History ShoutOut / Rocky

* Rocky is also a [[SouthpawAdvantage southpaw]] tank like "Marvelous" [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvelous_Marvin_Hagler Marvin Hagler]]. He even [[IAmNotLeftHanded switches stances]] like Hagler in ''Film/RockyII''.

* The second Rocky vs. Apollo fight, on the other hand, is a shout-out to the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybst6CAzXCo second LaMotta vs. Robinson fight]].[[note]]Both fights had the undefeated black champion taste their first defeat in the hands of a white Italian-American fighter because the bewildered champ couldn't keep the [[{{Determinator}} unstoppable challenger]] at bay despite doling out a [[HowMuchMoreCanHeTake tremendous amount of punishment]] unto him, leading to the victor [[EnduranceDuel outlasting his opponent]].[[/note]]
* The second Rocky vs. Apollo fight can also be considered akin to the first Ali vs. Frazier fight (the second Ali vs. Frazier fight was more of a clinching match on Ali's part).[[note]]Both fights featured the outboxer (Apollo/Ali) having trouble keeping the swarmer (Rocky/Frazier) at bay, such that even though they roughly unloaded the same amount of punishment against each other, the swarmer ended up winning by being able to handle the punches better.[[/note]]

* There are too many real-life examples of [[CasualtyInTheRing in-ring boxing deaths]] for [[SacrificialLion Apollo's demise]] in the hands of [[KnightOfCerebus Ivan Drago]] to have a specific shout-out. Here's a few of the most noteworthy ones.
** The most recent one at the time ''Rocky IV'' was filmed was [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Duk-koo Duk-Koo Kim's]] [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Duk-koo#Mancini_match death]] after losing to [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Mancini Ray Mancini]] by TKO in the 14[[superscript:th]] round of their bout in 1982.[[note]]This tragedy resulted in many [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Duk-koo#Boxing_rule_changes boxing rule changes]], including shortening the standard 15-round bout to 12 rounds.[[/note]]
** [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benny_Paret Benny Paret]] suffered fatal head injuries in his [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benny_Paret_vs._Emile_Griffith_III third bout]] with [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emile_Griffith Emile Griffith]] on March 24, 1962.[[note]]Griffith landed twenty-nine consecutive punches before Paret fell through the ropes and the referee called a TKO.[[/note]]
** On the night before Sugar Ray Robinson fought [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Doyle_(boxer) Jimmy Doyle]] in 1947, he dreamed he killed his opponent with a single left hook. Sure enough, that was [[DreamingOfThingsToCome what happened]] in the actual fight.[[note]]Robinson then gave the earnings of his next four fights to Doyle's mother after he found out that Doyle--who fought in Cleveland because the California boxing commission wouldn't sanction him--was pushing himself to fight despite suffering from heavy knockout defeats to buy his mother a house.[[/note]]
** There's also [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Baer_(boxer) Max Baer]] of ''Film/CinderellaMan'' fame who ended up killing opponent [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Baer_(boxer)#Frankie_Campbell Frankie Campbell]] by accident back in 1930. This earned Baer the reputation of being a [[TheDreaded cold-blooded killer]] in the ring.

* Many [[InTheBlood famous boxers]] had [[LegacyCharacter progeny or relatives]] that [[MirrorCharacter followed their footsteps]] like [[WellDoneSonGuy Adonis]] [[DeadGuyJunior Creed]] did with his late father [[TurnOutLikeHisFather Apollo]] in ''Film/{{Creed}}''. Adonis serves as a shout-out to these [[GenerationXerox second-generation]] or [[BadassFamily family legacy]] boxers, which includes the following:

* [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Dempsey Jack Dempsey]] [[DavidVersusGoliath knocking out the giant]] [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jess_Willard Jess Willard]] looks a lot like Rocky knocking out Drago in the final stanza of their bout.

* Many [[InTheBlood famous boxers]] had [[LegacyCharacter progeny or relatives]] that [[MirrorCharacter followed their footsteps]] like [[WellDoneSonGuy Adonis]] [[DeadGuyJunior Creed]] did with his late father [[TurnOutLikeHisFather Apollo]] in ''Film/{{Creed}}''. Adonis serves as a shout-out to these [[GenerationXerox second-generation]] or [[BadassFamily familial legacy]] boxers, which includes the following:

** On the night before Sugar Ray Robinson fought [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Doyle_(boxer) Jimmy Doyle]] in 1947, he dreamed he killed his opponent with a single left hook. Sure enough, that was [[DreamingOfThingsToCome what happened]] in the [[YourWorstNightmare actual fight]].[[note]]Robinson then gave the earnings of his next four fights to Doyle's mother after he found out that Doyle--who fought in Cleveland because the California boxing commission wouldn't sanction him--was pushing himself to fight despite suffering from heavy knockout defeats to buy his mother a house.[[/note]]

** That particular exchange is visually reminiscent of the one between Majin Vegeta and Super Saiyan 2 Goku in ''Anime/DragonBallZ'' (among other similar exchanges throughout the series).
** However, [[WordOfGod Michael B. Jordan]] specifically points out that it's actually an [[{{Homage}} homage]] to the cross-counter performed between Naruto and Sasuke in ''[[Manga/{{Naruto}} Shippuden]]''.

** However, [[WordOfGod Michael B. Jordan]] specifically points out that it's actually an homage to the cross-counter performed between Naruto and Sasuke in ''[[Manga/{{Naruto}} Shippuden]]''.

* As for ''Hajime no Ippo'', its influences on the movie can be seen by how the fights are presented like the anime version of the series, such as its use of internal monologue and emphasis on the impact of every strike like the sweat leaving Donnie's back after taking Dame's gut punch (on top of Donnie again doing Volg's White Fang).
** Damien "Diamond Dame" Anderson's weight shift from one leg to the other as he did ambidextrous left and right hooks on Felix "El Guerrero" Chavez is reminiscent of Ippo's Dempsey Roll but without the figure-eight head movement or the bobbing and weaving motion of his upper body.

** However, Jordan points out that it's actually an homage to the cross-counter performed between Naruto and Sasuke in ''[[Manga/{{Naruto}} Shippuden]]''.

** In an [[https://www.ign.com/articles/michael-b-jordan-creed-3-fights-were-inspired-by-anime-including-a-dragon-ball-z-punch IGN interview]], Michael B. Jordan referred to [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykyNwBiL2d8 various anime]] to make this film's fights feel distinct from the previous films. He specifically mentioned deriving inspiration from boxing anime like ''Hajime no Ippo'' and ''Anime/MegaloBox'' (a modern retelling of ''Ashita no Joe'') as well as popular shonen series like ''Naruto'', ''Manga/DragonBall'', and ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia''.

* ''Film/CreedIII'' does indeed feature quite a number of anime and manga homages, including the signature CrossCounter exchange between two rivals.
** Those particular punches also appear like the ones thrown between Majin Vegeta and Super Saiyan 2 Goku in ''Anime/DragonBallZ''.

* ''Film/CreedIII'' does indeed feature quite a number of anime and manga homages, including the signature CrossCounter [[https://imgur.com/a/qRldjp6 exchange]] between two rivals.

** In any case, all three are [[PopCulturalOsmosis (directly or indirectly) referencing]] the ubiquitous anime cross-counter trope popularized by the iconic ''[[Manga/TomorrowsJoe Ashita no Joe]]'' boxing series from the 1970s.

** In any case, all three are [[PopCulturalOsmosis referencing]] the ubiquitous anime cross-counter trope popularized by the iconic ''[[Manga/TomorrowsJoe Ashita no Joe]]'' boxing series from the 1970s.

* Like in ''Rocky III'', Adonis was (almost) defeated by the superior Viktor the same way Clubber steamrolled over Rocky in a few rounds due to them being a [[TacticalRockPaperScissors bad style matchup]]. Rocky then trained Donnie (the same way his father Apollo trained Rocky) to properly change his style to better deal with his rival's style in the rematch.

* Like in ''Rocky III'', Adonis was (almost) defeated by the superior Viktor the same way Clubber steamrolled over Rocky in a few rounds as a [[[[TacticalRockPaperScissors bad style matchup]]. Rocky then trained Donnie (the same way his father Apollo trained Rocky) to properly change his style to better deal with his rival's style in the rematch.

* Like in ''Rocky III'', Donnie was (almost) defeated by the superior Viktor the same way Clubber Lang steamrolled over Rocky. He then got trained by Rocky (the same way his father Apollo trained Rocky) in order to properly change his style in order to better deal with his rival in the rematch.

* There are quite a number of [[CallBack call-backs]] to the Rocky films in Creed, many of which have just become dyed-in-the-wool staples of the franchise like Donnie's version of the TrainingMontage[[note]]with him jogging in Philly, doing jump rope, bouncing around a speed bag, doing one-handed push-ups like Rocky, running up and down hospital steps during Rocky's chemotherapy, and chasing after chickens to build speed[[/note]].

* There are quite a number of [[CallBack call-backs]] to the Rocky films in Creed, many of which have just become dyed-in-the-wool staples of the franchise like Donnie's version of the TrainingMontage, with him jogging in Philly, doing jump rope, bouncing around a speed bag, doing one-handed push-ups like Rocky, running up and down hospital steps during Rocky's chemotherapy, and chasing after chickens to build speed.

* There are quite a number of [[CallBack call-backs]] to the Rocky films in Creed, many of which have just become dyed-in-the-wool staples of the franchise like Donnie's version of the TrainingMontage and chasing chickens to build speed.

** Joe Frazier himself has complained that specific elements of his life were [[https://screenrant.com/rocky-movies-joe-frazier-reaction-sad-reason/ copied]] [[{{Plagiarism}} wholesale]] by the first film without his permission[[note]](like the iconic [[ImprovisedTraining "Rocky using a slab of slaughterhouse meat as a sandbag"]])[[/note]] and he wasn't credited for them at all.

* Donnie's room in a 2002 flashback is filled with anime memorabilia. Michael B. Jordan confirms that the scene was drawn from his own experiences as a fan of anime growing up.

* In ''[[Film/RockyIII Rocky III]]'', the exhibition fight between Rocky Balboa and [[Wrestling/HulkHogan Thunderlips]] is a shout-out to the exhibition match (the birth of [[UsefulNotes/MixedMartialArts MMA]], arguably) between Muhammad Ali and Wrestling/AntonioInoki. Perhaps it might also reference Ali's fight with Wrestling/GorillaMonsoon (although that one was a [[KayFabe staged fight]]).

** However, Jordan points out that it's actually an homage to the cross-counter performed between Naruto and Sasuke in ''Shippuden''.

** In an [[https://www.ign.com/articles/michael-b-jordan-creed-3-fights-were-inspired-by-anime-including-a-dragon-ball-z-punch IGN interview]], Michael B. Jordan referred to [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykyNwBiL2d8 various anime]] to make this film's fights feel distinct from the previous films. He specifically mentioned deriving inspiration from boxing anime like ''Hajime no Ippo'' and ''Anime/MegaloBox'' (a modern retelling of ''Ashita no Joe'') as well as popular shonen series like ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'', ''Manga/DragonBall'', and ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia''.