Original subtitles

Boxing has remained a popular spectator sport

because of its fierce individual competition.

And the public has always been willing to pay for honest competition.

Unfortunately, under hoodlum control, too often the public is cheated.

The manly art is dying at the hands of its own corruptors,

who have turned it into a form of white slavery.

Here are the people who must win or lose. According to the orders of the Fixer,

he gains control over them by every means, from guile to extortion.

He buys officials, including Commission Chairman Fred Crowley,

a man appointed by the state to supervise the game.

Ali Janowitz is a working member of the fraternity he tyrannizes.

This racketeer is officially sanctioned by the commission,

and in return for a nominal fee,

is granted an annual renewal to his license to steal.

Two, three, four, and off.

Oh, Gil.

Can he hit?

Kid Contreras had always been a quiet man and a game fighter.

But his last mortal act talked louder than anything he could have said in life.

Death is a hard secret to keep.

¶¶

Well, what do you make of it?

I don't know.

One thing is sure, it was a mismatch all the way.

Maxwell was superior in every department. Timing, punch, footwork.

Still, Contreras was a comer.

Tremendously popular with the fans.

That still doesn't alter the facts.

Maxwell wasn't going anywhere, even with a knockout.

So there must have been some special reason

why Genowitz put them in the ring together.

Sure, there's a reason. Always is for Genowitz. Money, angles,

and Allie knows them all.

Even connections like commissioners appointed

by the state to supervise their little game.

The way Genowitz plays it is no game.

Allie likes a sure thing.

You ask for a rundown on the kid, well, here it is. He leaves a mother, a sister,

and a manager. Killed Dayton. Why would Janowitz, who controls the fight game,

want to overmatch one of his own fighters, especially one who has some future?

You find that out, Paul, and you're on your way to cleaning up a sport

that the overlords like Janowitz have been dirtying up for years.

All neatly worked out.

Even the approval of a commissioner, who in return for a nominal fee,

annually guarantees a license to steal.

The, uh, inquest into the boy's death is scheduled for tomorrow.

I'll be at ringside.

State your name?

Maria Contreras.

Your occupation?

I'm a waitress.

Miss Contreras, did your brother suffer any injury before the fight?

No, sir.

As far as you know, he was in the best of condition.

No, sir. He was not in the best of condition.

He told you that?

Yes, sir.

Did he feel that he shouldn't go through with the fight?

Well, he didn't say that. He just...

If he were too ill to fight, wouldn't he have

mentioned it to Mr. Dayton or Mr. Janowitz?

Well, I guess so.

Yes, sir.

Would you tell us about it?

Well, he just said that he didn't feel good. I don't know why.

Maria Contreras suffered from the most effective memory

deterrent known to man, an acute case of fear.

State your name.

George Maxwell.

Did you notice anything unusual about Contreras during the fight?

No, sir.

He was a good fighter, and he fought like one.

This clipping says that you gave him a fearful beating.

Would you agree with that?

No, sir, I wouldn't.

I knew I was ahead, but I wouldn't say I gave him a beating.

Did Contreras hurt you at all during the fight?

No, sir.

Did it seem to you that there might be something wrong

A fighter doesn't think about things like that.

That's the referee's job. He says protect yourself at all times.

And once that bell rings, you're on your own.

Tell us, Mr. Farmer, did you think this fight would be easy for your boy?

Sailor Maxwell is a lot better fighter than most people seem to think.

Then you thought he'd beat Contreras without any trouble.

He can beat any man his weight in the country without any trouble.

When he's right. Of course, like everybody, he has his off days.

You mean he's a good fighter, but inconsistent. I mean he's a great fighter.

But inconsistent.

You saw no particular blow during the fight that

you feel might have caused the fatal injury?

No, sir.

When did you first become aware that he was seriously hurt?

In the dressing room.

He looked up at me and he said, oh, Gilken, he hit.

Then he fell right over in my arms.

From your standpoint, Mr. Dayton, as the boy's manager,

why did you match him against a man so much

bigger and more experienced? Two reasons.

First, a guy who will take a chance has always got one.

You gotta beat the best to get on top.

And second, the manager can't always pick his spots.

The matchmaker's got something to say about that.

We owe Mr. Janowitz this fight on a contract we signed six months ago.

That's all, Mr. Dayton.

What the witnesses said at the inquest convinced the coroner's

jury that Kid Contreras' death was accidental.

What they refrained from saying convinced me it was accidental by arrangement.

And Ali Jenowitz's arrangements were never accidental.

I'm going your way, Maria.

Where's my mother?

I sent her on an errand.

I invested a lot of time and money in your brother.

Not for him, not for you, not for Mama, not for the fans, but for me.

When he died, it cost me the most.

I didn't go crying to anybody about it,

because he died when he first got hooked on the dope. Now, you keep talking,

and everybody will find out the truth about him, including your mama.

Is that what you want?

You murdered him.

Nobody murdered him.

He killed himself.

You murdered him.

Carter, you worry too much.

I think we should use discretion after a thing like this inquest.

That was this morning, ancient history.

And discretion never got a hand raised yet.

You just run your show and see that Eddie Skiba wins by a knockout.

Right, Gil? Right.

Pete!

What?

We're on it.

You got a fighter or a complaint?

Just a question.

Drink?

No, thanks. You know Gil Dayton and Harry Conner, the Midland promoter. Hi. Yeah.

Hi.

The commission has no record of the contract Mr. Dayton mentioned at the inquest.

Oh, I just make the matches. I don't keep the records.

You said you had a question.

Everybody tells me what a great matchmaker you are.

How do you justify a mismatch like Maxwell and Contreras?

I found out a long time ago fighters are divided into three classes.

The quick ones, the slow ones, and the dead ones.

I can draw big gates matching the quick ones.

Make a lot of money betting against the slow ones.

The dead ones, I forget about them.

Your only excuse for forcing Contreras into the fight

that killed him was a contract that never existed.

Look, Mr. Marino, a verbal agreement is just... Shut up, Harry.

That's what you believe, is it?

All right, you keep looking for trouble.

If you don't find it, you'll make it up anyway.

I couldn't care less. Get lost, Marino.

Miss Contreras, I just left L.A. Genowitz,

and I'm sure there was no contract binding your brother to fight for him.

At the inquest, you started to say something about your brother.

Then you stopped.

He was mixed up with bad people, Miss Contreras.

So if you do have any information... I have no information.

None.

We've been friends a long time, Mr. Marino.

But talking to you in public could get me 86ed in the fight game.

I appreciate it, Johnny. How's my favorite fighter?

Getting old too soon and smart too late?

I've been a fan of yours for a long time,

since fights and fighters are a lot better than they are now. I'll give you that.

You were good, Johnny.

You're tough and you're honest.

Oh, yeah.

I remember that, kid. Tough and honest.

And dumb.

Oh, no.

Never.

But honesty and pride are habits that are hard to break.

I don't believe Contreras' death was entirely accidental.

Oh, I know you didn't have any voluntary partner.

But he didn't belong in the same ring with Maxwell.

I want to find out why Janowitz deliberately overmatched his own fighter.

Slow down, Mr. Moreno. You're racing your motor. Boxing in this state is a wrecking.

Run by Janowitz for the benefit of hoodlums and gamblers.

You know, you almost slipped over there.

You almost told them how Maxwell has been handcuffed

so often that nobody remembers how good he really is.

I know you need imagination to be a writer, but yours is running away with you.

They broke up the syndicate three years ago.

Now, if you want to believe they didn't, then that's your business.

But you're just wasting your time.

Are you trying to tell me that Ali Jenowitz is an honest man?

He's the best matchmaker in the country.

So I hear.

But you didn't answer my question.

Look, in a fight game, you play with the guys you inherit.

Or you don't play.

When does Maxwell fight again? I don't know, in a day or so. Johnny,

I'm going after Mr. Jenowitz.

I want you to testify against him.

Listen, the fight game is a heels racket.

Nobody ever told me any different, and I never expected anything else.

But if the average guy who hollers tank job would just

stop and think how tough it really is to fix a fight,

then he wouldn't worry about it so much.

I'm gonna let you in on a little secret.

I've figured out how hard it is, and I worry about it a lot.

Everybody on that witness stand held back, including you.

I'm gonna make it my business to find out the things they didn't say.

And when I do, I'll print it. The more I see of

your fight game today, the worse it smells.

We must put a long overdue end to the present situation in boxing.

For it is only in boxing that a boy,

seeking through sweat and self-denial to fight his way out of a dark environment,

finds himself in the filthy shadow of the underworld.

You're a talented man, Mr. Moreno.

I don't agree with you, but then...

How can I argue with 107 newspapers? Mr. Crowley,

you're in charge of boxing in this state.

As commission chairman, you must know those words are true enough,

and they were three years ago.

I saw Maria Contreras.

She won't talk about her brother.

And her face is covered with bruises that weren't there this morning.

In Allie Jenowitz's apartment an hour ago,

I watched him turn an out-of-town promoter into a stooge, just like that.

He practically told me what kind of operation he runs,

and dared me to do something about it.

Those are serious charges, if that's what's on your mind.

I don't know. Right now, I'm trying to trace the source of a turbulence.

It hung over that inquest like a blanket.

What the witnesses did not say talked so loud,

you could hardly hear what they said. That's a writer's prerogative,

to see a story and everything.

Did you see the contract Contreras signed to fight for Genoese? Yes, I did.

We had a meeting a month or so ago, and that matter came up.

Yes, Mr. Jenowitz had the contract.

Your commission officers have no record of it.

Well, perhaps it was misplaced. It must be there somewhere.

I'm sure the other members of the commission will remember.

Well, all right.

Thanks, Mr. Crowley.

What's this like with the contract proof?

But Contreras was thrown in over his head, against his will,

and with a blessing of the commission, Jan.

Well, how do I figure in?

Somebody slapped Maria around, scared her out of talking to me, or anybody else.

Here's the address of the restaurant where she works.

I thought if you'd get friendly with her, take her out of there.

You know, that inquest was routine until Farmer

got so defensive about Maxwell's ability.

Dayton mentioned a nonexisting contract.

Maria, Maria started to say something, looked

over at Genowitz, and changed her mind.

Genowitz runs the whole thing. He controls the fighters, the managers,

and at least one out-of-town promoter that I know of.

And Crowley.

The honorable chairman of the Boxing Commission.

He's in Genowitz's hip pocket.

He assured me he'd seen that contract.

A contract that never existed.

Well, you know, uh...

You're giving me all the best of it.

Look, Casanova, don't forget for a minute the kind of people we're dealing with.

Almost 20% of all fighters and managers have criminal records.

Well, um, what can you do to Jenowitz?

Well, if we can tie him up in any way with Contreras' death,

and if we can get some fight men to testify against him.

We can throw him out of this boxing racket forever. Take away his license to steal.

Won't that decision be up to, uh, his man Crowley? Look,

if we can make this thing big enough, Crowley will be so busy defending himself,

he won't have any time to worry about Genowitz.

You get Maria's story, I'll get Farmer's.

We'll show the public that a kitten gets so tied up with

these bums Not even the law can touch a killing.

It didn't take Jack Flood long to discover he had not been given all the best of it.

At least Farmer and I understood each other,

and the job of winning his cooperation could start right away.

With Maria, Jack's task was more difficult.

He had to accomplish this in an atmosphere of urgency

that's hardly conducive to mutual trust.

It would take much more than a stranger's smile to loosen

the ties of fear that bound Maria to Allie Genowitz.

Ties she was not permitted to forget.

You're his sister?

Yes.

Oh, he was my favorite fighter.

I think I saw every fight he had.

He was my favorite fighter, too.

It was a terrible thing that happened to him, but...

Personally, I don't think he was ready for Maxwell. And I can't see why a man like,

um, what was his manager's name?

Gil Dayton.

How a man like Dayton could take a good prospect and just... Well, I don't know.

Better I don't talk about it.

Of course.

I'm sorry.

I'll see you tomorrow.

Maria.

Pretty good looking fella. Who is he?

A customer of mine.

What does he do?

So far, I don't think that's any of my business, and it's certainly none of yours.

But in spite of Janowich's interest in her activities

and the sinister surveillance of Peter Willis,

Maria agreed to go out with Jack.

Good night, Jack. Good night. Good night.

So your relationship with Maria is progressing, eh?

Have you learned anything about Genowitz or Gil Dayton?

I'm afraid not.

Not yet.

The only one I've learned anything about is Maria herself.

She's a wonderful girl.

Sensitive, deep.

And she's mortally afraid of Janowitz. By the way, have you seen him again?

When you're trying to burn a man's house down, you don't ask him for a match.

Crowley?

I'm allergic to double talk.

How about Palmer and Maxwell?

Well, that depends.

Eddie Skeever's fighting in Midland tomorrow night.

His manager and the Midland promoter were together

in Genowitz's apartment the day I was there.

So I guess we're safe in assuming that Skeever will remain undefeated.

You, uh, you still haven't told me anything.

Now, Skiba's a big drawing card,

but he hasn't beaten anybody with a national reputation yet.

And Farmer says Maxwell is fighting soon.

You want them to fight?

Like I want my next breath.

Do you think Skiba can beat him?

No, I don't think he can, but I'm betting he will.

Maxwell is a very talented performer.

You mean he's going to take a dive?

Well, he's probably the best boxer at his weight in the country.

But under Genowitz, he's been building up kids

like Skeba for years by alluding to them, making it look good.

Now, if we can get Farmer and Maxwell to see the light,

this is one fixed fight that might fix the fixer, Genowitz and his gang.

They didn't make him lose to Contreras.

Well, not even Maxwell could have made that look good.

Why that match was made, I've got to know.

And I'm afraid nobody can tell us except Genowitz.

And Maria. Well, I'll keep trying.

Will you see her tonight?

Yep.

Sure, that might stir up something.

Bring on the good ones, says manager Gil Dayton.

And that's just what will happen if Skiba wins

convincingly tomorrow night in Midland.

If the undefeated darling of local fans can get over this one,

he'll headline the next local show against a ranking fighter.

According to matchmaker Allie Janowitz.

I'll get you some more.

Oh, you know Skiba?

No, but I know Gil Dayton.

And you don't like him?

No.

Why not?

He's no good.

None of them are.

You don't think anybody in boxing's any good?

Better I don't talk about it.

All right.

Dayton, sweetie.

Let's make it a lovin' cup. Everybody's neglecting me.

Later.

Allie, don't you realize those tax people can read?

You got Eddie Skiba, you got the fight you want, and you're going to make money.

All I want is what belongs to me.

You should have seen the way those tax guys went through my books last year.

So you figure they got nothing else to do but to check up on you every year.

I tell you what, you make it out to Pete. You put in the books Peter G.

Willis for helping making the match. 5% of the net gain.

He's a great friend of Gil Dayton's. Without

him, you couldn't get Eddie Skiba, right?

Yeah.

Come on. Anything else worrying you?

No.

Now you go on up and take charge of your show. Everything's going to be all right.

Eric.

Farmer, sweetie. Let's make it a loving cup.

Everybody's neglecting me.

Sure.

Hey, Johnny, sit down.

Gil was just on his way. Yeah, I'll take care of everything. You better.

With Carter running around as scared as he is, good luck.

Good luck, Gil.

He's scared of the commission, he's scared of the law, he's scared of the tax man.

What isn't he scared of? Hey, Pete, get Johnny a drink.

No, never mind.

Uh, you got 200, Ollie?

So what's doing?

Skibo will beat this kid big up there.

Then we'll announce him and Maxwell the day after.

It'll sell out easy. You'd sell out $10 tops? That'll come later.

This kid is the hottest thing I ever had.

But before I raise the prices, you've got to belt somebody out, somebody big.

Allie, we lose? OK.

You don't mean we get knocked out.

And nobody will believe it.

Everybody will believe it.

Everybody but you, me, and Maxwell. Skiba hits as good as your guy any day.

Skiba couldn't hit Sailor Maxwell in the backside with a handful of sand. What,

do you think I'm running around here, an amateur tournament?

I don't care if he can hit Saylor or not, he's going to.

And we'll all get hit in the pockets with money, is that bad?

Oh, don't you remember how it was before I made a manager out of you?

You just got 200. You can have all you want.

But don't you ever try and tell me how to run my business,

or you'll be back selling rubdowns.

Just tell Saylor how it is. The money will be in our joint account.

Not that I don't trust you.

Tell Saylor he has my sympathy.

She either want a drink?

No, thanks.

Hit me again, pal.

It's no good to drink that fast.

No good period.

Oh, I wouldn't go quite that far.

You've got to give it sociability.

And any time the sorry scheme of things doesn't suit you,

you can look into the pewter pot and see the world as the world is not.

You got something there, pal?

No.

Hausman, he got something.

He said it, and he was right.

But you've got to drink slower.

That way, it'll never hurt you.

Thanks, pal.

I'll remember that.

Good boy.

And see the world as the world is not.

What's wrong with you, buddy?

Beg your pardon? I'm a cabbage gardener.

You sound like a man who thinks he's tough.

Pally, I am tough.

Care to back it up?

I'd appreciate that very much.

All right, athlete.

Come on, get up. Time to hit the road.

Oh, boy.

How'd you find me?

I didn't.

You found me.

I came here?

What for?

You said you wanted to talk.

Did I? That's right.

I mean, uh, did I talk?

That's right.

What made me do that?

This fight. You wanted to tell me about it.

Only an honest fighter could get hurt this much.

You told me how Genowitz controls everybody, including you and Maxwell.

Everything.

Yeah.

Ali does some things that I don't like, but he's always been square with me.

These don't mean a thing without me.

Absolutely not.

That must have been real entertaining.

Wish I could have been here to see it. Why don't you wash up? OK.

Did I tell you the phone that guy gave me last night?

That's what got me started.

Look into the pewter pot.

See the world as the world is not.

It made real good sense last night.

Makes real good sense any time with the next two lines.

Can he tell you the end of it?

No.

And tis a pleasure till tis past, but the mischief is it will not last.

How do you like that?

That bum held out on me.

After a sensational victory in Midland,

Eddie Skiba was signed to meet Sailor Maxwell.

It was the big match of the year,

and my opportunity to expose Genowitz from coast to coast.

Yes, Ray, the stage is too well lit for the commissioner to pull anything this time.

We're running close to a deadline. We've got to throw everything into the pot,

haven't we? No. What about Farmer?

Wasn't his confession enough?

I'll need him to repeat his testimony, but he won't do it.

Not unless I can convince him that his loyalty to Jenna was misplaced.

We're dealing with rough boys, Paul.

Rough and a lot smarter than we've given them credit for.

We give up now, Genowitz goes right out and running things his way, his dirty way.

Kids like these will never get a chance to move to the town.

Unless Genowitz cuts in for his piece.

So they knock their heads against a stone wall,

and pretty soon they either give in to Genowitz or quit.

Any kid should have the right to fight his way out of the cellar

without finding himself in that filthy shadow of the underworld.

Why is it every guy who ever won an argument

thinks he knows all about managing a fighter?

They call themselves fight managers.

You should open a school charged tuition.

You think I don't? And what's on your mind?

Paul Marino and Contreras.

Now, where's the connection?

Marino isn't about to learn anything from a dead louse.

You shouldn't say things like that.

Oh, I shouldn't?

All right, take it back.

He wasn't good enough to be classed as a louse.

Now, let me tell you something, Freddy.

When I put in time building an attraction like I did that kid, it's my life, too.

We haven't started yet. He could have been bigger than Skeeter.

I didn't know Maxwell would kill him, but I'm glad he did.

I heard Falmer got drunk. He was talking all over town.

Ah, don't worry about Falmer.

Everybody in the country will be watching this

fight. From here on in, you can't do anything.

The whole thing's up to Maxwell and Falmer.

You know, Freddy, I'm glad you're not my lawyer.

Maxwell's a much better fighter than Skiba. But he knows better than to beat him.

Because if he crosses me, he's out of business.

Oh, he'll get himself knocked out, but he'll make it look so good,

nobody will suspect there's anything wrong.

Now, Farmer can't hurt me without hurting himself.

So forget them.

Forget Marino, and he'll forget us.

He never got where he is by forgetting things.

I'll tell you my troubles if you'll tell me yours.

My trouble is I'm surrounded by people who are either dumb or scared or both.

Now, on a short end, at 10 to 7,

you can make more money off this fight than you can earn in a year, and so will I.

Now, what's so frightening about that?

We never had a fight that attracted as much attention as this one. Freddie,

you can't bet big money on a fight that nobody cares about.

A man like Paul Marino has a lot of influence. He's exactly like anyone else.

He's interested in Marino, and that's all.

People are all the same. They don't change.

Unless the thing affects them personally.

And right now, unless they feel your hand in their pocket, they just don't care.

You really believe you can cheat all the people all the time, don't you?

Don't knock it, Freddy.

Not while you're showing such a prophet.

See you later.

For everything she knows about Jenowitz and her brother.

I will.

You know something? I like her.

She's had a real hard life, and she's not bitter

about any of it. A real wonderful person.

I only wish... I got a jolt for Farmer and Maxwell.

But we're going to need all the help Maria can give us.

Loyalty is a rare thing these days, but that farmer, he's liable to die of it.

Well, did he tell you about our little talk? Yeah, yeah.

He said Genowitz has always been honest with you. I said I could prove he was wrong.

Mr. Marino, let's start even.

By all means.

Look, I've been voting a long time, and no one's ever done me a favor yet.

He tells me you're okay.

I told him I'd wait and see.

Well, that's fair enough.

Johnny tells me the biggest purse you ever had was

the title fight at Midland for Harry Carter.

That's right. You don't forget a payday like that. No, I guess not.

Johnny, you had to share your manager's third with Genowitz.

Isn't that illegal?

No, that's just the way these things are done.

He gave me the fighter.

Wait a minute.

A matchmaker gives a fighter to a manager?

How can this be?

It can be.

Was there some law that said you had to take him on those terms?

Look, 16 and two-thirds percent of something

is better than 33 and a third of nothing.

Mr. Marino, in this business, the matchmaker is, uh, well, he runs everything.

He can make your break, is that it?

He sure can.

Well, Genovese can do even better than that.

He can do both at the same time.

He's never been on the level with anybody.

Here's Harry Carter's cash payoff sheet for that fight. The taxman dug it up for me.

Maxwell, purse, $46,307.06.

Somebody got $10,000 right off the top. Johnny, how are you paid?

Allie, when we got back, he was in on the promotion.

I'll say it was. 10 big ones right off the top, plus half your manager's share.

A lot of people suspect as much as you do about this.

But what can anybody prove?

Without somebody like you, nothing.

Janowitz contaminates everybody he comes in contact with.

Then to save their own skins, they keep quiet while he cheats them.

Suppose everything you say about him is true.

Even so.

With him, we've got action. Now, suppose we go along with you.

Next day, you still got your job.

Bigger and better than ever.

But what have we got then?

Don't ask me what you'll have if you decide to tell the truth.

What have you got now?

Go ahead.

Take your dive.

I, uh, I want to ask you about your brother. Look, I know how you feel,

only this time I've got to. And you're going to hate me for it.

Why?

Well, I'll tell you what I've got to tell you. You're going to hate me,

but just promise to give me a chance to explain.

You promise?

All right.

But what?

I work for Paul Moreno, the newspaper columnist.

Now, wait.

It's not like you think.

How is it, then?

He needs information that you have, but he needs it for a good cause.

And don't get the idea that I took you out just because of that, either.

All right.

Tell me.

Did you think it over?

Yeah, we thought about it.

Cedar and I know you're right. Nobody's got some kind of graft or other.

We'll do okay.

That's what I thought you'd say.

That's more than just money.

Mr. Farmer, Mr. Maxwell, you know Maria Contreras.

Tell them about your brother, Maria.

He was sick before the fight with you.

Mr. Janowitz knew it. So did Gil Dayton.

He shouldn't have been fighting at all, not for the last few months.

Tell them what was wrong with him.

He was an addict, a drug addict.

He was what?

It's true.

That would have shown at the autopsy. Not necessarily.

Not if it weren't a heavy user and hadn't had any for a day or so.

I checked with Narconics.

Why didn't you quit boxing altogether?

Go in for treatment.

He wanted to.

Mr. Janowitz wouldn't let him.

They came to our house before the fight.

Mr. Janowitz was very angry.

He said they'd had big plans for my brother and that he'd ruined them.

Janowitz knew you'd beat him.

He said, I hope he kills you.

The drugs will anyway.

You and your mother knew about this?

Mama knows nothing about it.

My brother wouldn't let me do anything.

He was afraid of Janowitz.

Why didn't you tell him at the inquest?

Well, Mama would have found out about him.

And Mr. Janowitz, after the inquest, he came to my home. He hurt me,

and he threatened to do worse if I said anything.

For the first time in 50 fights, he tells us to go all out.

Maybe he can range another title shot.

Go all out with a dead kid. Maria.

You got all you need.

Go to the police with him. It's not a police matter.

It's on the record as an accidental death.

But you both helped kill him. Your friend Jenna would sort of that.

Now will you help me to stop him?

Maxwell, let's go.

It didn't start like this.

No, it never does.

Jack, put Maria in a taxi. I'll see you inside.

Thanks, Maria.

Now, you boys know the rules. I want a good, clean fight.

No rabbit punches or kidney punches.

You can punch in the clenches until I say break.

Protect yourself at all times. Shake hands now and come out fighting at the bell.

In meeting Maxwell, Eddie Skiba faced his first test against class competition.

And the match aroused more interest than most title bouts.

It was a betting fight. I know the sailor was favored at ten to seven.

Gambling operators from Las Vegas to Miami testified

to an abundance of short-end money.

You know what you're doing? I know what I'm doing.

Chief, you keep fighting the weapon.

Because it's so powerful, certainly, but...

How on the level can a fight be?

So you've got no hearing, and Janowitz keeps his license to steal.

All he stands to lose is money, up to now.

Are you trying to lose this fight, fella?

You can fight better than this. Now, you're not going to get paid tonight,

and we'll hold up your purse if you don't fight better. Because I know you can.

For a while, I thought we had trouble.

You don't know what trouble is.

Gentlemen of the press, gentlemen of the press, would you please take your seats?

Most of you newspaper men have expressed a desire to learn

more about the knockout of Sailor Maxwell by Eddie Skipper.

This hearing has been called for that purpose.

We'll start with you, Mr. Maxwell.

Do you have any explanation for the sudden change in your fortunes in the fight?

Yes, sir, I have an explanation.

I don't have any excuse, but I do have an explanation.

Mr. Maxwell, I want you to know that we don't doubt your honesty.

You're not on trial here. We're sure that you can clear this matter up for us.

We just want you to tell us what happened, in your own words.

Packing on orders from Allie Janowitz, I threw the fight.

There it was, everything we'd worked for, summed up in one single line,

by the right man in the right place.

The investigation was taken completely out of the hands of the Boxing Commission,

and it marked the finish for both Janowitz and Crowley.

The corruptors were exposed in this particular area.

But they thrive elsewhere, and others will take the places of Jenowitz and Crowley,

wherever and whenever the attitude of the public permits it.