Rocky Balboa vs. Apollo Creed

By the Obnoxious Boston Fan, Boston.com

Rocky Balboa, known as the “Italian Stallion” was a part-time mob collector and unknown club-fighter when he got the chance to fight heavyweight champion Apollo Creed back in Philadelphia on New Year’s Day in 1976. Creed, a self-proclaimed champion of the people, chose Balboa out of obscurity to fight as a publicity stunt after his original opponent dropped out with injury. Creed didn’t take the fight seriously but Balboa did. They fought 15 brutal rounds and Creed was winner by a split decision. “Ain’t gonna be no re-match,” Creed said. “Don’t want one,” Rocky added. But since that first film, which was shot in less than month for $1.1 million and eventually would gross more than $225,000,000, won an Oscar and was such a big hit, the rematch—also known as “Rocky II”—was unavoidable. It came about after Creed called his entire existence into question and had to coax Balboa back into the ring with personal insults. In their second fight, Balboa and Creed each hit the floor at the end of the 15th round. Balboa got up before the 10 count and won the heavyweight belt. He would lose it to Clubber Lang before defeating Lang in their rematch. Rocky was last seen playing “Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em” robots with Arnold Schwarzenegger after the two failed in their attempt to speak English during the Golden Globe awards last weekend.