On the east side of New York City, boxing trainer Danny McGuinn (Gene Hackman) is trying to prepare one of his sons, Eddie (Craig Sheffer), to earn a chance to fight in the Olympic Games, while his other son, Ray (Jeff Fahey), has fallen in with shady men from organized crime. After Ray is killed, Eddie discovers that an opposing boxer, Julian Pedroza (Eddie Velez), was involved in his brother's death and challenges him to a bout in the hopes of securing revenge. Eddie defeats Pedroza after a hard-fought match, and the film ends with the remaining McGuinns celebrating victoriously.