Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) fought more fights in Rocky III than any other movie in the Rocky franchise. Written and directed by Sylvester Stallone, Rocky III successfully revitalized the style and energy of the Rocky movies for the 1980s. In Rocky III, Balboa was the heavyweight champion of the world and faced a fearsome new challenger, Clubber Lang (Mr. T), who forced Rocky to regain his missing “Eye of the Tiger.”
Rocky III soft-rebooted the franchise dramatically as well as aesthetically. After five years as heavyweight champion, Rocky Balboa was now a wealthy and popular champion and celebrity. Rocky also physically remade himself to be more muscular and chiseled, and the former “bum” from Philadelphia was smarter, too. Rocky III upended Balboa’s life by killing off his manager, Mickey Goldmill (Burgess Meredith). Rocky’s former rival, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), stepped in as Balboa’s new trainer and best friend. But Rocky III’s fights are perhaps the biggest departure from before.
Rocky Fought 14 Fights In Rocky III But We Only Saw 3
Balboa Even Fought A Boxer Vs. Wrestler Match
Rocky Balboa fought four times in Rocky III, more than in any other Rocky movie. Rocky’s record in Rocky III is 1-2-1 among the fights seen in the film. Balboa went to a draw in a charity boxer vs. wrestler match with Thunderlips (Hulk Hogan), the heavyweight wrestling champion. Rocky was then knocked out in two rounds and lost the heavyweight тιтle to Clubber. In their rematch, Rocky regained the тιтle by knocking out Clubber in three rounds. Rocky and Apollo then began a private fight to end Rocky III. Years later, in Creed, Rocky admitted that Apollo won their secret fight.
However, Rocky III also began with a montage after the opening flashback of how Balboa knocked out Apollo Creed to win the heavyweight championship in Rocky II. Rocky III’s montage showed clips of some of Balboa’s тιтle defense victories from 1977-1981. Rocky III later established that Balboa won ten тιтle defenses in the five years he was champion. Adding those fights, the total fight count in Rocky III is 14, and Rocky’s record in Sylvester Stallone’s threequel is 11-2-1.
Rocky III Broke The Franchise’s Fight Tradition
Rocky III Had Rocky’s Shortest Fights Ever
As part of Rocky III‘s overhaul, the threequel also has the shortest fights of the Rocky movies (not counting the climactic street fight between Rocky and Tommy Gunn (Tommy Morrison) in Rocky V). Rocky’s wild brawl with Thunderlips only lasted a few chaotic minutes. Rocky vs. Clubber I was a short two-round humiliation of Balboa. In their rematch, Rocky came back and smashed Clubber in an efficient three rounds. It’s unknown how long Rocky’s secret fight with Apollo lasted, but it could have gone their usual 15 rounds.
Rocky and Rocky II established the Rocky movie tradition of 15-round epic fights. Both Rocky vs. Apollo тιтle fights went a grueling 15 rounds. Rocky vs. Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) in Rocky IV was a superhuman effort that also went a full 15 rounds before “The Italian Stallion” knocked out the imposing Russian. Rocky’s final fight of his career in Rocky Balboa went the full 10 rounds in a loss to heavyweight champion Mason Dixon (Antonio Tarver) by split decision.
Rocky’s Rematch With Clubber Lang Is His Best Ever Movie Fight
Rocky Was Never More Dominant In The Ring
Rocky Balboa’s тιтle matches with Apollo Creed are legendary, and Rocky’s war with Ivan Drago may be Balboa’s greatest victory, but Rocky’s hyperkinetic rematch with Clubber Lang was the best “The Italian Stallion” ever fought. Born again from regaining “The Eye of the Tiger,” Rocky revolutionized his fighting style in the mold of Apollo Creed’s. Leaner and faster, Rocky was on a mission to break Clubber Lang down quickly, capitalizing on the “Southside Slugger’s” weaknesses: his overconfidence and lack of endurance.
Rocky III is the only time Balboa was so dominant in the ring.
Rocky Balboa not going 15 rounds against Clubber and knocking him out in three made Rocky even more of a superhero. Rocky was angrier and more aggressive than he ever was before, and Balboa also trash-talked more than in any other Rocky movie. Rocky’s taunts – “You ain’t so bad!” – did the trick and provoked Lang to fall into Rocky’s rope-a-dope trap. Rocky III is the only time Balboa was so dominant in the ring, and it was one of the defining victories of Rocky’s legendary career.
