Whatever Happened to Rocky III, The Greatest Challenge? A Historical Look Back
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Last night I reconnected the good old DVD and VCR player to my large flat screen living room television. By now the Blu-Ray machine rules, and the old videotape player with combined DVD player is a vestige from the good old days. Playing a videotape in the Newflix and download era made me sort of feel like I was either George Burns or Walter Matthau in ‘The Sunshine Boys’. After all, videos are like so from long ago. Or is it we went from young to old faster than we would like, like an old videotape on fast forward?
I have got the Rocky III poster framed in my living room above the couch. Beginning the month of July by watching Rocky III, a 1982 boxing movie classic, is sort of like the sports variety version of the Turner Network’s showing of ‘A Tree Grows in Brooklyn’. Indeed, with the arrival of the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York City sports has transcended the good old Madison Square Garden days into a new sports dimension.
Rocky III was the third movie in the Rocky series of six, with Sylvester Stallone and Mr. T bringing Rocky Balboa and Clubber Lang back to life. Stallone would continue his movie career as John Rambo, while Mr. T joined George Peppard on television in ‘The A Team’ and it’s a good life.
Rocky III Trailer on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4FhoXt8lFk
For boxing movie rats, Rocky II plays amazingly fast once Rocky decides he wants to win, with Paulie (Burt Young). Adrian (Talia Shire) and Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) lending emotional support. We all love the song ‘Eye of The Tiger’ and we all wanted Rocky to comeback and win after his trainer Mickey (Burgess Meredith) dies. Burgess Meredith is to Rocky Balboa as Richard Crenna’s Colonel Sam Trautman is to John Rambo.
Rocky III featured some incredible themes. Among theme were: Changing the fighter’s training routine; changing the fighter’s trainer and style of fighting; the ‘Eye of the Tiger’ hungry fighter concept was introduced; the idea of a fighter listening to the corner or not was presented; the idea of the fighter’s winning and losing game plans; and the Muhammad Ali playbook of psychological warfare was integrated into Balboa’s mind set.
Rocky III Rocky Balboa Regains The World Heavyweight Title on YouTube 1982 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wM-lOVgoUqI
Thirty years later, Rocky III is an oldie but goodie. Dated it is, but a boxing classic nonetheless. Once in awhile, check it out. The academy award nominated song ‘Eye of the Tiger’ by Survivor remains a part of boxing history as the theme of the hungry fighter.
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