Everything You Need to Know About Apollo Creed

On Tuesday the trailer was released for Creed.  It's the seventh installment in the Rocky franchise that made Sylvester Stallone famous.  This is the first film in the series that Sly didn't write or direct.  Rocky is definitely Stallone's baby but he isn't the only one who had his career launched by the tale of an every-man boxer.  Carl Weathers also made his name in the role of the charismatic and flamboyant champ Apollo Creed.  The new film will focus on Apollo's son Adonis, played by Michael B. Jordan.  Based on the trailer it looks like Apollo's legacy will loom large over the movie so here is a refresher on the Star Spangled "Count of Monte Fisto."

In case you thought flamboyant wasn't the right word.

1. He fought Rocky Balboa

In the original Rocky Apollo Creed is on top of the world.  He's the undisputed heavyweight champion.  Then a fighter backs out and Apollo has the idea to replace him with a genuine underdog as a publicity stunt.  He picks a nobody bum from Philadelphia named Rocky "The Italian Stallion" Balboa (Stallone).  Apollo sees the fight as a show but Rocky sees his one chance to make something of himself.  The champ's hubris is almost his undoing.  Balboa becomes the first person to go all fifteen rounds with Apollo but loses by the judge's decision.

2. He lost to Rocky Balboa

After the two fighters spend some time in the hospital recovering from beating each other in the face repeatedly Apollo starts to feel like his victory is not respected enough.  He gets mail insisting that Rocky should have won.  Although he originally told Rocky there wouldn't be a rematch he changes his mind when his pride is on the line.  Rocky is originally reluctant to get back in the ring and tries to make his way as a Regular Joe.  Eventually he relents to his fighter's instinct and agrees to another match.  Rocky becomes the new champion in a narrow knockout and Apollo loses a match for the first time.

3. He became friends with Rocky Balboa

Remember how weird it was when the person who beat Ken Jennings on Jeopardy lost the next game?  That's kind of what happened when Rocky beat Apollo.  In the beginning of the third movie Rocky loses his title to the tank-shaped monstrosity Clubber Lang, played by Mr. T.  Apollo takes it all surprisingly well.  He offers to help Rocky train to take back the belt, mostly out of interest in his own honor.  Apollo brings his former opponent to the neighborhood gym in L.A. where Creed came up so Rocky can rediscover "the eye of the tiger."  After some swimming and beach running and mild racism Balboa fights Lang again and retakes the title wearing Apollo's hand-me-down shorts.

4. He fought Rocky Balboa again which was kind of a dangerous decision

Apollo asked for a mysterious stipulation as part of his agreement to train Rocky.  In the last scene it is revealed that he wants another rematch.  This one takes place in secret with no one else in the room.  Apollo and Rocky both punch at the same time then the screen freezes and the credits roll.  What followed probably wasn't pretty or safe considering that the first time the two fought they practically killed each other.  They must have pulled their punches a little because the fourth film starts with Rocky arriving at his mansion with little more than a black eye, although he may have been punched forward in time because his son is significantly older than he was in the second movie.  That fight is specifically mentioned in the trailer for Creed.

5. He got killed fighting Ivan Drago

Like Rocky in the second movie Apollo has trouble adjusting to a normal life without boxing.  He decides to come out of retirement to fight a roided up Super-Russian named Ivan Drago played by Dolph Lundgren.  Drago hits Creed with the strength of ten communists.  Apollo refuses to let Rocky (who is in Apollo's corner for very good reasons I'm sure) throw in the towel so Drago communizes him to death.  Rocky takes it upon himself to avenge Apollo so he sets up a match against Drago in Moscow.  He gets help from Apollo's old trainer Duke and climbs a Russian mountain, making him strong enough to defeat Drago then give a speech about change.

6. His absence is somehow not the worst part of the fifth movie

It's seriously a very bad movie.  All you need to know is that Rocky loses all of his money and moves back to his old neighborhood in Philadelphia.

7. Rocky Balboa owns his own business

By the sixth movie Rocky has worked up enough funds and business acumen to open an Italian restaurant.  A geriatric Rocky is shown running a place named Adrian's in Philadelphia when he isn't training to beat down on young folks and taking other troubled youths under his wing.  The restaurant seems to be where Adonis has a conversation with Rocky about Apollo in Creed, beginning a new mentorship.

Fun Fact: Before their first fight Apollo joked that since Rocky is Italian "if he can't fight, I bet he can cook."