Known as the "Pride of Lowell (Massachusetts)", Dicky Eklund Jr.'s primary claim to fame is his 1978 boxing match with Sugar Ray Leonard, where Eklund knocked down Leonard, who eventually won the match. In 1996, Eklund, now a crack addict, is in front of the cameras as an HBO film crew is making a documentary about him, the focus he believes (falsely) to be his boxing comeback at close to age 40. For the past ten years, he has also acted as one of the two trainers for his decade younger half brother, Micky Ward, who is known primarily as a brawler used by other boxers as a stepping stone to better boxers. Both their careers are managed by their domineering mother Alice Ward who believes it better to keep it all in the family. Because of his crack addiction, Dicky is unreliable. A move by Dicky and Alice at one of Micky's fights makes Micky come to the realization that his boxing career is being stalled and perhaps even under-minded by the two, who are only looking out for themselves. This stance is fostered by Micky's new girlfriend, college drop-out and now local bartender Charlene Fleming. As Micky tries boxing life without Dicky and Alice - much to their anger - he has to figure out where they fit into his life, especially as they do not get along with Charlene, if at all. These decisions become all the more important as Micky moves up the ranks and is given a shot at the world welterweight championship.