During the Great Depression, in the 1930s, a New Jersey Irish-American, James J. Braddock, is forced to give up boxing due to an injury in his right hand. His wife, Mae, is elated as she dreads the violence her husband endures in the boxing ring. However, with times tough economically,  Braddock is only able to get part-time work as a longshoreman. Joe Gould, Braddock’s manager and friend tells him that due to a late cancellation he can earn some cash fighting Corn Griffin, the number-two contender in the world. Braddock surprises the boxing experts by knocking out Griffin in the third round.  Gould convinces Braddock to return to boxing. As Braddock continues to win he gets a shot at fighting the heavyweight champion Max Baer. When Braddock’s rags-to-riches story gets out, columnist Damon Runyon dubs him “The Cinderella Man.” In one of the greatest upsets in boxing history, Braddock defeats Baer to become the heavyweight champion of the world.

Braddock  represented the hopes and aspirations of the American public struggling during the Great Depression. James Braddock’s story also inspired later underdog films like Rocky and its sequels.