MovieChat Forums > Rocky IV (1985) Discussion > How could someone as smart as Apollo..

How could someone as smart as Apollo..

posted 11 years ago by Huskie_Jon
33 replies | jump to latest

be so stupid?

He was there to see first hand what could happen when you don't take your craft so seriously in Rocky's first fight against Clubber. Then he found a way to train and develop Rocky into the kind of fighter that can beat Clubber in a rematch.

In RIV, he forgot everything. Rocky at least went through the motions of training for his first fight against Clubber. Apollo did not train at all for Drago.

Apollo told Rocky that all Apollo could do was fight to satisfy his competitive drive. What about training other boxers? The reigning world champion was his protege.

He could have rode the success of the Rocky-Clubber rematch to train other boxers and teach them how to get the eye of the tiger. He could have written books, or become a boxing analyst on the sports shows. And none of those things require getting your head beat in.

_______________
A dope trailer is no place for a kitty.

[–] everydayboredom1980 9 years ago

Most great fighters fight on too long, well after they are far past their primes. Some of that is financially driven, which isn't the case with Apollo as he is rich and the new Creed movie shows that his widow is still living in that mansion 30 years later, but there's other factors too. Some just miss the competition, which Apollo talks about with Rocky, saying he can't simply turn off his killer instinct and competitive drive.

The structure, sense of purpose/accomplishment, the limelight. Sugar Ray Leonard once said "there's nothing that can match the feeling you get from a big fight with all eyes on you...the rush". Apollo clearly enjoyed the limelight.

It's definitely the exception in boxing when a great fighter retires in on near his prime. The norm is the sad story of the boxer going on too long, a shell of what he once was, and losing to some guy he would have handled in his prime.

[–] HockeyFan91 9 years ago

How could someone as smart as Apollo..be so stupid??

...your gonna feel a slight sting... thats Pride.. f__king wit you.

OHHH GOOOD FOR YOU!!

[–] jefgg 9 years ago

Apollo was miserable after retiring and wasn't thinking straight.

[–] fivepointstar 9 years ago

What made Apollo do a 20 minute song and dance number right before the fight? That's like half of the fight right there.

[–] jefgg 9 years ago

"Rocky IV" had a ton of filler. If you take away the lengthy James Brown song and dance, the montages and the flashbacks the movie is less than an hour.

[–] ericn2274 8 years ago

I think Apollo was just bored beyond repair. When he first heard about Drago, he was playing in the pool with his dogs. He appears to be happy and content, but I suppose he had to prove to himself and others that he's still a fighter and fighters never stop fighting. Or something like that. Apollo could have coached youth football or opened a restaurant during his retirement. The money Rocky gave him to fight Drago in the exhibition match could have gone towards the restaurant. James Brown could have performed at the grand opening.