Hello.
Hello!
Anybody here?
MacGyver!
Dent.
Yeah. Nobody answered the door.
That's because nobody was home.
I got to talk to you. Right away.
Really?
I need you to help me get in shape.
I'm gonna box again.
Box?
Yeah.
I was the number five ranked heavyweight in the world
before they sent me up to Folsom.
Get out of here.
Yep, and I was heavyweight champ in the joint, too.
And you know how tough some of those guys are.
Earl,
you've definitely come to the wrong place.
I hate boxing. I think it's barbaric.
Some people say the same things about hockey.
Yeah, well, I happen to have hope for hockey.
MacGyver, all I'm asking is for you to help me get in shape.
You ate everything.
It's all gone.
I'm a heavyweight. Heavyweights eat.
Listen, MacGyver, if you're not too busy,
uh, I also need a character witness.
Now?
Trust me. It won't take long.
Earl, look,
I've been gone a week, I'm tired, I'm hungry.
Isn't there somebody else?
There's nobody else.
Besides, there's somebody I'd like you to meet.
Come on. Okay?
Please.
All right.
Hey, Earl.
- You know her? - My daughter.
Uh, Veronica.
This is a friend of mine, MacGyver.
Hi, Veronica.
The name's Ronnie. I changed it.
How could you change it?
My mother's name was Veronica.
So? I never met her.
Besides, Ronnie gets more respect.
It's not so fancy.
- Listen, Veronica... - Ronnie!
Okay, Ronnie.
MacGyver and I got to go inside. We'll be right back.
Whatever.
Unruly behavior,
lying, cheating, stealing.
It's quite a file for a 14-year-old.
But not all that surprising.
Considering the number of foster homes
Veronica's been placed in
since her mother died five years ago.
Yeah, well, what she needs is her father.
What she needs, Mr. Dent, is a stable environment.
But then you brought Mr. MacGyver along
to support the idea that you can provide that, didn't you?
In spite of your unfortunate past.
Tell her, MacGyver.
Well, I do know that Mr. Dent
is sincere in his effort to change his life.
And you are willing to provide a roof over their heads
until Mr. Dent proves himself financially secure?
See? I told you, he was some kind of a guy.
Well, this isn't going to be easy.
Both of you are almost strangers to her.
And Veronica has learned not to trust very many people.
She's my kid.
I love her.
That's gotta count for somethin'.
How do you plan on providing for her?
Fighting. You know, boxing.
A boxer?
You call that a stable profession?
Why, you don't-- You don't understand, ma'am.
I'm not just some bum.
I was a ranked heavyweight. I made good money.
Well, it's also hardly the healthiest environment
for a 14-year-old girl.
It's what I do.
You shuffle papers. I box.
I mean, I got this match all lined up.
And with the purse,
I'll be able to provide a great environment.
Uh-huh.
I guess you're just going to have to show me.
Oh, we will.
You see, MacGyver's going to be my trainer.
You are a good friend, Mr. MacGyver.
Thanks.
I prefer to see children remain
with their natural parents whenever possible.
But if you don't show me that you can provide
a suitable environment for Veronica,
I will recommend that her current foster parents
get permanent custody.
25 grand, MacGyver.
One fight, and I got a bodacious bank account
and my daughter.
Earl, I did not agree to help you train.
MacGyver, I'm desperate.
You heard her.
I got three weeks to prove myself.
And the fight's in two weeks.
So why don't you train at a gym like a normal human being?
- Well, uh... - What? What'd you do?
- I sort of burned some bridges. - I'm shocked.
I mean, a lot of guys, uh, ain't so glad to see me anymore.
What...
What are you doing?
Following in your footsteps.
You want a freebie?
- Veronica, that's wrong. - Right, sure, you're the expert.
And it's Ronnie, okay?
Okay. Okay.
Look at this face.
Is she a chip off the old block or what? Huh?
I guess it's gonna take a while, huh?
We'd better get started, bud.
Veronica?
Ronnie!
Come on, okay, okay, Ronnie. Wait up.
So, I guess this will be the training room.
Sure got a lot of junk.
Thanks. I'm a pack rat.
Kinda keeps some good memories alive, you know.
That's why I throw everything away.
You serious about turning this place into a gym?
Yeah, why not?
Just give me a little time, okay?
Okay, you got it.
Come on, Ronnie, how about we go pick up some grub at the market
while MacGyver gets set up.
Whatever.
Go for it, Earl!
He's up and deep! Oh, we got it.
- Hey, nice catch. - Hey, watch it, jerk!
Sorry. Just touched it.
Any scratches, you pay, pal!
I told you, I barely touched it.
It's a brand new car!
Oh, nice move, Earl.
Hey, you better thank him for saving your car.
What? Are you two looking for trouble?
Come on. Ignore him. Let's go.
Hey, come on back here, I'm not done with you!
You're lucky I'm a nice guy!
You could have taken him easy.
Why, what's that gonna prove?
That you're not a wimp.
There are other ways.
So? I lifted them.
What's the matter with you?
I thought I told you to cool it.
You want me to be perfect like you, huh?
I didn't say that.
So like how come all of a sudden you want custody of me, anyway?
You're my kid. I wanna be with you.
I've been your kid for 14 years.
Not that you ever noticed.
Hey, come on, give me a break, okay?
You had a lousy time and it was my fault.
I admit it.
- So what do you want? - What do you want?
A chance to make up for it.
Yeah, right.
Hey, where you goin'?
To pay for those wrestling cards,
so my kid doesn't end up
in a six foot cell like her old man did, huh?
Wow, what is that?
Uh, well, I'll show you.
Earl, give that thing a punch.
Yeah, it measures the power of your punch and endurance.
Keep the liquid up and climbing.
You got to be kidding.
Uh-uh.
You, young lady, you're gonna keep track of your dad's progress
on that board, all right?
Cool!
Weak.
What's this?
Uh, well, for lack of a better name for it,
we'll call it a punching machine.
Watch.
Huh?
MacGyver, I'm fighting Crazy Eddie Jackson,
not an octopus.
Oh, come on, you got to give it a try.
Obviously it takes two.
You're the controller.
- Me? - Yeah, you.
You did a pretty good job with that candy machine,
I figured you could handle this.
Look, it's real simple.
You got on-off switches for top, middle, and bottom.
Go ahead.
Boy, am I gonna work his butt off.
Uh, what kind of contraption do you have to work out the legs?
A jump rope.
Okay Earl, take your tie off.
Oh, this is gonna be...
Oh, a sucker punch, huh?
Oops, sorry.
Listen, speed it up, kid.
Ah... I've got another right.
Bam!
Hello, Earl.
Nice gym. For what, I don't know, but nice.
What do you want?
This your kid?
Sure she is.
Your old man could have been the champ, kid.
Thing is, he didn't have the brains to listen to me.
Dumb. Real dumb.
Ronnie, go upstairs.
Help MacGyver put away the groceries.
MacGyver said I should stay here with you.
I said go upstairs!
All right!
We're here to check on our investment.
Got a lot riding on you.
Remember the deal? Dive in eight.
Your kid, Earl, it's for your kid, right?
I said I'd do it, all right?
You keep my kid out of this,
or you're gonna get your brains scrambled.
Hey, Mr. Riggins don't have to take that
from no jailbird bum.
- Oh, yeah? - You better believe it.
Earl?
Yeah. Oh, uh,
this is my old manager,
Bart Riggins and his, uh, assistant, uh, Bailey.
They're here to wish me luck. You know, the fight.
I trained him for five years.
Put a lot of bread in him.
Don't disappoint me.
Where's Ronnie?
She's upstairs. I told her to help you out.
- She's not there. - What?
- Oh, no, she can't be. Not again! - What?
The last time she was gone for six months.
- I'm gonna lose her for sure! - All right, settle down.
Um, grab the Jeep, I'll get the bike.
I know how you feel, Ronnie.
Leave me alone.
I ran away from home one time.
When my grandpa told me to get lost.
Who cares?
Well, I did.
I didn't understand what he was doing. Or why.
Oh, and now you do, right?
That's right.
He was trying to protect me.
Just like your dad's trying to protect you.
From who?
Well, I don't know. Maybe from himself.
You know, he hasn't had a lot of practice in raising a kid.
You got to give him a little time.
I don't know.
He's always on my case.
Well, he's supposed to.
That's what dads do.
Where you been?
Running away. Just like you're always doin'.
You and your fight.
You know something? I think you're all wind.
I don't think there is a fight.
- Earl... - There is a fight!
When I tell you something, that's it! I don't lie.
Oh yeah? Prove it.
- All right, that's enough. - No!
No way any kid of mine's gonna think I'm a liar.
Now get in here!
And you, you follow!
There you go.
Crazy Eddie Jackson versus yours truly.
This proof enough for you?
Okay, I was wrong.
Hey, at least you know now
that your old man's word is worth something.
Rocketman?
Yeah. That's what they used to call me.
Short fuse. Lots of power.
Get it?
Got it.
You're not the main event here.
Hey, I've been away, remember?
Hey, you have a good time on me, my man, huh?
Wow!
It's Herman the German.
- Who? - Hey, Herman,
I hear a rumor you matched Mad Mike and Wretched Rodney.
Ain't no rumor, kid.
Here, take a friend, huh?
Wow.
He's only the greatest wrestler ever.
Oh come on, Ronnie, all that wrestling stuff is fake.
No, it's not, it's great. Let's go inside.
Ronnie, we got to get back. I got to get to work.
Just for just one minute? Come on.
Ooo-wee! What stinks around here?
There it is. There it is.
Old meat, past its prime.
Hello, Stinson.
I don't want you around here. I don't want my fighter to see you.
- There'll be trouble. - I'm just showing my kid the gym.
Well, I'll just show you and the kid the door.
Hey, Dent?
Spend much time with your kid the last five years?
I'm warning you, Eddie.
You don't want to start talking like that.
Hey, what you worried about?
If your kid is as dumb as her old man,
she won't even understand it.
Oh yeah? That's what you think, wise guy.
She's smarter than both of us put together, Eddie.
And if you ever put her down again,
I'll tear you apart.
How about now, Dent? Right now, come on up here.
I don't give a damn about $4000.
- Come on up here! - All right, you're on.
No, Dent, no!
Somebody call the cops, somebody call the paper,
somebody call somebody!
Oh, they're fighting for free! I can't stand it!
No, Dent, aw! Look at these two...
I knew it, I knew it!
Oh, come on, you guys, what are you doing?
No, no, no, no. Don't, no...
Come on. Hey, hey, hey, what do you think this is,
the Golden Gloves? You're prize fighters that fight.
Get out of here. Dent, get out of here.
- Come on! - Eddie, Eddie, shut up.
Dent, get out of here, get out of here.
Okay, Eddie, come on, come on, get back to your work out now!
- Come on! Move it! Move it! - Come on, let's get out of here.
All right, all right, all right, come on, come on...
My nose.
Come on, come on, come on, way to go, way to go, Eddie.
Looking good.
- Is it broke? - Leave me alone.
After you, Rocketman.
Oh.
I'm sorry I thought there wasn't any fight, Earl.
Ah, forget it.
You better get some sleep, kid.
We got a lot to do tomorrow.
You really want me around, huh?
Hey, come on.
Who's gonna work those crazy machines MacGyver dreamed up?
Oh yeah, that's right.
'Night.
What are you doing?
Oh, this stuff's for your corner.
Ooh. It's cold.
Yeah. Sodium thiosulphate.
It's a photographic fixer.
Just add water,
instant cold pack.
Oh, I get it. To handle the cuts.
So you just chill this iron, press it to the cut,
and, presto, stops the bleeding.
Yep.
You lied to me, Earl.
What are you talkin' about?
You're gonna throw the fight, aren't you?
No!
What's the matter with you?
Crazy Eddie gets $4000 for the fight,
and you get $25,000?
You want to explain that to me?
You heard the lady.
I have three weeks to come up with enough
to provide for Ronnie or I lose her. Forever.
Maybe that's just as well if this is where you're coming from.
What is that supposed to mean?
Figure it out.
You're all over Ronnie for stealing candy bars,
and you're about to throw a fight.
Just this once, so I get custody.
Then I'm giving it up.
And you don't think Ronnie's gonna know?
She's got eyes, Earl. She'll see right through you.
Now come on.
She doesn't need a buddy or a pal.
She needs a father to teach her right from wrong.
Even if it hurts.
Yeah.
I stole them.
At the gym.
But I'll take them back, I swear.
$5,000 on Dent at one to five?
Take it.
I just took $20,000 on Crazy Eddie at five to one.
Lay it off. Out of town.
...inside the final 16th of a mile.
...is drawing away from the field.
Are you kidding? Dent's one to five.
He almost murdered Crazy Eddie when they fought in prison.
I have to talk to you.
$25,000. No renegotiating.
I don't want your cash.
What?
The fix is off. Over. Done.
Says who?
If you're copping out, Dent, forget it.
You're in too deep.
You can't threaten me, Riggins.
Not when my kid's future's on the line.
Your kid?
If you don't come through, your kid's an orphan.
For the first time in my life, I don't care about me.
My mind's made up. It's off.
I'm warning you, Dent.
If you think I'm gonna let some washed up jailbird
do me out of 200 grand,
you got another thing coming!
See you at the fight.
You want I should bust him up?
You moron, he's got a fight!
If you want to control a man,
control what he cares about the most.
No, I'll tell you what I want, Bailey.
I want Dent's daughter.
You should have seen the look on the faces of those sharks
when I told them I wasn't gonna throw the fight.
And you still think boxing's a sport, huh?
Well, maybe I should pull out, huh?
I mean, the $4,000 I'm making isn't gonna provide diddly for Ronnie.
Well, it's a start.
You can still get a job, you know.
Maybe get the commission to delay a decision.
The truth is Ronnie doesn't need me
nearly as much as I need her.
Hi. Where you been?
I--I took the gloves back to the gym.
Are you still mad at me?
I wasn't mad at you. I was just worried.
But I should have known my daughter would have made the right decision.
I am so proud of you.
- So... - Hey!
- You still need a trainer? - You bet.
- How about the heavy bag? - Okay.
Get over there while I knock the stuffings out of it.
Okay, Earl.
- Hold it real tight. - Give it all you got.
Go, go, go, go, go, go go, go, go, go, go!
You've done good, Earl, you've done good.
- So did you, MacGyver. - Yeah.
Your gizmos paid off in more ways than one.
- Thanks. - You bet.
Uh, I'll get it set up, okay? 6:30 for you?
- You got it. - All right.
Do you think we'll get an apartment or a house?
Huh? Oh, uh, an apartment, I guess.
Almost fight time, Earl.
Get out of here.
You are not seeing the big picture.
- Hey, let go of me! - Hey, Riggins...
I'm not in the business of hurting people, Earl.
But I do want to look after my interests.
Now we have a deal. You go down in eight.
They want you to throw the fight?
Smart kid.
Don't do it, Dad.
I said I would at first, because we need the money.
You did it to get me?
You must really want me.
More than anything, kid.
The last few days have been the best of my life.
No matter how things work out, I want you to know that.
Same here, Earl.
That's enough. I'm gonna cry.
And don't give them any lip. Just do as they say.
That goes for you, too, Dent.
Hey, I don't see Ronnie.
Maybe she's getting a soda.
And now, ladies and gentlemen,
today's semi-main event.
An outstanding match between two former
Folsom Prison heavyweight champions.
In this corner, wearing white trunks,
Crazy Eddie Jackson!
And in black trunks,
the former fifth ranked heavyweight of the world,
Earl Rocketman Dent.
Earl, I still don't see her.
Don't worry about her. Let's just get this over with.
Let's go, Earl, come on.
Okay, Earl, Eddie, I gave you instructions in the dressing room.
Let's have a good clean fight.
Touch gloves now.
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,
this is Jim Lampley at ringside.
- Tonight's eight rounds... - Hey, kid! Sit tight.
...semi-main event between these two former prison heavyweight champions
promises to be a bruising battle.
The referee has completed his instructions,
so hang on to your seats as here we go.
Now remember, in their one previous bout,
- Earl Rocketman Dent... - This should be a good fight.
Wish I could see it.
Hey, move over.
And there's the bell.
The two men now move to the center of the ring
and begin to circle cautiously.
Crazy Eddie moves in quickly
and tries to establish the left jab.
Jab, jab. Too low. And Crazy Eddie Jackson...
The body. Go for the ribs! Go for the ribs!
Dent is forced to back pedal as all the action early
is dominated by Jackson.
Four more jabs, five more, and two right crosses
and Dent is rocked backward by the second right hook.
...a left and a right and Jackson is driven back into the ropes.
A momentary advantage for Dent. But he didn't press it.
He lets Jackson come back at him.
And now coming off of the ropes...
Okay, get off there. Let him go, Earl, let him go, Earl.
What a round so far.
I told you, he's gonna murder Dent, huh?
And it is all Crazy Eddie Jackson
as we are late in round number one.
There's the bell. The end of round one.
What a brilliant round for Crazy Eddie Jackson.
All right, Earl. Where's Ronnie?
Just stay out of it. They've got her.
Just leave me alone and let me do what I got to do.
Where'd they take her, Earl?
I don't know.
Well, where'd you find them?
The machine shop across the street.
That's where Riggins runs his book.
All right, Earl, hang in there.
You might not have to throw this.
...and Earl Rocketman Dent
was clearly overshadowed by Crazy Eddie Jackson.
Thanks mostly to superior body punching.
Sounds like our boy got smart.
And here we go, round six.
Check on the girl. See how she's doing.
Both fighters move out, probing, with jabs.
Dent moves in, looking for an opening,
but he's met by a left hook directly to the face.
Crazy Eddie, keeping Dent at a distance.
Two jabs from Crazy Eddie.
Then two quick rights to the head.
Another right by Jackson, and another.
And again, it is Jackson taking control
of the action in the sixth.
She's doing better than her old man.
It is all Crazy Eddie Jackson, right now.
Hey, look at that guy, no guts!
Hold on. When I tell you to break, break.
And now it is Jackson who is controlling all the action.
And what a surprise.
Dent, what a shell of the man who had won 27
of 38 previous bouts by knockout.
Crazy Eddie smiles as the referee breaks them apart.
Believe me, there is no love lost
between these two fighters,
in or out of the ring.
Now Crazy Eddie...
Dent replies with a left and a right.
Dent missing now, with a wild roundhouse right.
Wild action. And Dent a little bit off-kilter.
Both fighters exhausted now. Neither man ready to yield.
Crazy Eddie following with a jab now, just pushing it out there...
There's no snap in that punch.
Dent leans forward...
And there's the bell.
The end of round six.
We'll be back for the seventh round...
Hey, could you turn the radio up a little?
Here we go now for round seven of a very close fight.
And once again, as the seventh begins,
Crazy Eddie forces the initiative.
The Rocketman backs off,
weaving and bobbing,
trying to stay away from Crazy Eddie's hands.
Oh, Crazy Eddie with a right cross!
And a left. And another right.
What a combination!
Dent is in the biggest trouble in the fight.
Crazy Eddie moving in,
all too aware of Dent's patented rocket punch
that floored him for the count in their previous bout.
No question the Rocketman is more dangerous than...
...with an uppercut. Dent backpedaling.
Crazy Eddie all over him...
Looking for an opening...
...it's all Crazy Eddie Jackson right now.
Jackson all over him.
Dent dances with the right hand. And now he hangs on.
The referee separates the two fighters
and Dent backs away inexplicably.
Crazy Eddie scores a combination to the body,
and follows up with an uppercut.
Dent with a feeble right,
but now Crazy Eddie two more lefts,
and Dent is backed up against the ropes again.
- Rocketman Dent... - Do you hear something?
Take a look.
In a minute.
Round seven moving toward a close now.
And Crazy Eddie swings away freely with both hands,
trying to land the one punch
that will settle matters once and for all.
You okay?
I'm fine. What about Earl?
It is Dent backing up Crazy Eddie with a right and a left
and lands a right hand...
What's the matter, Earl, you got no guts?
...having pummeled Dent against the ropes.
Oh, Rocketman Dent was once the fifth ranked heavyweight in the world,
but he's in big trouble here.
Well, I'll tell you, with seven rounds in the books...
She's getting away!
Well, stop her!
Rocketman Dent, who was once
the number five heavyweight in the world...
Here we go now. Round number eight.
Crazy Eddie Jackson, off his stool,
and moving toward the center of the ring,
a very tired Earl Rocketman Dent...
Come on!
Come on, get out of my way!
I'm stuck!
...knocks Dent against the ropes...
And a right and a left and Dent is down!
Way to go, Eddie!
- One, two... - Earl, don't do it!
...three...
Get up Earl, get up!
- Come on, you can do it. - ...five...
I'm okay.
- ...six... - I'm okay.
Come on Earl, I know you can do it.
- ...seven, eight, nine... - I know you can do it. Get up!
That's it, get up!
Come on Earl, go for it.
- Are you all right? - Yes and don't you try to stop me!
Okay, let's go.
Yes, go for it!
...there's a new look in his eyes as he moves forward
and lands a left and a right.
Misses wildly with a left and another right hand and another.
And Jackson is driven into a corner
and suddenly helpless against the onslaught.
- There's the uppercut. - Way to go, Rocketman!
Ha! You see?
Just moments ago Dent appeared on the verge
of being knocked out.
Now suddenly we see he's mounted a big comeback.
...Jackson reeling in the center of the ring.
Now Rocketman winds up with a bolo wind up.
- And down goes Jackson. - Yes!
One, two, three,
four, five, six, seven...
...Jackson saved by the bell!
Saved by the bell in round number eight,
and what a wild finish!
You did it, Earl. You won.
Showed a lot of heart out there, big guy.
Thanks, MacGyver.
I owe it all to my little trainer here.
Ladies and gentlemen!
We have a unanimous decision.
You won!
The winner, Crazy Eddie Jackson!
No way, we were robbed!
Hey Ronnie, all that matters is that you're safe.
You were great.
Think so?
I love you, Dad.
Dad?
Is she some kid or what?
Oh, it's not so bad. He hardly touched you.
Yeah. For a freight train, he was a real pushover.
You know, Earl, I've been thinking.
We don't need a house.
An apartment will be just fine.
Look, Ronnie, the money I ended up with,
no way is that gonna satisfy that lady down there
at the Children's Services.
Maybe you'd be better off with your foster parents after all.
Oh, no way. I'm not leaving.
We'll move to another state.
Running away isn't gonna help either of us.
Well, maybe she'll give us more time to get the money.
Hey, Earl, big guy.
Got somebody who wants to talk to you here.
Hey, Dent, great fight.
You've got a lot of class, a lot of style.
The kind of man I'd like to manage.
Uh, sorry. I quit boxing.
Boxing? Who said boxing?
I'm talking about wrestling.
Hey, the way you worked the crowd.
Magic. Pure show biz.
Listen, I've got a $30,000 advance against a guarantee of...
He'll do it, he'll take it!
Rocketman, we'll get you a great costume.
I don't know. MacGyver?
Well, a good athlete always listens to his trainer.
Yeah, I guess he does.
I think we could work something out here.
All right!