 Aguilera performed " Fighter " on a number of shows . The singer performed the song for the first time at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards , held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on August 28 , 2003 , in a medley with " Dirrty " . The performance featured Redman as a featured artist , and Dave Navarro as the guitarist . There , she also performed with Madonna , Britney Spears and Missy Elliott a medley of Madonna 's songs " Like a Virgin " and " Hollywood " , and Elliott 's " Work It " . " Fighter " was also performed on Aguilera and Justin Timberlake 's 2003 summer tour Justified and Stripped Tour , in order to support Stripped and Timberlake 's album Justified . In late 2003 , Aguilera performed the track during the tour 's extension , The Stripped Tour , which happened without Timberlake . The performance is included on her first full @-@ length DVD Stripped Live in the U.K. ( 2004 ) . On June 1 , 2007 , during the promotion of Back to Basics , Aguilera performed " Fighter " along with " Ain 't No Other Man " , " Hurt " and " Candyman " at the 2007 Muz @-@ TV Awards . Later , during her 2006 – 07 Back to Basics Tour , the track was performed as the last song in the encore . Barry Walters for Rolling Stone labelled the performance of " Fighter " " ended the show on a hard @-@ rocking high " . It is included on the video release Back to Basics : Live and Down Under ( 2008 ) . 
