The Prizefighter and the Lady is a 1933 pre-Code Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer romance film directed by Howard Hawks and W. S. Van Dyke starring Myrna Loy and the professional boxers Max Baer, Primo Carnera, and Jack Dempsey.

[2] While working as a barroom bouncer, sailor Steve Morgan impresses alcoholic ex-boxing manager "the Professor" with his skills.

The Professor talks Steve into entering a prize fight with an up-and-coming boxer to make money for both of them.

Willie is not so certain about that, but is too shrewd to have Steve killed out of hand by his bodyguard, whom he jokingly calls his "Adopted Son".

Anxious to see the overconfident Steve humiliated, Willie finds out what is holding up the match with the current champion, Primo Carnera (playing himself), and pays $25,000 to set it up.

Finally, a distraught Belle urges the Professor to forget his wounded pride and go to Steve's corner to provide much needed advice.

With his old friend and his ex-wife rooting him on, a heartened Steve makes a furious comeback in the final rounds.

Dempsey, on the other hand, had already appeared in a number of films, dating back to 1920s Daredevil Jack.

Howard Hawks was the initial director, but left the set when he found he would be working with non-actor Baer, not Clark Gable.