'The Italian Stallion' Rocky Balboa

[zojo]

His fight with Ivan Drago was an exhibition. I don't think it should count on his record...

[HomicideHenry]

No....Apollo Creed's fight with Ivan Drago was an exhibition. Rocky fought the commission to have the fight with Ivan Drago and it be for the world HW title, the commission refused to budge and told Balboa to wait for a year. Rocky, of course, pursued the fight anyways and was stripped because he was defending the title against a man with an 0-0-0 record. According to Wikipedia, Balboa still held the RING magazine title, despite being stripped from all other organizations.

[Robinson]

Yeah but Balboa ended up getting his title stripped for not facing
Honey Roy Palmer.

That was a few years after he almost killed Charles Diggs.

Tommy Gunn ended up losing his title to Jack Roper, that was
after the 'street fight'. Around 1991. I think Roper held his title
until 1996.

[zojo]

No....Apollo Creed's fight with Ivan Drago was an exhibition. Rocky fought the commission to have the fight with Ivan Drago and it be for the world HW title, the commission refused to budge and told Balboa to wait for a year. Rocky, of course, pursued the fight anyways and was stripped because he was defending the title against a man with an 0-0-0 record. According to Wikipedia, Balboa still held the RING magazine title, despite being stripped from all other organizations.

I haven't seen the movie in ages, but I saw it many times as a kid. if I remember correctly, Rocky stated during the press conference announcing the fight between he and Ivan Drago, that there would be no championship at stake and no money would go to either boxer.

I assumed that because neither fighter got any money, it would be an exhibition.


I just looked at the wikipedia site for Ivan Drago (side note, why does a fictional boxer get such a large entry?):

His record states:

Amateur: 100 - 0
Professional: 1-1

Now wikipedia states that both his fights with Apollo and Rocky were professional fights. However, if we are positive that his fight with Apollo was an exhibition (which wikipedia is incorrect in saying it was a sanctioned fight), then I think his fight with Rocky was just an exhibition as well.

There is only one person who can get to the bottom of this: Dolph Lundgren. Anyone able to check him him?

[Robinson]

I thought the Drago fights were exhibitions.

Balboa-Drago was after all held in the USSR.

BUt one thing I have learned about boxing is
that some fighters get to have exhibitions counted
on their pro record and others dont.

[Djanders]

Above, Balboa wins via kayo in the 2nd round over Spider Rico

Did this fight take place in Saskatoon, by any chance, as part of an undercard, maybe?

[HomicideHenry]

Yeah but Balboa ended up getting his title stripped for not facing
Honey Roy Palmer.

That was a few years after he almost killed Charles Diggs.

Tommy Gunn ended up losing his title to Jack Roper, that was
after the 'street fight'. Around 1991. I think Roper held his title
until 1996.

I believe you mean James 'The Grimm Reaper' Roper!

[HomicideHenry]

Above, Balboa wins via kayo in the 2nd round over Spider Rico

Did this fight take place in Saskatoon, by any chance, as part of an undercard, maybe?

LMFAO....No, this happened at the 'Bucket of Blood' in Philly

[Robinson]

Ah yes..... james roper.

sorry.

[HomicideHenry]

Oh and, Charles Malcom Diggs never died, just catatonic.

[Robinson]

He died on the inside.

You say some things that would make Charles Diggs
get up and walk.

[HomicideHenry]

LMFAO!!!!

'What i know of you Mr. Gion (?) would make Charles Malcom Diggs stand up and walk!"

[Robinson]

Great flick. Havent seen it in ages. May have to hunt
it down and watch this weekend.

Interestingly enough while its caled 'Diggstown' every where,
in Australia it was titled 'Midnight Sting'.

[HomicideHenry]

The book was based on 'The Diggstown Ringers', and whats ironic, Wilhelm Von Homburg who played Charles Malcolm Diggs and Vigo The Carpathian in Ghostbusters 2, was a pretty good boxer in his own right back in the 1960's and 1970's. He was called 'The Prinz', and often came to the ring with a cigar in his mouth and a fur robe. He lost, though, to Oscar Bonavena and Jurgen Blin.

Its one of my favorite films too, except for the fact, that in the movie Randall 'Tex' Cobb gets knocked out in a bare fisted brawl inside prison walls. I give credit to whoever can name the boxer who did the impossible feat [though its just a movie].

Ironically, it wasnt the first time Cobb was 'knocked out' in a movie. He was kayoed by Billy Flynn (John Voigt, The Champ), and later was kayoed by Al Bundy on an episode of Married With Children. Oh and how can I forget, he 'lost' to Willie Nelson during a late night television show.

[Robinson]

And was dropped by a spinning kick thrown by Patrick Swayze


I never knew that about Homburg. A good piece of trivia there.
Its ashame that they did not show him doing anything in the movie,
even if it was a memory sequence,

[HomicideHenry]

"Boy, you just opened up a whole can of whoop ass!"

"Boy, that martial art bullshit is gonna get real expensive!"

Cobb was always hilarious

[Robinson]

One of my all time favourite flicks.

[HomicideHenry]

Bump

[HomicideHenry]

You suggesting I'm a great Collins?

There's potential there, young man.

Arguably the best compliment I ever got ever on the forum... But I'm sure Collins in retrospect would quote Mickey Goldmill:

"YOU HAD THE TALENT TO HAVE BECOME A GOOD FIGHTER BUT INSTEAD OF THAT YOU BECAME A LEG BREAKER, SOME CHEAP SECOND RATE LOAN SHARK!"

[JohnMcMinn]

Rocky may not be the GOAT, but his KO of Apollo Creed certainly makes him top 10 material.

[Onetimeonly]

That fight was a farce. The ref should be in jail for not stopping the massacre. Then the set ups while he ducked lang for years. Then setups and street fights while this derelict goes back to the hood. Clearly a set up with Dixon it yet another 'exhibition'. He was a glorified bum, the lang rematch was the only legit win over a top fighter in his career. Creed 1 was a good loss. Top 30 or so at best.

[Caractacus]

I sort of get the feeling that the "Real" Rocky Balboa may have been inspired by Two-ton" Tony Galento
(when you think about it) except Galento did not have "six-pack" abs.

[Onetimeonly]

Why? Past the creator saying it was wepner Don't see that at all.

[gilgamesh]

Also, btw, Apollo Creed did take Rocky's 'ass to school' in the rematch. He won virtually every round, knocking down Balboa numerous times. His crazed ambition to knock him out, to fight Balboa's fight, proved without a shadow of a doubt, to be his down fall. All he had to do was stick and move in that final round, and he would have won the most lop sided decision in HW history next to Cobb/Holmes!

For the record in real life there have been massive underdogs pull off big upsets because the Champ overlooked them, and 99% of the time, said Champ does beat the crap the out of them in the rematch.

Ray Robinson vs Randy Turpin is one example that comes to mind. I'm trying to think of a guy who was as much of a longshot as Balboa is supposed to be...but yeah 'ol dude is right. In real life the Champ would've murdered him in the rematch.

Also...in the Rocky movies EVERY fighter blocks EVERY punch with their face. It wasn't until Rocky 3 that the idea of defense even occurred to Rocky.

Every fight would be a 1st round KO if fighters fought like this.

[gilgamesh]

Oh and while we're at it pointing out ridiculous nonsensical things about the Rocky movies in Rocky 4 when he takes on Drago The Press asks him how much he and Drago are getting paid to which his answer is "No money...it's not about money"

No Boxer that has ever lived would give that answer concerning an opponent that dangerous. Even if THEY would. Their manager wouldn't let 'em, and if they would. They're stupid as all hell.