing and the lingering social isolation of being locked in a shed by bullies at her parish school. Boxing offers her a sanctuary with clear rules, allowing her to connect with others through physical presence without the pressure of speaking.

Artemis is the youngest daughter in a famous boxing family, carrying the heavy expectation to uphold her family's prestige at the tournament. Thick-muscled and conscious of her beauty, she fights wearing makeup and long hair. She views the tournament as an avenue to prove herself equal to her older sisters and secure her independence.

Andi is a gangly teen boxer who drove alone from Tampa, Florida, to compete in the tournament. She works as a lifeguard and feels immense guilt after passively witnessing a young boy drown at her pool. Combined with the recent death of her father, Andi hopes that inflicting willful violence in the ring will overwrite her passive experiences with tragedy.

Iggy is a temperamental teen boxer from Douglas, Michigan, distinguishable by a purple birthmark over her lip. She followed her older cousin into the sport and approaches their matches as a contest for family respect. She craves prestige, imagining her boxing life as a central fixture of her identity and dreaming of becoming a revered local legend.

Tanya is a seventeen-year-old boxer from Albuquerque, New Mexico. She took up the sport to create physical and emotional distance from her father after her mother suddenly abandoned the family. Her mother's departure haunts her, frequently manifesting as intrusive memories of her childhood home's kilim rug during her bouts in the ring.

Izzy is Iggy's older cousin from Douglas, Michigan, competing in her second and final Daughters of America Cup. She resents that her younger cousin followed her into boxing, feeling it robbed her of her unique identity as the only girl fighter she knew. She views the tournament not with ambition, but as an ending to a long, exhausting phase of her life.

Kate is a teen boxer from Seattle, Washington, who competes primarily because others told her she possessed the perfect body for the sport. A conformist who craves structure and parental approval, she struggles under pressure. She relies on mental exercises to calm herself, constantly questioning if winning is something she genuinely desires for herself.

Bob is the owner of Bob's Boxing Palace in Reno, Nevada. He refuses to coach women on principle, yet he profits heavily from the league membership fees paid by the young female athletes who compete in his venue.

Sam is a local journalist covering the tournament for a Reno newspaper. Unlike the coaches and administrators who treat the event as an excuse to visit casinos, he remains deeply attentive to the matches, recognizing the emotional weight the young women carry into the ring.

Rachel's grandmother is the sole family member supporting Rachel at the tournament. Initially struck by the noise and violence of the matches, she transitions from worrying about Rachel's soul to watching her granddaughter's bouts with silent awe.

Rose's father is a contractor from Dallas who attends his daughter's matches with pride. He is deeply sure of his faith and his love for Rose, though he remains oblivious to the fact that keeping his family at their local parish forces Rose to stay near the community that bullied her.

Star is Artemis's eldest sister and a former champion of the Daughters of America Cup. Her past victory set a high bar for the Victor family, casting a long shadow of expectation over Artemis's own boxing career.

Tanya's sister serves as an emotional anchor for Tanya, especially after their mother's sudden abandonment. She is a grounding presence in Tanya's life, connected to the innocent hand-clapping games and rituals of their shared childhood.

Kate's mother attends the tournament to support her daughter, though she secretly disapproves of boxing for girls. She becomes visibly distressed when witnessing Kate take physical damage in the ring, inadvertently fueling Kate's desire to quit the sport.

Kate's father supports his daughter at the tournament but shares his wife's discomfort with the violence of the sport. His expectations for Kate heavily influence her own desires and understanding of success.