Apollo Creed
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Apollo Creed is a fictional character from Sylvester Stallone's Rocky franchise. He appeared in the Rocky series from 1976 to Rocky IV in 1985. He is portrayed by Carl Weathers.
He was best known for his Muhammad Ali-esque personality (on whom he was based) and arrogance. (Creed was called "The Master of Disaster" and reportedly Ali has said that he wished he'd thought of that himself.) Apollo Creed is also from Los Angeles (stated in Rocky III). He was also one of Rocky's opponents. At the beginning of the series, he was the World Heavyweight Boxing Champion.
Originally, Creed was to fight Mac Lee Green on the Bicentennial, but had to find another fighter when Green suffered a severely cracked metacarpal in his right hand. He wants to give a shot to an unknown boxer, and then he reaches upon the name, Rocky Balboa (portrayed by Sylvester Stallone), and decides he wants him to be his opponent. Rocky is a dead-end fight club boxer who works for a loan shark. And he is given a million-to-one shot.
Creed is at the height of his career. No one has gone more than 12 rounds with him (according to Rocky). Apollo Creed nicknames include The Dancing Destroyer, The King of Sting, The Count of Monte Fisto, The Master of Disaster and The One and Only.
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[edit] Rocky
Apollo meets Rocky at a press conference and takes Rocky for a joke, but still respects his capabilities. Rocky doubts himself of beating the champ, but still has a little confidence inside him. The fight is set for January 1, 1976, at the Philadelphia Spectrum. Rocky comes out into the crowd, and gets cheered by the crowd. The crowd goes crazy for Apollo as he enters with his George Washington outfit, throwing money onto the crowd. Rocky and his trainer Mickey look on and make fun of his theatrics.
Apollo enters the ring, and is greeted by former boxing champion Joe Frazier. Frazier makes an appearance because Philadelphia is his hometown. Apollo says to him that he is next. The fight begins and Apollo dances around a couple of times, then starts to jab the face of Rocky. But after a while of punishment, Rocky swings at Apollo with a left hook that knocks down Apollo, who quickly gets back up on his feet and is furious.
From this point on Apollo takes the fight seriously and destroys Rocky completely with numerous roundhouse punches, dozens of shots directly to the head, more blood than would ever be allowed to flow in a title match. However, Rocky broke one of Apollo's ribs in the later rounds, and Apollo was beaten up before he was saved by the final bell.
At the end, Apollo wins (by split decision) but Rocky gains world fame, as he lasted all 15 rounds and became a great true underdog story. Apollo told Rocky he didn't want a rematch with him, but later changed his mind in the next installment.
[edit] Rocky II
The beginning of Rocky II shows the fighters being in an ambulance, being rushed to the hospital, after the brutal fight. In the hospital, Apollo wants to fight Rocky still because he wanted to prove to the world that Rocky could never really beat him. He thought that the final round was just pure luck, and that he (Apollo) could beat him anyday, anytime, anywhere.
Apollo is getting hate mail from some of his former fans, saying he was beaten by Rocky, he was a disgrace to African Americans and that the fight was fixed amongst other things. Apollo's wife can't understand his anger. Even his kids are getting humiliated at school. He really wants to fight Rocky, but found out Rocky has given up to do other jobs. Tony Duke, Apollo's trainer and manager, along with the rest of his camp, advises against the rematch. Creed can see the fear residing in those in his corner, and inquires about it.
Duke approaches Apollo cautiously, and simply states that Rocky Balboa took a serious beating at the hands of the champion, the worst of his whole career and the worst that Apollo's ever dished out, however, Balboa just kept coming after him. Duke states that Balboa's refusal to quit made him all wrong for Apollo, who was used to taking out opponents quickly. He advises Creed to move on, even though he still is a great fighter. Apollo refuses to let it go, and proceeds to humiliate Rocky until he agrees to the rematch.
At the press conference, Apollo shows out as usual and threatens Rocky that he will drop him like a bad habit. Rocky does not really have anything to say, even though he knows Apollo wants him in a rematch worse than he could imagine.
So the fight is set for Thanksgiving 1976. Both fighters train hard. These two are getting ready for the best fight of their careers. Apollo brings along his wife Mary Anne, while Rocky's wife Adrian is at home watching it on television. She afraid for her husband, but Mary Anne thinks that her husband will retain the title and go home happy. Apollo enters the ring wearing red and white trunks, while Rocky comes out wearing black and yellow. The fight is set for a brutal 15 rounds.
When the match starts, Apollo seems to take it seriously, even though he was playing around with Rocky in the first bout. He hammers Rocky with hard right jabs to the head round after round. Rocky is very low on the scorecard. Adrian is afraid for him. After a few rounds of brutal punishment from Apollo, Rocky comes with some hits of his own. Rocky begins to hammer Apollo in the head and ribs. Apollo quickly rebounds and the fight continues, back and forth, until the final round.
As the final round begins, both men are beaten and exhausted. Rocky scores a massive haymaker on the champion, but loses his balance and both fighters hit the canvas. The referee counts, as the two boxers try to come to their feet. Rocky gets up struggling, as Apollo tries to get up by the ropes, but falls down at the very last second. Rocky Balboa is declared champion.
Apollo Creed finally swallows his pride and applauds Balboa. Rocky gives a heart warming speech after the match about his victory. He thanks Apollo for fighting him twice, Mickey for training him, his wife Adrian, and God for having granted him the victory saying that with the sole exception of Rocky Junior's birth, the victory is the greatest thing that ever happened to him.
[edit] Rocky III
Three years into retirement, Apollo is a special guest commentator at Rocky's 11th title defense against Clubber Lang, played by Mr. T. He is much more humble and upbeat about seeing Rocky take on a serious challenger in Lang. Apollo's presence is announced, and he enters the ring to shake hands with both opponents. As he approaches Clubber with an outstretched hand, it is quickly batted away, and Lang insults Creed for being a has-been and for having lost to Balboa. He challenges him as well. Creed shrugs off the encounter and approaches Rocky, telling him to drop the chump.
After watching Rocky lose in only two rounds and after hearing that he lost his trainer Mickey Goldmill, he confronts Balboa in Philadelphia in regards to a plan he has to get his former opponent the title back. Rocky travels with Apollo to his hometown of Los Angeles and reunite with his former trainer Duke (Tony Burton). And he also tries to pump Rocky back up for a rematch. Rocky doesn't have much confidence having still suffering from Mickey's death. But after hard exercises and intense training, Apollo helps Rocky get his "Eye Of The Tiger" spirit back. However, well intentioned it is, he wants more to leave his mark in the ring, which probably was the reason why he convinced Rocky to enter the ring in the rematch to the Marine Corps Hymn and wearing his signature red white and blue trunks (as he did in his first match against Rocky). He also wants a favor from Rocky.
Apollo and Clubber almost come to blows again after Creed tells him to stay out of his face and proceeds to turn his back to him, only to be shoved. A brawl nearly ensues. However the ring clears, and the fight eventually starts. With Apollo's technique (which he only uses for one fight) Rocky wins in 3 rounds, and Apollo finally gets what he wanted; a third, friendly and untelevised match against Balboa. It is unclear who won, but implied that they stalemated.
[edit] Rocky IV
Apollo watches as Soviet champion Ivan Drago arrives in the States with very much hype and issues a challenge to Rocky Balboa. He decides, in a meeting later that day at Rocky's house, to face Drago, even against Adrian and (initially) Rocky's wishes.
While watching his rematch against Balboa, Creed makes a statement suggesting that he wants to get back in the ring for the fame, and that he's too young to retire (as he did in Rocky III). He says that he and Rocky are warriors, and that without a war (opponent), then the warrior (himself) might as well be dead. Apollo suggests that Rocky wouldn't understand because he is still the champion. In the end, Rocky reluctantly agrees to train him.
At the press conference, Apollo shows flashes of his old self, confident and assured that he'll win. When Ludmilla Drago, Ivan's wife, makes the comment that Ivan will win, things get out of hand. A near-scuffle ensues, with Drago shoving Apollo into Rocky's arms and nearly taking the entire American camp off of their feet, and Apollo vows to finish everything in the ring.
Fight night comes, and against Rocky's wishes, Apollo carries on with the fight, stating again that Rocky will understand the position Apollo's in when it's over (The position being that he is a fighter no matter what, and has to do what he does best. This is the basis for Rocky VI).
Apollo enters the ring to James Brown's "Livin' in America", wearing a variant of the outfit he wore in his first fight against Rocky Balboa. His entrance is gallant, and he even taunts Drago during the fact up to when the referee gives the instructions.
The fight starts. Apollo slips once, but is in overall good form. He wins the first half of the opening round, but suddenly Drago begins to pummel him up to the bell. In the corner, Rocky and the entire corner advises Apollo to quit the match. Apollo declines and makes Rocky promise him that he won't throw in the towel "No matter what." The second round begins with Apollo dancing around as usual, only managing to land one jab. Drago then pummels him about again. Apollo's old trainer Duke tells Rocky to throw in a towel. Rocky picks up the towel and was about to throw it, but even while taking a beating, Apollo is urging Rocky not to stop it. Therefore, after seeing Apollo being viciously beaten, Rocky accidentally drops the towel. Drago continues to beat Apollo until he lands a final haymaker, putting Apollo Creed on the canvas for the last time. Apollo's wife Mary Anne is at ringside, horrified at the sight of the Russian fighter having killed her husband.
Reporters, TV cameras, and various medical persons swarm the ring immediately after Creed falls, effectively ending the fight as Creed convulses. He dies in Rocky Balboa's arms.
Apollo Creed's record (based on his ring intro in Rocky) was 47-1, both his final win and loss being to Rocky Balboa. The fatal one to Ivan Drago does not count since it was only an exhibition.
At Apollo's funeral, several of Apollo's former opponents and trainers show up to mourn his death. Rocky gives the eulogy and promises that he will avenge his death by fighting the Russian himself.
| Preceded by: unknown |
Rocky Championship Boxers winner {{{years}}} |
Succeeded by: Rocky Balboa |
[edit] External links
- BalboaPension.Org - parody-based fan fiction on the life and times of Apollo Creed's friend, Rocky Balboa.
| Rocky Series |
|---|
| Rocky | Rocky II | Rocky III | Rocky IV | Rocky V | Rocky Balboa |
| Characters |
| Rocky Balboa | Apollo Creed | Clubber Lang Ivan Drago | Tommy Gunn | Mason Dixon |
