Was Tommy Gunn based on Mike Tyson?
Tommy Gunn, much like Mike Tyson, had a meteoric rise to the heavyweight championship but burnt out quickly.
Gunn, like Tyson, was a young power punching, street savvy phenom who blasted his way up the ranks of the heavyweight division in meteoric fashion. Gunn was a monster in the ring and would KO his opponents in timely fashion. Like Tyson in the 80’s, Gunn would simply mow through them like a freight train.
Rocky and Gunn also developed a close bond as Rocky welcomed Tommy into his home and mentored him and tried to steer him in the right direction, both in and out of the ring, much like the relationship that Mike had with his trainer Cus D’Amato. Some of the motivational dialogue that Balboa gives to Gunn is very reminiscent of the advice that D’Amato used to give the younger Tyson.
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