I think this is a feats-we've-seen vs feats-implied kind of fight.
As has been stated, we the audience have never seen prime Apollo.
We have, however, seen that Rocky has 80's action star durability and strength, as his final bout with Drago and even his wrestling match with Thunderlips shows. Here's another key point: Rocky also has the training from Apollo's camp from Rocky III and adopted Apollo's fighting style to make it his own against Clubber Lang.
So, we have an implied Muhammed Ali vs a boxer that has his own power-stamina laden fighting style + the speed and agility style of his opponent + is nigh-superhuman when it comes to the durability and strength physical stats department.
Honestly, I think this one conclusively be given to Rocky unless one argues from speculation and conjecture.
The Drago fight was also mindset. That was intensely personal. Every fight Rocky came out on top had him desperately wanting to win. In the first and 6th movie, his plan was to simply go the distance/last until the final round.
In the third movie he never expected a challenge from Clubber thus took training lightly, plus he was just angry at him and wanted to pound him.
Another example for mindset assisting Rocky is in the second movie - after getting floored several times Rocky says I am not going down again, and after that Apollo never drops him.
So that off-screen fight Rocky wouldn't be be trying to lose, but won't be trying his hardest either. I mean he came out with just a black eye. Any other fight of Rocky he ends up drenched in blood and covered in bruises.
Plus he won't have anyone giving him tips, motivating him and cheering him either.
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When someone annoys you, it takes 42 muscles to frown but only 4 to reach out and bchslap them upside down on their head
It was always assumed that Rocky won that fight, anyway.
Before "Creed" hit the screens, that is.
Maybe Rocky just wanted to cherish Apollo's memory and felt that he won, even though Apollo himself might've disagreed --- we'll never know the whole story.
Talk about "different styles" all you want but at the end of the day, Rocky beat an opponent that LITERALLY killed Apollo in the ring, and tbh Rocky and Apollo weren't that apart in age.
Apollo might have been a bit out of his prime, but he couldn't even last 2 rounds against Drago, while Rocky went the distance and won. A significantly pre-prime Rocky took Apollo to the limit in Rocky 1 and won in Rocky 2.
Creed's not putting RIV Rocky down. Drago couldn't do it no matter what he tried, and that includes so many headshots he hurt his hands since Rocky's "chin is like lead".
First off I assume most of you people don't watch real boxing and you didn't watch the series.
Rocky in Rocky 4 wasn't in his prime. No human being's prime is in their late 30's. Rocky was done as a top fighter. Even in Rocky 3 Mick stated he was hand picking Rocky's opponents because Rocky couldn't beat top contenders anymore.
Also we seen in a late 20's/early 30's Rocky fight Apollo and Rocky lost the first fight and was on verge of beating Rocky easier in their second bout. Apollo had to lose for storyline reasons. If Apollo won again where would the series go? Rocky would of lost twice to Apollo already.
Apollo should always beat Rocky if Apollo is trained and actually motivated.
KMC Community Forums
Jul 28th, 2020 06:08 PM
Thanks Scribble!
