MovieChat Forums > Rocky III (1982) Discussion > Had Mick not suffered a heart attack...

Had Mick not suffered a heart attack...

posted 14 years ago by MakoKiller
49 replies | jump to latest

Would Rocky have stood a chance at winning the first bout with Lang?

Ok so Rocky took quite a beating in round 1 of the fight and may I add this was mainly due to being emotional and neglecting any kind of tactics. He went out there with the intention to destroy and to destroy quickly.

If Rocky had Mick in his corner giving him advice and encouragment would this have saved Rocky from losing his title or even losing so emphatically?

Rocky looked in fantastic shape despite not training properly. Mick would have forced him to switch on and summon his heart and fighting spirit. We may have seen a different man come out in round 2.

[–] steve-613-659125 14 years ago

Rocky had lost his edge, his hunger, and in that would have been defeated anyway. The passion to win & prove oneself can be more powerful than a dozen strategists or cheerleaders.

[–] jsn_hylnd 12 years ago

Definitely not since his training was pure amateur for the fight.

[–] koffeenkreame41-1 9 years ago

Rocky had lost his edge, his hunger, and in that would have been defeated anyway. The passion to win & prove oneself can be more powerful than a dozen strategists or cheerleaders.

This. Apollo tells him this much later.

"I'm the ultimate badass,you do NOT wanna f-ck wit me!"Hudson,Aliens😬

[–] stevenackerman69 13 years ago

Well, that was what made it hard for Rocky to concentrate on the first fight. He might've still lost, but not in just 2 rounds. Let's say 7 or 8. Or maybe he still would've won. Of course, then the film would've ended there. They needed to do it this way. Same thing in Rocky 4.

[–] The_Keeper_of_Angela_Baker 13 years ago

I don't know... Mick should've at least survived. How awesome would it have been to see Mick and Apollo bickering back and forth while training Rocky for the rematch?

[–] stevenackerman69 13 years ago

Then Apollo wouldn't be needed for the rematch.

[–] The_Keeper_of_Angela_Baker 13 years ago

Yeah he would've. Apollo would have been needed to train Rocky in a new style. Mick's style obviously wasn't effective against Clubber Lang.

[–] stevenackerman69 12 years ago

It was effective. The problem was that Rocky didn't take the training seriously.

[–] jsn_hylnd 9 years ago

Not against Clubber.

[–] movie_fan59 13 years ago

Rocky wouldn't have lost in 2 rounds but he would have lost and decisively. Remember, Mickey felt from the get-go that Rocky would not be able to defeat Lang. "You can't win, Rock. This guy will knock you into tomorrow."

Mickey only agreed to train Rocky because of Rocky's pleading and promise to live in the gym. A promise he didn't keep. He had lost the hunger, lost the passion and the desire that make a champion what he is.

Whether or not Mick made it to the corner, Rocky was on his way to losing that first fight.

[–] Huskie_Jon 13 years ago

I think Rocky could have gone 10 or more rounds.

Rocky seemed to have a winning strategy vs Clubber at first, until Clubber started connecting with his hooks. Paulie had no advice for Rocky on that.

If Mick had been there, Rocky's head would still be in the game. Mick could have told him to keep his guard up when Clubber started swinging. He might have noticed a flaw in Clubber's fighting style, and helped Rocky exploit it.

On the other hand, if Rocky had been properly trained and prepared for the fight, Mick might not need to give as much strategy during the fight.

_______________
A dope trailer is no place for a kitty.

[–] dan7800 13 years ago

I think it'd have been a hell of a fight. True, Rocky had lost his desire to an extent, but he could still hit hard and would have been in the fight mentally. It's been proven that Rocky can take a beating. Nobody knows if Clubber can. if they were swapping punches for 6 or 7 rounds like they did in the 1st, then who knows?

[–] scabab 13 years ago

I dont think he would have won anyway, he only trained half heartedly to begin with. Rocky from the Apollo rematch would have probably lost aswell, if Apollo could knock him down twice by Round 2 then he wouldnt have stood a chance against Lang.

[–] col547 12 years ago

Of course Clubber can take a beating.Rocky came out and gave Clubber at least 12 or 13 punches to his face and body and the hits weren't doing anything.Once Clubber hit Rocky just a few times Rocky felt them.

Same thing happened in the rematch.Clubber didn't touch Rocky in the first round or the beginning of the second but Rocky's punches weren't doing anything.Clubber was more frustrated than anything.But once Clubber layed into Rocky he felt the blows.Clubber was deadly,he could take it and dish it out.The only way Rocky could beat him was by blocking and dodging his punches to wear him out,and then Clubber started to feel the hits.

[–] dlyskes1976 13 years ago

I still think Rocky would of lost... Probably in 3 or 4 rounds, especially with the beating he was taking trying to go head to head with him.

if you remember when Apollo and Duke are watching the videos on Clubber, they say their max is 7 or 8 rounds @ when they are training him. And I thought there was something said about Clubber not going over X amount of rounds in any of his fights...

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Huskie_Jon 13 years ago

Rocky obviously had an inflated perception of himself, and even if he had a healthy Mick in his corner and found a way to beat Clubber, it was just a matter of time before someone else put him in his place.

_______________
A dope trailer is no place for a kitty.

[–] Cold_In_Space 13 years ago

Had Mick not died, I would rate this film a lot higher than I do now.

There's no room for pity in this business, babe.

[–] corywiththet 13 years ago

Well, that's how it was, Mick was suffering from bad health and didn't have too long to go. @Huskie Jon, Rocky had an inflated perception of himself? oh wow, like Clubber didn't. Clubber was the punk who needed to be put in his place, and thanks to Apollo, Rocky was able to. All he did was run his mouth and talk about how he was the baddest man in the world.

[–] slimdave_v1 13 years ago

To be 100% honest I think Clubber would have worn himself out ... yes Rocky would have been put down a few times but Mickeys death was the instrumental factor of Rocky losing the fight.

[–] ss5mmyers 13 years ago

The fight might have been longer, but Rocky would have lost. He hadn't had any real opponents and didn't train efficiently as before. His drive had been diminished since he had attained the championship.

[–] slimdave_v1 13 years ago

Hmmmmmm maybe but not convinced, the only fighter which took Rocky to the Limit was Creed the unsung opponant !

[–] jsn_hylnd 11 years ago

And he backed it up successfully too. Lol fail.

[–] JarJarRocks 13 years ago

I figure he wouldn't have won, because he wasn't "hungry" enough. Clubber Lang was way more determined and focused. Rocky was like Appollo in Rocky 1, too cocky. But obviously, it wouldn't have been over in 2 rounds.

[–] koffeenkreame41-1 9 years ago

I figure he wouldn't have won, because he wasn't "hungry" enough. Clubber Lang was way more determined and focused. Rocky was like Appollo in Rocky 1, too cocky. But obviously, it wouldn't have been over in 2 rounds.

This. Apollo was right, Rock had lost his edge.

"I'm the ultimate badass,you do NOT wanna f-ck wit me!"Hudson,Aliens😬

[–] adders21 13 years ago

personally i still think rocky would of lost, probably not so easily and so early on. i think mickey knew clubber was to good for rocky, thats why he felt threatend by him and chose easier opponents for rocky to fight so he could keep the title for longer. rocky hadnt lost it as such, he just lost his edge abit, clubber was young and had the eye of the tiger.

[–] depaul_rules 13 years ago

He would have lost. As stated he didn't seem to train all that hard, and didn't have the "eye of the tiger" as Apollo Creed indicated.

[–] Milkdoesabodygood 12 years ago

Fugg that ghetto blaster punk jive azz talker clubber lang, he got clubbed.

[–] jsn_hylnd 12 years ago

I think Rocky would have lost anyway because remember Clubber Lang's fists were like bricks. Whether or not he would have trained hard in the first bout he was still under the direction of Mickey, not Apollo, who had never trained Rocky to be a boxer. Remember in his fights with Apollo Rocky pretty much left his face open the entire fights because Rocky could take it and Apollo tired himself out and that was Rocky's strategy and Apollo kind of lacked in strength. Rocky could never take that kind of beating from Clubber who was a lot stronger than Apollo. I do agree with the poster that said it wouldn't be over in two rounds I'm just saying it still would have been over, for Rocky, eventually.

[–] jsn_hylnd 12 years ago

Also, remember when Bill Baldwin states that they both have the same fighting style with the edge and power going to Clubber Lang. Basically Rocky would have lost anyway because Clubber was a lot stronger.

[–] jsn_hylnd 9 years ago

Actually, Rocky got rocked.

[–] stanleyhetz 12 years ago

Would Rocky have stood a chance at winning the first bout with Lang?

Ok so Rocky took quite a beating in round 1 of the fight and may I add this was mainly due to being emotional and neglecting any kind of tactics. He went out there with the intention to destroy and to destroy quickly.

If Rocky had Mick in his corner giving him advice and encouragment would this have saved Rocky from losing his title or even losing so emphatically?

Rocky looked in fantastic shape despite not training properly. Mick would have forced him to switch on and summon his heart and fighting spirit. We may have seen a different man come out in round 2.

No chance in hell. Rocky wasn't prepared in the littlest bit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvgw2lp7FHU

[–] jsl_99 12 years ago

Rocky might've done a little better but I think he still would've lost even with Mick in his corner. Because at least until the very end, Rocky didn't take his training too seriously. And he was set to face a beast.

[–] ObsessedWithNCIS 12 years ago

I really cant say, and I hate to say this because Clubber was such a deusche, but Clubber deserved to win. He trained hard and wanted it. Rocky was too confident and decided he didnt really need to train much. I mean he was training with fans and distractions while Clubber went out running and trained hard.

Dont Apologize. Its a sign of weakness-Leroy Jethro Gibbs