BoxRec

Where is Union Cane in all this - he was the paper champion! Mac Lee Green who broken his third metacarpal and what about Buddy Shaw - who gained 50 pounds and went to California. Ernie Roman who went to France than fight Apollo Creed.

Apollo was the man - he was over the hill when Rocky took the title off him and then Rocky made 10 title defences - defeating the German heavyweight champion in Paris and Big Yank Ball amongst others...

I would say Clubber Lang was a cross between Sonny Liston (not getting a shot and being avoided because he would be bad for the sport was the reason Cus D'Amato used for Floyd Patterson to avoid Sonny Liston)

Always wondered why Rocky never Clubber a rematch!

thepocketrocket wrote:Always wondered why Rocky never Clubber a rematch!

Same reason Lennox never fought Rahman again.

oliverfennell wrote:In Hollywood fashion, the challenges were presented as more formidable with each sequel, but in boxing terms, Rocky's opponents got easier.

1- Undefeated, prime Apollo
2- Fading Apollo
3- One-dimensional slugger
4- Rank novice
5- Didn't even have a boxing match

1. Yep
2. Granted
3. Unfair - Lang was tearing his way through the heavyweights, and no-one else had found a way to beat him
4. Unfair - Drago probably had about 500 un-verified fights in Russia before facing Creed. Besides which, he was roided-up to the eyeballs
5. Balboa showed his versatility by transferring his badass-ness from the ring to the street

greenyox3 wrote:

oliverfennell wrote:In Hollywood fashion, the challenges were presented as more formidable with each sequel, but in boxing terms, Rocky's opponents got easier.

1- Undefeated, prime Apollo
2- Fading Apollo
3- One-dimensional slugger
4- Rank novice
5- Didn't even have a boxing match

1. Yep
2. Granted
3. Unfair - Lang was tearing his way through the heavyweights, and no-one else had found a way to beat him
4. Unfair - Drago probably had about 500 un-verified fights in Russia before facing Creed. Besides which, he was roided-up to the eyeballs
5. Balboa showed his versatility by transferring his badass-ness from the ring to the street

3. So was Jeff Lacy in the supermiddles, 'til Calzaghe got to him. Lang = overhyped,
4. A lengthy amateur career is by no means transferable to pro success. Look at Audley Harrison and Jorge Luis Gonzalez.

yiddo14 wrote:Lets hope they are way off with Rocky 6 then.

Don't fancy having a 60 yr old Heavyweight Challenger.

Still hope for Evander yet....

This is a great post!...............