You got a five-eights horsepower?
Good morning, Mr. Phelps.
The man you're looking at is Charles Buckman,
who is attempting to obtain a stranglehold
on all forms of professional and amateur sports.
If he succeeds, the U.S. Will be ostracized
from the world community of athletics
and our enemies handed a propaganda weapon
of immeasurable value.
Buckman's main financing comes from boxing.
He works in association with this man.
Dan Whelan, whose syndicate controls the betting
on the fights Buckman rigs.
Your mission, Jim, should you decide to accept it,
is to eliminate Buckman and his plan once and for all.
As always, should you or any of your IM force be caught or killed,
the secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions.
Please dispose of this recording in the usual manner. Good luck, Jim.
If that's supposed to be funny, mister, it doesn't make it.
No, there's nothing funny about any of this, Richy.
Few years ago, before you went into the Army,
you were a top-rated contender.
I want you to make a comeback.
I want you to win the championship.
I don't get it. Didn't they tell you?
I couldn't punch my way out of a wet paper bag with these.
I know about your hands, Richy.
I know how you burned them rescuing that pilot.
Then what are you talking about?
I'm talking about putting Richy Lemoine in the record book
and boxing back in the hands of honest men.
Somebody else fights for me?
How do you know this fighter of yours can win?
- We'll see that he does. - That's what I thought, forget it.
- Wait a minute, Richy... - No, you wait.
I was never a part of a fixed fight in my life and I won't be now.
Suppose I give you my word
that no fight that goes into the record will be fixed.
At least not from our end.
Then you might have a deal.
Yeah, I can make Barney look enough like Richy
to get by with it.
Don't forget, Rollin, I've got to take a lot of punches.
Don't worry, Barney, I promise you your face will hold together.
Okay, so he can look the part.
- But has he ever done any fighting? - He was Sixth Fleet champion.
That was a few years ago, Jim.
You look like you're in good shape.
- I'm still gonna need a lot of help. - You'll get plenty.
Cinnamon, were you able to check out any of Buckman's girlfriends?
One of them has her hair done Tuesdays and Fridays.
I now go to the same hairdresser.
Rollin, how about the accident?
Whelan always uses the employees' tunnel
to get from the parking lot to the arena.
The steam heat lines are in the same tunnel.
Well, that's it, then.
Buckman's been looking for a likely contender to match with Staczek.
Let's give him one.
Move.
How's he doing?
Fine, Mr. Buckman. Fine.
His sparring partner know what to do?
Yes, sir. You bet he does.
All right.
You tell Ernie I want to see him open up this round.
Looks pretty good to me, Mr. Buckman.
For a street fighter.
He doesn't know the first thing about boxing.
All right, Rick. You know what you have to do.
That's what the crowd's paid for ever since the early Roman games.
Killer instinct.
You look like a champion, Ernie.
I'm ready, Mr. Buckman.
Really ready.
Butt presses.
You've been working hard, Artie.
I decided you deserve a little bonus, so I put a bet down for you.
Good odds.
Mr. Buckman, this bet's on Driscoll.
That's right. He's gonna win the fight.
Look, Mr. Buckman, I can beat Driscoll and I'm going to.
Let's not argue about it here, Artie.
Wesley will be around for a while.
You come up to my office with him this afternoon.
We'll discuss it there.
Take advantage of your size. Come on, pump.
Jab.
Step. Good.
Keep that left up.
Good, good.
Come on, stick me.
It's too high. Slow motion.
As you see, you can hook it.
That's it.
Good.
Jab.
Loosen up.
Loose, loose.
Time.
You look good, Barney. But that's not my style.
Get out of that crouch. Straighten up.
I'm sorry, Richy. It's just that's the way I've always fought.
But that's not the way Richy Lemoine fights.
Just jab, jab, jab. Keep moving, in and out, in and out.
Quick combinations and don't drop that left.
Now, go try it again.
And Bobby, stay on him like Staczek will.
He's a brawler. He presses.
So swing from the floor.
And if he drops that left again, bang him one.
You got it, Rich.
Move away. Another one.
Good.
Move away.
- What do you think? - Tighten that glove.
He'll never make it.
- He's got to make it. - Good shot.
Don't stop that.
He'll keep his right hand up now and his left.
How do you feel?
- I've felt better. - His lip's cut.
You're kidding.
Fix it. You're his handler.
You might as well learn how now.
Keep that left hand up, won't you?
You're right, Bobby.
I won't do it. I don't care what kind of contract you've got.
I don't go in the tank for anyone.
Have you ever seen a man try to climb into the ring with two broken legs?
Mr. Buckman, if one of your goons lays a hand on me,
I swear I'm going straight to the Boxing Commission.
Wesley, we have here a young man of genuine integrity.
That's a quality I admire, Artie.
That's why I'm gonna tear this contract up.
You're on your own now.
Good luck to you.
Do you mean it, Mr. Buckman?
If you know anything about me, Artie, you know I don't play games.
Wesley, see that he gets out all right, will you?
What are you gonna do now, kid?
I don't know. Try to get a match somewhere, I suppose.
Oh, that one's out of order.
Well...
Well, there's a guy in Jersey who works for a promoter out West.
I know, I think I've got his card here someplace.
Hold it.
How long you going to keep me waiting?
See you later.
Looks good. Will it stay on?
If his head does.
Thanks a lot.
It's a thick pipe, Jim.
It'll be a long, tough job.
Yes, it will. But I think it will help me get an easier job with Dan Whelan.
I told you before, Charlie, take it easy on the rough stuff.
I've told you before, you don't run my business.
Which reminds me, I've decided to buy myself a soccer team.
Why soccer?
Because it's the biggest sport in the world outside the United States.
In any event, it's costing me money.
So from now on, my share of your profits is raised to half.
Out of the question.
Dan.
Your organization is in the betting business.
Before long, I'll control most of the sporting events
put on in this country and a great many outside the country.
Because of me, you don't have to figure the winners. You know.
Now, where else are you gonna find an edge like that?
Okay, Charlie.
Okay. Just don't get too greedy.
Don't drop that left hand.
Good shot. Now hook.
That's it. Nice.
Good. That's it, that's it.
Time.
Beautiful.
- How do you feel, Barney? - I didn't know you could get this tired.
You went six rounds and you're still on your feet.
- Just barely. - No, that's great, Barney.
You get showered now. Rollin, get him ready for tonight.
Willy, we got to get out of here. Come on.
- Bobby, thanks for everything. - My pleasure, Barney.
Looks like Ernie's doing pretty well for himself.
Who is she?
I don't know.
She walked into the gym one day and picked herself a gladiator.
You know the type.
In a very good semi-main event, ladies and gentlemen,
we have a unanimous decision.
And the winner, young Danny Olvera.
How's the betting on the main event?
Not as good as it would have been with Calvitos.
But we'll do all right. So will you.
Fans, there's a young man at ringside you all remember.
Recently out of the service and now back with us.
Our own Richy Lemoine. Let's bring him in here.
I remember that kid. He's a classy fighter.
The crowd seems to go for him.
Everybody loves a hero.
He looks a little different.
He must have got cut up in that accident.
Is he any good?
If he ever fights me, he'll really know what it is to get cut up.
Ladies and gentlemen, Richy hopes to be back in action
in this ring in the very near future.
I think I'll drop in at Haldeman's Gym tomorrow.
That boy could be just what I'm looking for.
All right, fans. Here we go.
This is the main event of the evening. Ten rounds of boxing.
Vince.
Go out to the car and get me a couple of cigars, will you?
Out of the downtown gym, weighing in at 144 pounds, Ollie Johnson.
In the black corner, weighing in at 143 pounds...
Sorry, sir. This exit's closed.
- Not to me, baby. - Well, I can't let you in there, sir.
What do you mean? I always go through here.
My orders are nobody uses the tunnel during a fight.
- So now your orders are changed. - I can't let you in there, sir.
You don't seem to understand, friend. I got a pass.
Now, get out of my way, clown.
That's it, Johnson.
You're rooting for the wrong guy, honey.
Johnson's a loser.
If I didn't know better, I'd say Johnson was out to win.
Driscoll will finish him on schedule.
One, two, three,
four, five, six,
seven, eight, nine, ten.
How'd we come out?
Hundred and eighty-eight thousand or pretty close to it.
That would make your share $94,000.
Not bad for an elimination bout.
Rlght now, we have the time.
Two minutes, 49 seconds in round number three,
scoring a win by knockout, Harry Driscoll.
Richy, is it true you'll be making a comeback?
Who do you want to fight first?
What about those injuries you got in the Army?
Wait a minute, fellows. Give me a chance.
I have an announcement to make.
You all know I was hurt pretty bad.
Doctors said I'd probably never fight again.
They'd have been right if it hadn't been for a guy I was with in the VA hospital.
He taught me what courage and determination could do.
I want you to meet my new manager, Linc Webster.
- Hi, how do you do? - Nice to meet you.
Richy's being modest.
I'm the guy he pulled out of that burning airplane.
Whatever he says I did for him is nothing
compared to what he did for me.
All I know is that a hundred times I wanted to throw in the towel,
but Linc told me I was going to fight and, thanks to him, I'm going to.
- When, Richy? - Well, as soon as we can get a match.
My fighter's in great shape and he's raring to go.
Well, if you'll excuse us now,
we've got a fighter in training and he needs his sleep.
- Thanks, fellows, I'll be seeing you. - Thank you very much.
I see the sportswriters haven't forgotten him.
If he looks as good in the ring now as he did before he went into the Army,
we may have ourselves an opponent for Staczek.
- It is now. - Thanks for last night.
Look out!
Thanks.
- That's okay. - Hey, wait.
Hey, wait.
What kind of a guy is that?
He doesn't even want to give me the chance to thank him right.
All he cared about
was getting out with his night's take without getting caught.
Hey, wait a minute, he dropped his wallet.
Pick him up first thing in the morning.
Morning, Mr. Buckman.
See that he gets a real good workout.
If you like them bulky and not too bright,
he's really a perfect choice.
Oh, it's not him. It's you.
I just thought it'd be more ladylike if we had a mutual acquaintance.
More ladylike?
Than if I called you on the phone or showed up at your apartment.
All right, I'm listening.
You have a lady friend named Connie.
- Go on. - We go to the same hairdresser.
You know how ladies are at the hairdresser, they talk.
About their husbands and friends.
And the rest of us kind of listen in on the conversation.
Do you really?
Your friend, Connie, made you sound so fascinating
that I just had to meet you.
Under. Good.
Nice hand. Good.
Move, move, go ahead. Good, go ahead.
Don't go away. I'll be right back.
Come on, feet. Move, move, move.
Keep your left up, left up.
Keep your elbow in. Snap it, snap it.
Good one. Good.
- Webster? - Yeah.
- Charles Buckman. - How are you?
I like your boy here. I may be able to get him a match.
- Yeah, when? - Not so fast.
I'd like to see him in action first.
How about a little match at the gym here tomorrow?
Sure, put him in the ring with Staczek, you'll really see what he can do.
He'll have to earn that.
Tomorrow it'll be Stevens, 2:00.
Right.
Aren't you forgetting something?
Now head for the body, go ahead.
Good one. Box, weave, move, move, move, good.
Good.
Combination off the jab.
Good.
Okay, let's move it around a little.
Move, move, move. Under, good.
Move, move, move, under.
Move, move, move, good.
Under, good.
Move it around a little.
Time.
You dropped that last night.
A thousand.
- This isn't mine. - It is now.
Just my way of saying thanks for last night.
I'm sorry if Vince had to get rough with you in the hotel.
It was my fault. I was a little bit edgy.
It's all right.
Look, Mr. Whelan, this means a lot to me,
but a job would mean a lot more.
Kind of tough for a guy with my record to get one.
What were you in for?
Armed robbery, six counts.
What kind of work did you do inside?
In the office, kind of an accountant.
Whelan. I got a new man for you.
He can handle figures. I'm sending him over with Vince.
Keep it. That was for last night.
What you get from now on, you earn.
Thanks, Mr. Whelan, thanks a lot.
Just one thing, you'll be handling a lot of money.
Don't ever forget whose it is.
Don't you worry.
Time. Let's do some pushups.
Delaware just closed. Keep your ears open.
Right.
Three to five, heads and over.
All right, Jimmy, change the spread on the Yankees.
Make them seven and a half favourites.
What are the odds on Bronsky and Carson at the Garden?
Six to five, pick them.
Allan, go to 3-to-2 on Bronsky. I want it 4-to-1 by fight time.
Yes.
Hey, Emmett, let's go.
We start everyone off at one of the windows.
There's less chance for mistakes that way.
But wherever you are, keep an ear on the PA
and an eye on the board.
Now, this is for making change only. All bets go into the slot.
Any bet with more than a $5000 payoff
requires approval of a floorman or myself.
Now, all the bets are recorded on these.
Pink copy goes to the customer, it's his receipt.
The yellow copy goes into the slot with the bet.
The white copy you turn in at the end of your shift
and heaven help you if they don't all tally.
Do you understand?
- Yeah. - Good.
Time.
Real good. Go get cooled off, huh?
Stevens? Barney can't get into the ring with Stevens.
He'd get killed.
I'm sorry, Barney. You're good, but you're no match for Stevens.
He'd be the number one contender,
maybe champion if they'd give him the bouts.
Yeah, we know that, Richy. That's why we're gonna give Barney some help.
We're gonna slow Stevens down.
You mean dope him?
Well, it's a kind of gas, Richy, but it's harmless.
It's also odourless, tasteless and colourless.
And the faster he moves, the quicker it will take effect.
Let me show you something.
It's all in here.
Barney, remember we don't know which corner Stevens will be in.
It doesn't matter, Rollin. This is rigged to work in any corner.
Now, wait a minute.
You promised me there'd be no fix, no funny stuff.
Richy, I promised you that we wouldn't do anything
to put a mark against your name but this isn't a real fight.
It doesn't go on the record books. There's no money bet.
- It's only to convince Buckman. - We've got to.
It's our only way.
Okay.
But this is the last time.
That's our deal, Richy.
Now, what time does the gym close, Willy?
Eight o'clock. But the cleanup man sleeps in there.
He's an old fighter by the name of Johnny "Kid" Wilson.
Rollin?
Richy.
Tell me everything you know about him.
Any of the fights he's had. Any stories about him.
How are you doing with Buckman?
A little hectic.
He's closing a deal right now for some East European soccer team
and then we're leaving in half an hour for Philadelphia for tonight's fight.
The only problem I'm having is breaking from the clinches.
All right.
All right, I'm coming.
All right.
I'm Richy Lemoine's manager. I left my money clip in his locker.
And it's a hard hit ground ball, up the middle.
You're gonna have to open it for me. Richy's got the key.
It's first and third now and two men out.
Hey, hey, wait a minute. Wait a minute.
Come over here.
Yeah, you're Kid Wilson. Johnny "Kid" Wilson, right?
I saw you fight Coates in the Garden, long ago.
- Yeah. - Ten, 12 years ago?
1954, January 20th, right.
- Hit like a mule. - Yeah.
- Great combination, left, right. - Left, right.
Forty-six fights. Forty-six fights.
Thirty-two knockouts, right. I fought them all, right.
Machlin, Machlin, 6'2", right?
- Big, strong. - Broke your thumb.
Right, right. Left thumb, first round. I couldn't use it anymore.
Only use the right the rest of them.
Johnny.
Get out of here. Get out of here, will you?
Johnny. Oh, there you are.
We're gonna be using the place for a while.
Hey, fellows, put one of those benches up there.
We'll use it for a backstop.
Hundred dollars, he lose.
- I'll take a half. - I'll take the other half.
- Who are you? - Manager.
Lemoine's manager.
He said he left his dollars in Richy's locker.
Always room for a little fresh blood.
- Four. - Two-to-one they don't make it.
- Half. - I'll take the other half.
Seven.
- Hundred dollars, he lose. Hundred... - Fifty.
Fifty.
All right, don't just stand there. Go get it.