International Boxing Hall Of Fame

The hardcore boxing types could be heard making a minor stink when the news of Stallone’s addition to the latest class was announced. Yet it seems the diehard opponents of Rocky Balboa in the Hall have mostly gone unnoticed and overlooked. To be fair, Stallone was not put in a wing with actual boxers. There’s no question that his films have done a lot for the sport. Surely, many young men have been inspired to pursue boxing careers after seeing a Rocky film or two. Also, the series of films paid much homage to boxing history (Joe Frazier’s cameo in the first film was a great touch) and Stallone has always claimed his series helped showcase the issues many real fighters face.

Look, I may not be the best authority on how the films have affected the sport in a positive way. I have not regularly followed boxing in many years. But I am fan of past eras, and I know that the first film was inspired by the story of Chuck Wepner. To me, that is when boxing was truly compelling. When you had great fighters such as Ken Norton, George Foreman in the 70s, Marvin Hagler and Sugar Ray Leonard. The Rocky films captured the iconic qualities of the great fighters of eras gone by. Surely, an Apollo Creed could not command the attention of a nation the way he supposedly did back before he met Balboa.

I absolutely love the Rocky films, and I am still not over the death of Apollo, which nearly ruined the fourth film for me. I saw the third movie so many times I can quote it line for line. I saw the latest installment the first night it hit the theaters. I still get chills every time I see the training montage from the second film. It may be the single greatest inspirational piece of film I have ever witnessed. Whenever one of those films shows up on my TV these days, my e-mails pile up and people get frustrated because they cannot get in touch with me. Leave me alone, Apollo’s ribs are broken and he is spitting up blood. Rocky’s got him on the ropes!