Hawkeye and Trapper go to Col. Blake's office to demand that Cutler's transfer be stopped. He tells them that Major Houlihan makes all the decisions about the nursing staff, but if one of them would box in the tournament he's having with Brigadier General Barker, he would see what he could do. After sadly watching Cutler drive off in a jeep, Trapper decides to fight.
Hawkeye spends some time training Trapper but neither are really confident about winning, especially after they discover Trapper has a "glass stomach". While the two are relaxing in the Swamp, Radar comes in and tells them that Trapper's opponent has arrived and that he heard that the guy is remarkably tough. They decide the only way Trapper is going to survive is if they cheat. Ugly John's plan is to rub ether on Trapper's boxing glove and then to get his opponent in a clinch so that the ether's fumes will knock him out.
Later on, Pierce, McIntyre, Blake and Burns are sitting in the mess tent talking when General Barker and his boxer come in. After they leave, Henry asks Trapper if he wants to reconsider and Hawkeye tells Henry and Frank about their plan to use ether. During the introductions of the boxing match, Burns and Houlihan switch the ether with distilled water. When Trapper gets clobbered in the first round, Hawkeye discovers the switch and runs to get real ether. During the second round, Trapper, with real ether on his glove, gets his opponent in a clinch, until he falls out of the ring, out cold, on top of Burns and Houlihan. Henry holds up his end of the bargain and gets Cutler transferred back to the 4077, where she is so impressed that Trapper fought for her, she completely ignores Hawkeye.