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Real Life Rocky Moments
At this point, I’m sure most readers here are familiar with the now famous speech that Sylvester Stallone delivered in the final Rocky Balboa movie in 2006. I posted the actual scene to the blog a few years ago. I have also posted the kinetic typography version below.
Despite originating from a fictional movie, the message from the speech is quite powerful. It is no surprise that it quickly became Youtube gold. The speech has been uploaded many times with most versions receiving thousands of views.
Yet despite its popularity, there will always be those who say it is just a movie. They need to see real world examples to understand and believe the message. Fortunately, we don’t need to look far to find several real world displays. The sport of boxing offers countless examples.
The video below captures many of these memorable moments. You will see fighters who are forced to deal with adversity. They must rise up from the canvas and fight through pain and fatigue to become victorious.
The truth is always on display when a fighter enters the ring. Courage cannot be faked. You either have it or you don’t. It’s only a matter of time before you and the rest of the world find out.
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Adversity introduces a man to himself.
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Wonder how many people actually took up boxing after the first Rocky movie? Stallone who never boxed except on screen probably inspired more people to take up boxing or at least become interested in boxing than just about any real life fighter with the possible exception of Muhammad Ali. Stallone and the 1976 Olympic boxing team brought boxing out of a somewhat dry period in the mid 70′s. Ali was fat, indifferent, and was winning decisions against mostly mediocre opposition, Frazier was retired after taking another beating from Big George, the great Carlos Monzon was soon to retire, and boxing’s best fighter was a little Panamanian lightweight named Roberto Duran who was soon to eat himself out of the lightweight division. In the summer of 1976 America celebrated its 200th birthday and the movie Rocky had people cheering in the movie theatres. Me thinks Stallone should have never made a sequel since Rocky was such a classic movie, but I guess sequels became mandatory after the Godfather I & II every time an original did even half decent at the box office.
valeu ross!!!!!!
Comebacks… Can be applied to any area of life. those that demonstrate this quality, receive the respect.
Matthew Saad Muhammad aka Matt Franklin, Rocky Marciano, Jerry Quarry, Arturo Gatti, Tony Zale, Tom Sharkey, Joe Frazier, Ray Mancini, George “Scrap Iron” Johnson, Vito Antuofermo, Carmen Basilio, Mickey Walker, Harry Greb, Archie Moore, Sam Langford, etc., are some of the fighters who epitomize what a warrior is suppose to be. Some of these names are all-time greats like Marciano, Moore, Frazier, Langford, etc., while others are little more than club fighters like George “Scrap Iron” Johnson. “Scrap Iron” was a 5’9″ heavyweight trial horse who fought in the Sixties and Seventies. “Scrap Iron” went the distance with Frazier, Quarry, and lasted until the middle rounds with power punching Sonny Liston. I would have to check “Scrap Iron’s” record out but I believe he fought Joe Bugner as well and probably a host of other up and comers often on little notice. Jerry Quarry said if you crowned the heavyweight champion on “heart” alone “Scrap Iron” would have been champion without a doubt. Check out some of Matthew Saad Muhammad’s fights during his peak and you will see a fighter with a never say die attitude. Check out Saad vs Lopez II which was 1980′s fight of the year or Matt Franklin aka Saad vs Marvin Johnson I & II.
Ross,
Do you think that courage can be developed? Or is it something you’re born with?
Saw this clip while surfing Youtube. Some jabronis doing some great spoofs on Rocky clips while the Rocky theme plays in the background. Great impressions and worth a watch for laughs. Youtube: Rocky 7 Trailer.
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