Dave Roberts is a fighter better known for taking falls in fixed fights than for taking home the prize money. He is part of a traveling team of scammers that fleece gamblers across the country. But then he falls head-over-heels for a fiery waitress and a rough-and-tumble orphan, and he begins to dramatically alter his life inside and outside of the ring.

The Tramp and his ragamuffin sidekick, a young boy rescued from the streets, triumph over life's hard knocks in the landmark film that changed the notion of what a screen comedy could be.