It is 1940. The first transport of detainees arrives at the newly developed concentration camp Auschwitz. Among them is Tadeusz "Teddy" Pietrzykowski, pre-war boxing champion of Warsaw. The camp officers compel him to combat in the ring for his and also various other detainees' lives. Nevertheless, his every win enhances the hope that Nazis are not invincible. Auschwitz policemans discover the growing resistance. The battle with the authorities of the camp ends up being unavoidable.