 David Brownie from Entertainment Weekly called it " spunkier than one would expect from a dance @-@ floor strumpet who loves to flaunt her lung power . " Chuck Taylor writing for Billboard complimented " Fighter " for demonstrating that Aguilera " [ has ] got the goods to rise above what so many lesser acts depend on for celebrity . " On behalf of the same publication , Andrew Unterberger wrote that " Fighter " and " Can 't Hold Us Down " are two tracks that helped " expand audience expectations of her image and sound . " Digital Spy 's Nick Levine named it a " strutting arena rock " song , while Nick Butler from Sputnikmusic simply called it " great . " The New York Times editor Kelefa Sanneh positively viewed the track 's theme as " fearless " and " full of mildly rebellious rhetoric . " On a less positive side , BBC Music 's Jacqueline Hodges called the song " hilarious " , while Jancee Dunn from Rolling Stone wrote that the song " is a sterile foray into rock . " 
