The first heated sports discussion I can recall taking part in involved my childhood friend Jamie Kitchen, a few other middle school associates, and these fictional boxers: “The Italian Stallion” Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), Clubber Lang (Mr. T), and Apollo Creed (portrayed to perfection by Carl Weathers).
In Academy Award-winning Best Picture, Rocky, the charismatic, trash-talking, Muhammad Ali-like Apollo Creed was the reigning world heavyweight champion. With a jab as swift as his wit, he dominated all possible competition.
In celebration of United States Bicentennial, Apollo planned an exhibition fight in Philadelphia but his opponent backed out due to injury. Local schlep Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) was selected as a replacement and he would surprisingly fight the champ to a 15-round split decision loss.
Apollo became obsessed with proving Balboa’s gone-the-distance performance against him was a fluke, challenging the Philly underdog to a rematch with the title on the line in Rocky II. Apollo lost the championship to Balboa in a back-and-forth bloodbath but befriends him out of respect.
In Rocky III Balboa gains pop culture celebrity status but loses the heavyweight championship to brutal, no-nonsense #1 contender, Clubber Lang (Mr. T). Apollo trains Rocky for the rematch, passing on to him his speed, signature swift jab, and trademark US-flag-themed boxing trunks.
With Apollo in his corner, Balboa skillfully dispatched Lang to win back the championship. Sadly, Apollo died in the ring in Rocky IV, losing a fatal exhibition to Russian powerhouse Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren).
To this day fans of the Rocky series popularly debate since Rocky needed Apollo’s training to defeat Lang, Apollo too would have beaten Lang. The fantasy consensus is Apollo would have won more decisively because he’s the better boxer. Another dream scenario argument is if Apollo hadn’t retired he would have handily taken his championship back from Rocky.
Some have gone one step further. They’ve suggested had Apollo been a real-life person he’d be champion much the same.
What’s no debate, however, is Apollo Creed captured imaginations, a feat he accomplished with audiences introduced to him years ago and with those being introduced to him today. |THIS.
[By Mr. Joe Walker]
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