MovieChat Forums > Rocky V (1990) Discussion > Was Tommy Gunn based on Mike Tyson?

Was Tommy Gunn based on Mike Tyson?

posted 3 years ago by TMC-4 (19483)
11 replies | jump to latest

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.

https://www.quora.com/Was-Rocky-Vs-Tommy-Gunn-based-on-Mike-Tyson

[–] millsey72 (9661) 2 years ago

No, not at all. Tommy Gunn wasn't black

[–] Shibez (887) a year ago

Dude...

[–] Shibez (887) a year ago

I would say so.

[–] millsey72 (9661) a year ago

Nope. Tommy Gunn did not bite anyones ear in this movie

[–] Shibez (887) a year ago

This movie came out 7 years before Tyson bit evander holyfields ear.

[–] millsey72 (9661) a year ago

I don't recall much from this movie. Did Tommy Gunn bite Rockys ear in this one? Is that where Tyson picked it up?

[–] Shibez (887) a year ago

Tyson bit the ear because don king didn't feed him.

[–] BOandBarbecue (2264) a year ago

no i think tommy gunn was meant by sly to be opposite of rocky.

tommy come from same place as rocky. have similar background. have mentor (rocky) who take chance on him (like mick).

but tommy gunn is what happen when fighter become corrupt by greed. he go to the dark side. he allow duke to seduce him and he ignore rockys train and tip and betray him to become evil fighter. he is rocky without heart. bad rocky.

rocky v is underrate. true rocky fan know this is good rocky film with heart and souls. tell good story. rocky is know mick in this film. this is great! only philistine disagrees.

[–] tommywilley (9) a year ago

Honestly if he was based on anyone, it would've been himself. He really went a bad way and died in his early 40s also had all the potential in the world

[–] MeYouFools (153) a year ago

Tommy Gunn wasn't based on Mike Tyson, but Union Cane was. George Washington Duke was based on Don King and Cane was Duke's boy just as Tyson was for King.

[–] mitzibishi (1627) a year ago

Clubber Lang was based on Mike Tyson, before Mike Tyson.