Blanco, a street-tough American boxer, makes his living as a journeyman fighting in rundown bars, gymnasiums, and small convention centers. Tired of seeing him battered for little to no money, his best friend Alvin asks Blanco what he’s fighting for - a question Blanco is unable to answer. Alvin encourages Blanco to relocate to the Philippines in order to train under the tutelage of Benjie, Alvin’s late grandfather’s pupil.

Blanco’s journey into the Philippines begins with a confrontation opposite a wild rooster with a remarkable similar lifestyle and personality to his own before he is introduced to true Filipino culture by Alvin’s grandmother, Victoria and his new trainer Benjie.

Unbeknownst to Blanco, Benjie arranges for his fighter to be an honorary foreign judge at a local beauty pageant where he awkwardly costs an aspiring beauty queen, Luzviminda, the crown. The two reunite and begin an unlikely friendship leading to romance.

Blanco’s road to redemption kicks off with an opportunity to replace an injured fighter on short notice. He shows vast improvement and gritty resilience, but ultimately comes up short while a villainous fighter, Magtangol, is introduced. Magtangol provokes a post-fight altercation which leads the two counterparts into a bout with Blanco playing tune-up

Blanco prepares for the fight of his life while recompensating his beauty pageant folly with Luzviminda. Alvin returns to the Philippines as Blanco uses his grandfather’s famous combination to knock out Magtangol before exiting the ring to disqualify himself. He embraces his circle as a family is reunited and a new one is formed. Blanco has finally figured what he’s fighting for.