Apollo Creed
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Apollo Creed is a fictional character from the Rocky film series. He is portrayed by Carl Weathers.
Hailing from Los Angeles, Creed was well-known for his flamboyant personality, similar to that of Muhammad Ali. As of 1976, when the first film took place, he was the World Heavyweight Boxing Champion.
Originally, Creed was to fight Mac Lee Green on January 1, 1976, but had to find another opponent when Green suffered a broken right hand. Creed decided an unknown local fighter a chance at his title. He selected Rocky Balboa based on his nickname, the Italian Stallion.
Despite his flamboyant public persona and hardheaded character, Apollo is shown as being privately a gracious competitor, as well as a very savvy and intelligent businessman. His decision to fight Rocky in the first movie is part of a Bicentennial-themed publicity stunt that Apollo describes as "very smart". Apollo and Rocky later become close friends as Apollo trains and manages Rocky to fight a rematch against Clubber Lang in Rocky III.
At the time of his fight with Balboa, Creed was 46-0 with all wins by way of knockout. Indeed, no opponent had ever lasted more than twelve rounds with Creed.
Creed's nicknames include The Dancing Destroyer, The King of Sting, The Count of Monte Fisto, and The Master of Disaster.
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[edit] Rocky
In the press leading up to their first fight, Creed took Balboa lightly, viewing the bout as more of a spectacle than a real contest. This attitude was best evidenced by Creed's flamboyant ring entrance where he dressed as both George Washington and Uncle Sam.
However, in the first round Balboa managed to catch Creed off guard, knocking the champ down for the first time in his career.
Creed quickly recovered and began to establish himself in the first. Balboa proved to me a more difficult opponent than anticipated, though, and both fighters began to wear down in the later rounds.
By the 14th round Balboa had a broken nose and severe facial swelling. Creed had sustained broken ribs and was bleeding internally but he managed to knock Balboa down.
Shortly before the final round, Creed's corner nearly stopped the fight but the champion insisted he finish the fight. With the two fighters clutching as the final bell sounded Creed declared there would be no rematch.
Ultimately, Creed won the bout by split decision in his first professional fight to go the distance.
[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. Tony himself tells Apollo "He's all wrong for us baby. I saw you beat that man, like I never saw no man get beat before, and the man kept coming after you. Now we don't need that kind of man in our life."
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 at the Philadelphia Spectrum. 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 is 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 turns to Rocky, telling him to do boxing "a favor and to drop this chump."
After watching Rocky lose in only two rounds and hearing he lost his trainer Mickey Goldmill to a heart attack, 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, still feeling the loss of Mickey. 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 favour 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 private match against Balboa in Mickey's old gym. It is unclear who won, but in Rocky IV it was implied that they stalemated.
[edit] Rocky IV
Apollo watches at home as Soviet champion Ivan Drago arrives in the States with his entourage amidst much hype and issues a challenge to Rocky Balboa. He decides, in a meeting later that day at Rocky's house, to face Drago in an exhibition match, even against Adrian and (initially) Rocky's wishes.
While watching a video of their second fight together, Creed makes a statement to Rocky suggesting he wants to get back in the ring for the fame, and he's too young to retire (as he did in Rocky III). He says 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. 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 Balboa).
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, but is in overall good form. He wins the first half of the opening round, but suddenly Drago slams him with a viscous right cross, and begins to pummel him mercilessly up to the bell.
In the corner, Rocky and the entire corner advises Apollo to quit the match. Apollo refuses 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 brutally beats 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. 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 career record (based on his ring intro in Rocky) was 47 wins no draws and 1 defeat, 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 friend's death by fighting the Russian himself.
[edit] Popular Culture
In The Simpsons episode "The Springfield Files", Homer Simpson mistook Apollo Creed as the first man to land on the moon. Homer had (in his own usual manner) confused him with the Apollo spacecraft, which was used in the 1969 moon landings.
Apollo Creed also was mentioned by Michael Scott, the fictional boss in The Office television show on NBC, as a black man he would trust more than Jesus, in the season 3 episode, "The Convict."
[edit] External links
- BalboaPension.Org - parody-based fan fiction on the life and times of Apollo Creed's friend, Rocky Balboa.
- Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame Apollo Creed For Losing To 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 |
| Related Articles |
| Boxing | The Distance | "Southpaw" World Heavyweight Championship |
