Punch Kid

When Jimmy Duncan, a former Olympic champion helps ten-year-old Mikey from a bully trying to steal his bike, it brings back tragic and fond childhood memories, "Now you wouldn’t believe it, but my bike was stolen too. And it led me right here to this very place long ago." Flashback thirty years to 1960, Jimmy once again witnesses his alcoholic, post war-traumatised father physically abuse his mother, Nora. This time over buying him a bike for his tenth birthday. After fleeing his violent father on his new bike, Jimmy soon helps a girl, Annie and her younger brother, Tommy, from a bully, but in doing so, the bully, Milo, steals Jimmy's bike. This leads them outside a rundown, nameless boxing gym. But in an effort to get his bike back, Jimmy takes several punches to the head but doesn't give up. That's when he meets Gus, a disgraced Olympic boxer turned coach who breaks up the fight. "You can take a punch kid." Gus offers to help, and believes he can make something of Jimmy. Avoiding his abusive father, Jimmy, along with Annie and Tommy take up the offer and spend as much time at the boxing gym as possible. This leads to a great friendship between them. It soon becomes clear to Gus, that Jimmy is a natural boxer, and a father-son bond strongly develops. However with more and more bruises appearing on Jimmy, Gus suspects abuse at home. Jimmy notices Gus’s health is affected by a constant cough that seems to be getting worse. Confronting Jimmy’s father, and confirming his suspicions, Gus, having no choice but to defend himself, gives a clear and stern warning not only verbally but physically. This quickly results in a less violent home environment for Jimmy and his mother. However, knowing this won't last and fearing something will happen to her, Nora arranges with Gus to look after Jimmy as she has no one else to turn to. Gus promises her that Jimmy will be safe and continue to be the good boy she raised. Soon after, Nora's fears are realized when she becomes a victim to his violent, drunken rage one night. Jimmy in anger, stands up to his father, and defends himself with his boxing skills. However that night, Jimmy witnesses the horrific death of his mother who dies in his arms. Gus keeps his promise, and with his wife, Evelyn, soon adopts Jimmy. Between 1965 and 1968, while Gus's health deteriorates further with his constant cough, now coughing up blood, they soon receive an official draft notice for Jimmy to join the Vietnam War within the coming years. With horrific memories, being once stationed in a hospital unit in WWII, and losing his only son to that war, Gus will do whatever it takes for Jimmy to avoid the draft. Therefore encouraging him to take the next step, Jimmy becomes a successful amateur boxer, and soon qualifies for the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, and any draft into the war is momentarily postponed. Before leaving for the Olympics, Jimmy makes an unexpected visit to see his imprisoned father. He quickly realizes his father has not changed, nor shows any remorse. But upon Jimmy leaving, we final see an expression of regret. Jimmy wins his first four Olympic matches and makes it into the championship final. The night before the final, Jimmy learns of Gus's disgrace at the 1932 Olympics. Because of his coach's cheating actions, metal plating and peppering the gloves, Gus is branded a cheat and a bum and never competes again, this however does not change Jimmy's feelings for him. Minutes before the championship final, Gus collapses. Against his objections and fear of hospitals, he is hospitalised. Jimmy doesn't want to fight and wants to go with Gus, but Gus says "No! You go out there and you punch kid!" and reluctantly, that's what Jimmy does. While in hospital, Gus sees the match on a wall TV as does Jimmy's father in prison, where he is shortly after killed. The match goes the distance, however, with only one punch away from victory, Jimmy stops center ring, he doesn't chase his opponent, he doesn't move. He regrets not making Gus see a doctor, and he realizes that he may never see Gus again, but he hears his mother's voice telling him, "None of this is your fault." However in that moment, his opponent takes the advantage and a body punch to the liver impacts hard! Jimmy is down. He only sees and hears Annie. On the ninth count, he gets up and from then on, his opponent can't touch him. It's the fight of the year. And Jimmy is the obvious winner. However, a corrupt Olympic Official overrules the judges' decision and Jimmy's opponent's arm is raised in victory to the surprise of all. It's Jimmy's first loss, but even his opponent, Milo, the bully who stole his bike eight years earlier, knows who the real winner is, and being the changed man he has become, raises Jimmy's arm, and gives him the gold medal. Later it is revealed that the corrupt Olympic Official was Gus's opponent back in the 1932 Olympics. Rushing to the hospital, Jimmy, Annie, Tommy and Evelyn stay by Gus's side as not only he, but Evelyn both pass away that very night. Jimmy, Annie and Tommy take over the boxing gym and name it, "Gus's Boxing Ring" in honour of Gus. Mikey is enthralled by the story and asks if he can come back again. Jimmy of course says "Yes."