Had Mick not suffered a heart attack...

I think Rocky lost the first fight because Mickey destroyed his confidence by telling him that his previous ten opponents were handpicked. After that, Rocky just didn't feel like he was a worthy champion. It took his heart out of the 1st match with Clubber.

It took Adrian's talk on the beach to convince him that he could beat Clubber. And then Apollo's training helped get him into physical shape for the rematch.

I think Mickey was a great trainer in Rockys I & II and helped Rocky win the title from Apollo. But then he got conservative with Rocky in order to protect him.

With regards to your question, I think Rocky would have still lost the first fight with Clubber predicated on the fact that Clubber was just too strong of a fighter to trade punches with - and that was the only style that Rocky knew. Rocky was a brawler, NOT a boxer. He maybe would have lasted a round or two more on pure heart alone, but the end result would have been the same. Even Mick with his own intuition and experience knew that Rocky would lose to Clubber - he even says it candidly himself, to Rocky, during the movie. btw: one of the more memorable quotables I love to say out loud myself while shaking my head in anger "this guy is a wrecking machine!"

Even on the rematch with Clubber, Rocky was still getting caught and hurt with punches from Lang. If not for Rocky's guile and experience to bait Clubber and get him winded by 'punching himself out,' Rocky may have suffered the same fate as in the first fight.

Rocky and Clubber are very similar. Clubber is like Rocky from part 1, hungry, muscled and determined. Only difference is Clubber is all ego. Rocky in 3 became too egotistic and narcissistic. Rocky got beaten by his lesser half, you could say, then was helped by the man he did the same too in Rocky I and II, b/c Apollo learned you need to have a goal to stay hungry and you need the people around you (I didn't wanna hear from nothing or nobody not even my kids! Apollo bemoans after his loss.)

We have to reserve the right to bomb the n iggers. David Lloyd George on disarmament.

Clubber would have won but not as easily. He took a big psychological boost from seeing how anxious Rocky was before the first bell. Obviously he was anxious over Mick, not over his opponent, but Clubber interpreted it how he wanted to which was as a sign of mental submission.

Added to the fact that he was at his absolute physical best and Rocky was not...Lang was certain to win before the first bell had even rung.

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If Rocky Balboa listened to Lady Gaga...is this the movie we'd get? http://youtu.be/o_tPQzEkqQo

No, Mickey was a terrible coach, let's look at the facts

In Rocky he treats him like dirt, fails to harness his potential. In the fight Mickey drastically underestimates Rocky's abilities, telling him to stay down rather than fight on, almost costing him the world title. He eventually loses on a split decision.

In Rocky II he again underestimates Rocky, believing that he can't win because of his eye injury. His tactics consist of telling Rocky that he is an "italian tank" "run over him". Rocky wins through his own endurance and a poor refereeing decision.

Finally in Rocky III he once again underestimates Rocky's abilities, telling him that he "can't win", training Rocky very badly and using deeply flawed tactics which lead to Rocky getting beaten half to death. As soon as Rocky gets a decent coach he beats Clubber easily and reclaims the world title, and later goes on to beat Drago (who killed Apollo), beat the incumbent World Champion in a street fight and go 10 rounds with the World Champion aged 60-odd.

As soon as Mickey died and was replaced with competent coaching Rocky's career went from strength to strength.

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Your arms are just too short to box with God

Rocky had not trained well and lost his confidence after he found out the ten contenders he had beaten were "hand picked". Lang was hungry and tough as nails. I think he would have beat Rocky even with Mickey in his corner.

I want to know what happened to Mickey's assistant Johnny. He was in the first two Rocky movies.

I think Rocky might have done a little better with Mickey in his corner, but still lose to Clubber.

Though, it's worth noting that Mick actually had a decent strategy in mind. He pointed out to Rocky that Clubber's never been 15 rounds before, indicating that Clubber might have an endurance problem and that Rocky should take his time to wear Clubber down, while avoiding a toe-to-toe brawl with him. Rocky was too distracted to take this seriously in the first fight, but ultimately, in the final fight, uses it against Clubber in conjuction with Apollo's fast hit and run tactics.