https://screenrant.com/rocky-balboa-beats-apollo-creed-franchise-changes/
Rocky famously loses to Apollo Creed in the first Rocky movie, but so many things would have been different if Rocky won that first fight.
Like what ? Same rematch
Depends on when he beats him. Early in the fight, then most likely Rocky would be in too much shock to realize he won. He probably would of lived modest until his next title defense or rematch to apollo. Apollo demanding a rematch I could see Rocky going into it like he did the first Clubber fight with being rather Cocky and Apollo trains twice as hard as he did in Rocky 2....Apollo destroys Rocky in the rematch.
NOW. If Rocky beats apollo by points or KO in the 15th round of the first fight, then he would of had the biggest issue that came from the fight. His damaged eye....If Rocky wins then movie plays out similar to Rocky 2...Both get treatment and Apollo demands a rematch. With Rocky being the champ it would of been harder for him to say No...I see Apollo training as hard as he ever has, and Rocky would train hard too and not get cocky or comfortable because of the damage Apollo did in the first fight.....Either way rest stays the same...Apollo dominates the second fight by points, but realizes he never will be able to beat Rocky and Rocky wins the rematch.
If they still went ahead and made Rocky 2 about a rematch it would be a much weaker movie. The stakes are much lower for Rocky since he has already beat Apollo, and for viewer it’s basically just a rehash.
If Rocky won the fight in Rocky 1, they would’ve needed to either right out Apollo and make him retire like they did in Rocky 3, or make the rematch the first half of the movie, to get it out of the way before Rocky takes on the new big bad opponent.