Robert "Rocky" Balboa (born 6 July 1945), nicknamed The Italian Stallion, was an Italian-American professional boxer, restaurant owner, and boxing trainer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He became famous on 1 January 1976 after becoming the first boxer to be able to stand up to the heavyweight world champion Apollo Creed for 15 rounds; in a rematch later that year, Balboa defeated Creed by knockout, and he retained the title of world heavyweight champion until Clubber Lang defeated him by knockout in 1981. In 1982, he won a rematch against Lang and reclaimed the title of world champion, defeating Soviet World Amateur Champion Ivan Drago in 1985. He retired that same year, although he returned to the media spotlight after beating his former protégé Tommy Gunn in a highly-publicized street fight in 1986. After the death of his wife in 2002, Balboa opened a restaurant named in her honor, "Adrian's", and, in 2006, he briefly came out of retirement for an exhibition match against Mason Dixon, which Dixon won, although Balboa was able to again prove to the world that he was no joke. In 2015, he served as trainer to Apollo Creed's son Adonis Creed, creating a new and loyal protégé.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Balboa as a child
Robert Balboa was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 6 July 1945, the only child in a working-class, Catholic Italian-American family. Balboa was raised in South Philadelphia, and he learned to understand Italian from his family, although he only spoke English. Balboa attended church and, after he owned his own apartment, he hung a crucifix at his house. During his childhood, Balboa was told by his father that he was not born with the sharpest brain, so he would have to use his body to make his way in life. This encouraged Balboa to take up boxing, and he assumed the ring name "Rocky" after his idol, Rocky Marciano.
Club fighting career[]
Rocky and Tony Gazzo in 1975
Balboa fought in amateur club fights while working on the side as a loan collector for Philadelphia crime family loanshark Tony Gazzo; his club fights were often low-paying and infrequent. On 25 November 1975, he defeated Spider Rico in a match at Kensington, but, after being taxed by the club, his winnings were just $40. A day later, Gazzo had him collect $200 from Bob Hartigan, but Balboa refused to break Hartigan's thumbs on Gazzo's instructions when Hartigan gave him just $130.
Balboa later got lucky when world heavyweight champion Apollo Creed visited Philadelphia ahead of the Bicentennial celebrations, intending on setting up an exhibition match between him and a struggling boxer to give a "nobody" a chance to become a "somebody", mirroring the American Dream and the spirit of the celebrations. He chose Balboa, nicknamed "the Italian Stallion", as he remembered how Christopher Columbus was also an Italian who contributed greatly to America. Balboa did not know that Creed intended to have a one-sided fight, but he decided to train, and his former gym trainer Mickey Goldmill - who had recently evicted Balboa from his gym after six years due to his troublesome activities and his "apeish" fighting style - convinced Balboa to allow him to train him for the fight.
Balboa vs. Creed[]
Balboa began training with Goldmill, and, at the same time, he began dating Adrian Pennino, the younger sister of his drinking buddy Paulie Pennino, and an employee at a pet store which he frequented. The two of them provided moral support for each other, and Balboa decided that, even if he did not win against Creed, he would want to go the distance. Balboa undertook intense training with Goldmill, even famously running up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and celebrating upon reaching the top, having finally increased his speed and become prepared for the fight.
On 1 January 1976, Balboa had his fight with Creed at the Philadelphia Spectrum in a highly-televised event. In the first round, Creed was knocked down for the first time in his life, and Creed retaliated by breaking Rocky's nose. Creed realized that, while Rocky did not have his skill, he had powerful punches. Balboa survived several intense rounds, and, in the 14th round, Balboa broke Creed's ribs right before the round ended. Balboa survived all fifteen rounds, impressing everyone, but Creed won by split decision.
Both combatants agreed that there would be no rematch, but Balboa was seen by some as the true winner, as he was able to survive all fifteen rounds against the world champion.