The Square Ring

Evening, Tom.

Evening, Danny.

Kid Curtis tonight, eh?

The great comeback.

How you gonna get him into the ring?

He'll be there.

Last week we could've put him on skates.

Ever see him when he was good?

See him?

I was in his corner right there

when he won the area championship.

And I saw him win the British and Empire title at Harringay.

The Culross fight, got me up there for luck, he said.

What's he wanna come back for?

They never make it.

Once a champ, always a champ.

Evening, Danny, here's the list of runners.

Thanks, any news yet, Al?

Last night, boy, that makes eight.

How do you feel?

A bit tired.

I'm not surprised.

One, two, three, four, testing.

Hello, Danny.

Hello, Flo, what about it?

Okay Harry, save it.

Evening, Frank.

Hello, Danny.

Come on, who do you think you are, Dennis Compton?

Ah, don't come the old acid

just because I've got my self-respect.

You've got too much, it warrants cutting.

Now get busy.

Okay, okay, who have we got in this dressing room tonight

beside Kid Curtis?

Well let's see, the first one on is Whitey Johnson.

Not Whitey, I thought he was dead.

Whitey'll never die.

There's Rowdie Rawlings, Happy Burns,

now there's an up-and-coming boy.

Rick Martell, and a novice, a Welsh boy, first time in.

Oh dear, oh dear.

Well, I suppose they gotta start somewhere.

I don't know why it always has to be in my dressing room.

Is Alf there?

Is Alf up there?

Hello, lookin' for somebody?

I'm fighting here tonight.

Yeah, which corner?

Number two, I, I think.

Well first door down on your left.

I'll be seeing ya.

Thanks.

You blokes got my gear ready yet?

It'll be ready when you need it.

He'll need it, all right.

We've got a novice in tonight.

Oh no, I only got last week's blood off yesterday.

Oh, it's all yours son.

Hi, I-I-I'm Lloyd, Eddie Lloyd.

Pleased to meet you, make yourself at home.

There's the lockers, take your pick.

First in, best dressed.

First out, best dressed.

Keep your eye on your clothes, chump.

They've got you fighting second tonight

with Ern DeGrazos.

Who got that fight for you?

Oh, it was Mr. Warren.

He said if I did well he might take me on.

Good boy, DeGrazos, savage puncher.

That's right, that's right, cheer him up.

I'm just telling him the truth, that's all.

DeGrazos happens to be good, that's all.

With a left hand like a kick from a mule, that's all.

Well, well, I reckon my left hand's not too bad.

"Deadly," they say about DeGrazos,

deadly with that left hand.

Now, turn it up.

You'll have him scared stiff before he gets in the ring.

Evening, has Happy Burns shown up yet?

Not yet, Mr. Lewis.

When he comes in, tell him I'll be across in the pub

and I'll see him later.

Righto.

the boy is up and coming.

I told you to come by train.

But Lou, you can't run out of petrol on a train.

Now if I'd known you were travelling with my favourite woman.

Hello, Happy.

Come on girls, I'll buy you a drink

before I clock on.

No, you go on in Happy, I'll take care of the debutantes.

That's it son, get 'em ready for presentation.

Oh, isn't he fresh?

He's not as fresh as I'd like him to be.

Come on.

Evening, Happy.

Evening, Colonel.

- Watcher, Happy. - Watcher, my son.

Hey Happy, just a minute, mate.

My kid wants you to sign his book for him.

Here you are.

I'll make me mark.

Ah, come off it, Happy.

You oughta treasure that, son.

What's the other cross for?

My manager, he can't write either.

Hiya, Happy, how're the girlfriends?

Ah, they're just crazy about me.

I've gotta knock 'em back now with a thick stick.

- Get away. - It's true,

I'm thinkin' of puttin' an extra man on.

All right, let the revels commence, I'm here.

Well you can ruddy well go away again

and let us have a bit of peace.

Hello, Happy, how are you son?

Hello, Happy.

Oh, my two favourite people!

What've you been doing with yourself?

What's the matter, son, don't you read the papers, eh?

17 fights in six months, that's all.

17 fights, Danny, and look at me, would you guess it?

Look at that nose, son, straight as a die, not a dent in it.

Not a little teeny, weeny mark.

17 fights in six months and not a mark

on my beautiful kisser.

Oh, blimey, I'm beautiful, you know, I'm beautiful.

17, that's too many fights, boy.

I know a bloke who got double vision from working like that.

You must be rolling in money.

Oh, I've got too much.

I'm giving it away to the poor people.

Here, cocko, go careful with that, it's paid for.

Happy Burns, how are you, son?

Oh, E-E-Eddie Lloyd, pleased to meet you.

Look at that nose, son, will ya?

Look at that nose, straight as a die, not a dent in it.

Oh, no wonder the women claw each other to death

just to be near me.

Uh, when do I change, sir?

Now, in case Whitey's late.

Oh, I see Rick Martell's on the bill.

Yeah, he's making a fortune.

What, him?

The best horizontal heavyweight in the business?

Yes, he sells the soles of his boots

for advertising space.

All around papers.

Papers!

Extras.

Evening papers, extra papers.

Just buy a paper.

Uh, see you in there in a minute, Rick.

I gotta meet some fellas first.

See ya, Frankie.

Get your paper.

Paper, paper.

He'll go in the fourth.

Tell the boys to help to themselves, and get me a price.

Paper, paper.

You're gonna win tonight, Rick, I know you are.

Uh now listen, Frankie,

why don't you wait for me somewhere.

I'm gonna watch you are you're gonna win, I know you are.

I've got a feeling tonight's the night.

You've had enough bad luck, haven't you, Rick?

Yes, yes, I suppose I have.

Like your last fight, everyone thought you was winning

until you got that unlucky one.

Yes.

A man sitting next to me lost five pounds on you.

He was ever so surprised.

You should've heard what he said about you.

I was that mad, I turned right round him and said,

"If my Rick heard you say that about him,

"he'd knock your teeth right in the back of your throat."

He soon shut up, I can tell you.

Thanks.

You know a boxer can't win every time.

Darling, I can't hardly bear it when you lose.

It doesn't seem right, somehow.

Tonight, you've got to win.

Like this.

Uh, you got me.

I'll see ya after the fight.

Yeah, does anybody know anything about this Watson bloke

I'm suppose to be fighting tonight?

Yes, I do.

All right, let me tell him.

Got a wicked right hand, they say.

Ex-marine, commando, a terrible right hand.

Oh, come off it, Danny.

That's the truth, Happy, right hand

like a stick of dynamite, plain dynamite.

Shut up, will ya.

I'm not kidding, Happy, it's the truth.

See, so you better keep your nose out of the way, Happy.

If he flattens that, you'll be losing all your girlfriends.

Well I'll still have me charm and culture, won't I?