Apollo Creed
Encyclopedia
Apollo Creed is a fictional character from the Rocky films
Rocky (film series)
Rocky is a boxing saga of popular films all written by and starring Sylvester Stallone, who plays the character Rocky Balboa. The films are, by order of release date: Rocky , Rocky II , Rocky III , Rocky IV , Rocky V and Rocky Balboa...

, initially portrayed as the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World. He was played by Carl Weathers
Carl Weathers
Carl Weathers is an American actor, as well as former professional football player in the United States and Canada. He is best known for playing Apollo Creed in the Rocky series of films...

. Many believe his character was modeled after Heavyweight Champion Muhammad Ali while Rocky Balboa was based on relatively unknown fighter named Chuck Wepner
Chuck Wepner
Charles "Chuck" Wepner is a former heavyweight boxer from Bayonne, New Jersey. As a tough but journeyman boxer he went 15 rounds with world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali in a 1975 fight. Wepner is credited as the inspiration for Rocky Balboa. Wepner also appeared in the book Operation Bullpen...

. Wepner knocked Ali down in the 9th round of their 1975 title bout in Richfield, Ohio. Ali ultimately scored a Technical Knockout of Wepner in the 15th round, breaking Wepner's nose. Rocky ended up with a broken nose in his first bout with Apollo Creed.

Creed had multiple nicknames, including The Master of Disaster, The King of Sting, The Dancing Destroyer, The Prince of Punch, The One and Only, and The Count of Monte Fisto. Urban legend states that Apollo Creed's name is a wordplay on the Apostles' Creed, a statement of belief used in Christian churches. All of Apollo's championship fights were scheduled for the 15 round distance. Championship fights did not convert from 15 rounds to 12 rounds until 1987. Rocky Balboa is often wrongly credited with popularizing the red, white, and blue trunks; Creed was the first man to wear them, although normally he wore red and white, as seen in Rocky II. Balboa's signature colors were black and gold -- colors he used in the latest movie
Rocky Balboa (film)
Rocky Balboa is the sixth and final film in the Rocky franchise, directed by and starring Sylvester Stallone. The film, which was also written by Stallone who plays underdog boxer Rocky Balboa, is the sixth film in the Rocky series that began with the Academy Award-winning Rocky thirty years...

.

Rocky

Apollo Marvin Creed first appeared in the 1976
1976 in film
The year 1976 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*March 22 - Filming begins on George Lucas' Star Wars science fiction film...

 Oscar-winning film Rocky
Rocky
Rocky is a 1976 American sports drama film directed by John G. Avildsen and both written by and starring Sylvester Stallone. It tells the rags to riches American Dream story of Rocky Balboa, an uneducated but kind-hearted debt collector for a loan shark in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...

as the charismatic, intelligent and undefeated 33 year old World Heavyweight Champion. A planned Bicentennial
United States Bicentennial
The United States Bicentennial was a series of celebrations and observances during the mid-1970s that paid tribute to the historical events leading up to the creation of the United States as an independent republic...

 fight against number one contender Mac Lee Green was scheduled for January 1, 1976, which Apollo gladly hypes whenever someone places a microphone in front of him. However, Green hurts his left hand in training, and when none of the other top ranked contenders, such as Joe Czak and Buddy Shaw, step up to face the champion, Creed responds with a promotion that will generate huge publicity. He will offer an unknown local fighter an opportunity to battle Creed for the title, in a match in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

.

Upon reviewing the local boxers in Philadelphia, Creed is drawn to a club fighter named Rocky Balboa because Balboa is Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...

 and has a catchy nickname, "The Italian Stallion." Apollo also explains his choice by saying: "Who discovered America? An Italian
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...

, right? What better way to celebrate its 200th birthday than to get it on with one of his descendants?" Interestingly, Chuck Wepner was nicknamed the "Bayonne Bleeder." Apollo brushes off the idea of the left-handed Balboa giving him a fight, pledging to knock him out in three rounds. In spite of his trainer's concern when he sees Balboa in a television interview, training by punching sides of beef in a meat packing plant, Apollo puts more effort into giving everyone a good show rather than training for the bout. When the match actually takes place, Apollo dresses up like both George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...

 and Uncle Sam
Uncle Sam
Uncle Sam is a common national personification of the American government originally used during the War of 1812. He is depicted as a stern elderly man with white hair and a goatee beard...

 in the pre-fight festivities and is in a jovial mood until Rocky knocks him down in the first round with a single uppercut, the first time Creed has ever been knocked down in his career. He then endures a grueling 15-round fight with the game Balboa, who manages to get to his feet after Creed took him down with an uppercut in the 14th round in what appeared to be the end of the match. This was the first time anyone had ever taken the champion the full 15 rounds.

Both fighters were beaten, bloodied, and bruised by the end of the bout - Rocky with severe eye damage and Apollo with internal bleeding. Apollo gained a controversial split decision victory, and neither fighter wanted a rematch.

Rocky II

In the second film
Rocky II
Rocky II is a 1979 American film that is the sequel to Rocky, a motion picture in which an unknown boxer had been given a chance to go the distance with the World Heavyweight Champion. Sylvester Stallone, Carl Weathers, Tony Burton, Burgess Meredith, Burt Young and Talia Shire reprised their...

, Creed immediately demanded a rematch in the hospital ER after the fight. In fact, he challenged Rocky to finish the fight right there. Creed's desire for a rematch with Balboa intensified when it became clear that the prevailing public opinion was that Creed had either gotten lucky or had carried an inferior opponent the length of the match. Eager to change minds and ignoring the pleas of his staff to avoid facing him again, Creed challenged Balboa to a second fight on Thanksgiving Day, 1976. He used various humiliation tactics to coax Balboa out of retirement. Rocky had married his girlfriend Adrian after getting out of the hospital from the first fight. Creed insisted at the press conference that he would "drop him like a bad habit" and told Rocky when he left "Come November, you're mine!" Creed plowed through sparring partners and trained harder than ever before with the intention of punishing Balboa for the embarrassment eleven months earlier. Mickey trained Rocky to become faster by chasing and catching a chicken.

Unlike their first fight, Creed dominated Balboa throughout the second fight, managing to thwart Rocky's strategy of fighting right-handed. Despite this, he was unable to make good on his promise of an early knockout victory, as Rocky absorbed his punches. By the final round, he is well ahead on points; however, he had also endured a substantial beating in later rounds, when it became apparent he could not knock Balboa out and Balboa began landing his own punches on the tiring Creed. Not wanting a repeat of the first fight (and ignoring the pleas of his trainers), he vows to knock Balboa out rather than taking the safer route by winning on points. He told Rocky at the beginning of the 15th round, "you're going down" to which Rocky said "no way". After going toe-to-toe for much of the final round, Creed is knocked down by a left from Balboa, with Balboa falling down in exhaustion as well. Rocky is able to get up by the count of 9, but Creed is unable to pull himself up and is counted out, losing the match and the championship by knockout, his first professional loss.

Apollo retired from boxing soon after. Even though he lost, he gained his respect from the crowd back since they felt that he fought and lost in a fair fight. The fight also resulted in Creed finally acknowledging Balboa's ability as a fighter, rather than seeing him as a fluke.

Rocky III

In the third film
Rocky III
Rocky III is a 1982 American film that is the third installment in the Rocky film series. It is written and directed by and stars Sylvester Stallone as the title character, with Carl Weathers as former boxing rival Apollo Creed, Burgess Meredith as Rocky's trainer Mickey, and Talia Shire as Rocky's...

, Apollo (39 years old) appears at the first fight between James "Clubber" Lang
Clubber Lang
James "Clubber" Lang is a fictional character and antagonist that appeared as Rocky Balboa's rival in the 1982 film Rocky III. He was played by the popular "bodyguard to the stars" Mr. T, who was 29 years old when the film was launched...

, 23 years old, and Rocky Balboa, 34 years old, as a guest analyst, a match in which Lang defeats Rocky by KO in the second round. Before the match, the former champion Creed steps into the ring to greet the fighters. When he steps up to Lang, the latter slaps away Creed's hand and challenges him to a fight. He says, "You want to jump Creed? Jump." When Creed walks away stunned at this rude display from the brash challenger, Lang laughs at him and calls him a "chicken." Following the match, Rocky's beloved manager, Mickey, dies and Lang insults Creed in passing as a has-been. Determined in part to put the disrespectful brute in his place, Creed finds Rocky at the old gym and they agree to have Apollo take over as Balboa’s manager. The pair travels to Creed's old gym called the 'Tough Gym' in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...

 in preparation for a rematch with Lang. Creed encourages Rocky not to ignore the naysayers that say he is too old, but instead refocus himself. During this talk he states "now when we fought.. you had that eye of the tiger." This quote is referred to throughout the movie, including the film's theme song, "Eye of the Tiger
Eye of the Tiger
"Eye of the Tiger" is a single by American rock band Survivor, from their third album Eye of the Tiger. It was released as a single on May 29, 1982, the same year as the album. It was written at the request of actor Sylvester Stallone, who was unable to get permission for Queen's "Another One Bites...

" by Survivor
Survivor (band)
Survivor is an American rock band formed in Chicago in 1978. The band achieved its greatest success in the 1980s with its AOR sound, which garnered many charting singles, especially in the United States. The band is best known for its double platinum-certified 1982 hit "Eye of the Tiger", the theme...

. Creed mentions that Rocky will owe him "a big favor" once he wins, which he does not specify at first. Rocky's training is geared toward making him quicker and more agile, to counter the larger, stronger brawler. Apollo teaches Rocky how to fight like Apollo Creed. Rocky has trouble concentrating during his training, suffering from guilt over Mickey's demise and self-doubt. Creed helps Rocky rediscover the fire inside, which he had lost in the time leading up to the Lang fight, that had won him the title. Creed calls this fire the "Eye of the Tiger."

Before the match begins, Creed expresses his confidence that Rocky will win. He gives Rocky his signature "colors" (Apollo's stars and stripes
Flag of the United States
The national flag of the United States of America consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing fifty small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars alternating with rows...

 boxing trunks) to wear during the fight (and tells him to wash them afterwards). Re-energized with Creed shadow-boxing in his corner, Rocky regains his title with a three-round knockout of Lang. After his victory, Creed reveals his favor - a third fight with Rocky (not as a bloody fight between bitter rivals, but as a sparring match between friends). Rocky happily accepts the challenge. The film ends showing each boxer hitting the other at the same time, symbolizing the equality of their greatness.

Rocky IV

In Weathers' final appearance in the film series
Rocky IV
Rocky IV is a 1985 American film written by, directed by, and starring Sylvester Stallone. It is the fourth and most financially successful entry in the Rocky franchise...

, Creed (42 years old), comes out of a five-year retirement to fight mammoth Soviet Olympic boxer Ivan Drago
Ivan Drago
Ivan Drago is a fictional character that appeared as Rocky Balboa's rival in the 1985 film Rocky IV. He is portrayed by Dolph Lundgren. The character and his catchphrases have gone on to inspire multiple mentions in popular culture like Clubber Lang , including in the Family Guy episode "Brian...

, who had come to the United States on behalf of the Soviet Union to enter the world of professional boxing. Not wanting the Soviets to appear superior to American fighters, the patriotic Apollo challenges Drago to an exhibition match, and calls out Drago at the press conference that sets up their exhibition bout at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...

 on August 31, 1985.

Highlighted by a pre-match rendition of "Living in America
Living in America (song)
"Living in America" is a 1985 song composed by Dan Hartman and Charlie Midnight, and performed by James Brown. It was released as a single in 1985 and reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart...

" by James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...

, Apollo enters the arena from a descending scaffold overhead, dancing to the music in his old red, white, and blue Uncle Sam outfit. With Rocky, Duke and Paulie in his corner, Apollo was overly confident that he could dispense of Drago with ease. However, Apollo was not ready for the extreme size and strength of the Russian. After taunting the Russian and landing a number of ineffectual punches, Creed was pummeled badly in the first round. Rocky wanted to stop the fight but Apollo refused. Apollo told Rocky not to stop the fight "no matter what...no matter what!"

By the start of the second round, Drago continued to pummel Creed with ease. Rocky again tried to stop the fight by throwing in the towel. Apollo told Rocky not to stop the fight, giving Drago a chance to deliver a blow (as Rocky dropped the towel causing the fight to stop) that unfortunately killed Apollo who died in Rocky's arms in the middle of the ring. Drago wins by a technical knockout.

Rocky then sets out to avenge Apollo's death by beating Drago in his own country, Russia. He succeeds as the film ends with Rocky Balboa winning the fight by KO in the last round.

Rocky V

After his character's death, Carl Weathers
Carl Weathers
Carl Weathers is an American actor, as well as former professional football player in the United States and Canada. He is best known for playing Apollo Creed in the Rocky series of films...

 departed the franchise after Rocky IV
Rocky IV
Rocky IV is a 1985 American film written by, directed by, and starring Sylvester Stallone. It is the fourth and most financially successful entry in the Rocky franchise...

. After Rocky Balboa defeated Ivan Drago, Apollo's trainer Duke congratulated Rocky by showing that he made everyone proud, especially for Apollo by holding up his red, white, and blue trunks. After the Balboa family came back home to America, Rocky's doctor informed him of his condition and the results from his brain damage, forcing him to retire.

With Creed dead, George Washington Duke, an aspiring boxing promoter, saw this chance for Rocky to get back in the ring and fight a new young fighter, Union Cane. Meanwhile, a novice boxer, Tommy "The Machine" Gunn
Tommy Gunn
Tommy Gunn is a fictional character that appeared as Rocky Balboa's protégé in the 1990 boxing film Rocky V. He is portrayed by real life boxer Tommy Morrison.- Fictional character biography :...

, wanted Rocky to train him and manage his boxing career. Tommy was given Apollo's trunks for luck.
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK