MovieChat Forums > Rocky II (1979) Discussion > Stupidest thing about Apollo.

Stupidest thing about Apollo.

posted 10 years ago by Huskie_Jon
33 replies | jump to latest

He had the fight won. His coach even told him so.

All he had to do was cover himself in the 15th round. He could have given Rocky the round, and still won from all rounds he had won previously. But no! He would not be satisfied unless he knocked Rocky out. Then he got knocked out.

In a football analogy, it would be like throwing a pick-6 when you could have gone into victory formation and won the game.

I swear, his giant ego is going to be the death of him.

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[–] thomaswilliamboner 10 years ago

Apollo is full of way too much pride, it cost him the belt and later on his life. He was still the best opponent Rocky had.

[–] fountaincap 10 years ago

This is what I liked best about the character of Apollo. He felt human. He had skill and style. The best true 'boxer' in the Rocky series. But he also had the very human quality of hubris. He didn't know when it was time to quit. As an audience, we love athletes who give it everything they've got right up until the end, but unfortunately in Apollo's case, it cost him his life.

[–] Akhilleus 10 years ago

Actually, his giant ego WAS the death of him.

[–] Citation_Needed 8 years ago

Legend has it, it wasn't a giant juiced up Russian that killed Apollo, t'was his own giant ego.

[–] Moonglum9 (10713) 4 years ago

Way to miss the intended irony.

[–] eddsixpi 10 years ago

I guess it was stupid, but I got where he was coming from. He, as the world champion, was ashamed of the fact that some unknown guy took him to the limit on the first fight. He wanted to get decisive win to prove why he was the champion.

[–] KSzir 9 years ago

It happens. Look up Meldrick Taylor vs Julio Cesar Chavez. Taylor had the fight won and everyone thought he should have just stayed away from Chavez in the final round but he didn't and got knocked down with less than 15 seconds to go. He got back up but when he ref asked him if he was okay he didn't answer and the ref stopped the fight ith 3 seconds to go. There is some debate about whether he was given bad advice and knew he had the fight won, but it happens.

[–] jaroto 9 years ago

Chavez vs Taylor is the best boxing match I have ever seen. It felt like it was taken from a Rocky movie.

[–] KSzir 8 years ago

You're right, that is one of the best boxing matches ever. I'd also pick Haggler vs Hearns and Gotti vs Ward I as real life fights that almost look like scenes from Rocky there are so many punches connecting.

[–] Grammaw_Oddree 9 years ago

His ego destroyed him.

Rocky was humble and to me humility is more the moral of the series than determination

[–] cara-stone 9 years ago

If you've seen Rocky 4, then you KNOW his ego will be the death of him.

As for the fight in Rocky 2, he just HAD to go for the knockout! To silence his critics, and his own self-doubt, he had a deep need to win in a big way. He didn't want another split decision.

[–] Totemkauf 9 years ago

It was like what he said about the first fight, "I won, but I didn't beat him!"

All he had to do was stay up and he would have won, but on a technicality and it still wasn't good enough for him. He wanted to beat him, and that ment knocking him out.

[–] MaximRecoil (4067) 4 years ago

"He didn't want another split decision."

It wouldn't have been a split decision, it would have been a unanimous decision. Apollo was way ahead on points. That wouldn't have been as satisfying to him as a KO, but it sure beats being KO'd.

[–] The_King_of_Cool 8 years ago

That's what a true champ does. While sure most fighters when they have it won fight a little more cautious, but I've seen plenty of figures that were well ahead fight as if they were behind late in the fight