Ward Guisenberry (Wayne Morris) does not plan on being a boxer, but when he fights to defend the honor of boxing manager Nick Donati's (Edward G. Robinson) mistress, Fluff (Bette Davis), at a party, he leaves boxer Sam McGraw unconscious. The problem is that McGraw belongs to gangster Turkey Morgan (Humphrey Bogart), who insists that the two take it to the ring in a fair match. When Ward unexpectedly wins the bout, his fame grows -- but so does the animosity toward him.