Gladiator is a 1992 American sports drama film directed by Rowdy Herrington, and starring Cuba Gooding Jr., James Marshall, Brian Dennehy and Robert Loggia. The film tells the story of Tommy Riley and Abraham "Lincoln" Haines, two teenagers trapped in the world of illegal underground boxing. Tommy is fighting to pay off gambling debts accumulated by his father John. Lincoln is fighting for the money to get out of the ghetto. While being exploited by boxing promoter Pappy Jack, the two teens become friends.

Plot

Tommy Riley and his father John have just moved to start a new life. John has accumulated many gambling debts, but has found a new job that requires him to travel extensively, leaving Tommy alone at home. Tommy also has a hard time fitting in at school, having crossed gang members. He takes a job at a local diner and enters into a romantic relationship with Dawn, the daughter of the owner, but is jumped by the gang members outside the restaurant. Seeing how well Tommy is able to fight, local boxing promoter Pappy Jack offers Tommy a chance to fight in an illegal underground boxing operation. When two men arrive announcing that John owes a large sum of money to pay off gambling debts, Jack convinces his boss, boxing promoter Jimmy Horn, to buy out the debt, which forces Tommy to pay off John's debts by boxing.