Diggstown

Gabriel Caine is released from Winfield prison and immediately teams with Fitz for a new con. They travel to Diggstown, a town obsessed with boxing, to pull off a high-stakes scheme. This marks the start of a plan that could make them rich if it works.

Diggstown's owner John Gillon controls much of the town's boxing power and bets that ten Diggstown fighters cannot be defeated in one day. Fitz explains that one man—Honey Roy Palmer—could do it if he accepts the challenge. Caine and Fitz decide to finance the bet and let it unfold.

Gillon posts the bet: a 24-hour period and fighters drawn from Diggstown or the surrounding Olivair County. The stakes grow as the prize reaches six figures. A loan shark, Victor Corsini, backs Caine's side to ensure the payout if they win.

Palmer, a 48-year-old YMCA supervisor, reluctantly agrees to participate after being approached. He starts training for the improbable feat, aware that the odds are stacked against him but drawn to the potential payoff. His involvement gives the plan real legitimacy.

Victor Corsini provides the financial backing for Caine's bet, strengthening the stakes and credibility of the scheme. With Corsini's money, the plan gains pressure on Gillon and the town. The setup pushes the day toward what could be a historic payoff.

Palmer faces Sonny Hawkins and dispatches him in quick fashion. He demonstrates surprising power and endurance, signaling that the day could go longer than anyone expected. The crowd's excitement grows as Palmer moves toward the target of ten.

John Gillon's son, Robby, approaches the ring but retreats under his father's instructions. The forfeit alters the tally and underscores the corrupt manipulation threading through the day. The tally of completed fights remains a tense, moving target.

Frank Mangrum is disqualified after kicking Palmer in the groin and striking the referee. Palmer follows with a knockout, extending his string of convincing victories. The bout sharpens the contrast between Palmer's skill and Diggstown's crooked setup.

Tank Miller becomes the next victim as Palmer keeps his momentum going. The string of wins continues to raise suspicions about Diggstown's ability to stop the challenger. Palmer's confidence grows as the number of fights left dwindles.

Hammerhead Hagan, the only fighter ever to beat Palmer, is introduced as a legal ringer by moving him in as a county resident. The bout is one-sided and exhausting, and Palmer digs deep after Diggs sits ringside and appears to show support. He rallies to knock out Hagan and keep the dream alive.

With Robby absent, Gillon claims only nine fights have occurred and names Minoso Torres as the true tenth fighter. Torres rules boxing underground from prison and becomes the looming threat to Palmer. The revelation demonstrates how far Gillon will go to win the day.

Torres proves to be no match for Palmer, but Caine had bribed Torres in advance for a moment like this. At Caine's signal, Torres drops his gloves and invites Palmer to hit him, effectively taking a prearranged knockout. The crowd remains unaware that the ‘tenth’ win is a staged outcome.

Gillon loses everything after Torres' staged knockout, his wealth and power collapsing in an instant. He snaps and pulls a gun, but his own son stops him from firing. Palmer then hands the final blow to Gillon via Hambone, ending the scheme in a dramatic fashion.

Palmer and Caine sit in the empty Diggstown gym after the chaos. Caine admits the ruse, but Palmer responds with a quiet resolve that ‘now you motivate me.’ The night seals a shifted partnership and a hard-won, if dubious, victory.