Pat Quaid, an alcoholic San Francisco widower, ends up in jail.

When he can't borrow it, Eddie enters an amateur fight contest and wins it.

Pat Quaid, once a promising prizefighter, urges his son to give it a try professionally.

Bernie's work with Eddie eventually leads to a fight with Al Gorski for the middleweight championship.

He feels "dead inside," but when Julie is able to get him back to a boxing arena, Eddie finds that Gorski and the spectators all have forgiven him.