Robert Balboa, Jr. is the son of Rocky Balboa and Adrian Pennino, and Logan Balboa's father.
Biography[]
Birth[]
Robert Balboa, Jr. was born on November 5, 1976 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His birth was one month premature. This was due to Adrian slipping into a coma brought on by stress from overworking during the pregnancy.
Growing Up[]
Robert grew up in a wealthy environment due to his father reigning as the Heavyweight boxing champion of the world once from 1976 to 1981, and then again from 1982 to the end of 1985. He was raised in the Balboa mansion with his father Rocky, his mother Adrian, and his maternal uncle Paulie. Robert has black hair and brown eyes.
At school, he was an honour roll student and had many friends; he and Rocky even made friends with former champion Apollo Creed. This was a sharp contrast to his father's own childhood. His parents raised him to believe that using his mind, and not fighting, was the best way to solve his problems.
When the Balboas lost their fortune and had to file for bankruptcy, Robert was especially devastated. In 1986, the family moved to South Philadelphia and found a low-cost townhouse. Robert would also be forced to attend the same public school in the inner city that his father had graduated from.
Life back in Philly[]
Young Rocky, Jr. was completely out of his element in the new surroundings, even in middle school. He kept to himself and had difficulty making friends. He didn't grow up on the tough Philly streets like his father, and was afraid of how he would or wouldn't fit in. Rocky himself was concerned about his son, fearing that some of the kids might start bullying him just because he's the son of Rocky Balboa. Robert eventually befriended a female classmate named Jewel, but he also ran into trouble with two bullies. When it was apparent that his father expected him to handle the problem by himself, Robert asked his uncle Paulie to help him learn to fight. He also becomes very good at boxing, and when the bully comes to him to force him for more money, Robert took off his backpack and got ready to fight, which he ended up winning after a brief battle. He also became a tough boy, and a street-smart kid and he has now became a very tough kid.
Adding to his frustration was the fact that Rocky took a young fighter named Tommy Gunn into their home. Young Rocky, Jr. began to feel that Rocky was paying more attention to Tommy than to him. Even when Robert told his father how he confronted his tormentors and was victorious, Rocky seemed more interested in training his protege. Becoming increasingly angry with his father, Robert found comfort with his friends (which included the two boys who once tormented him). He even began to act like they did, smoking, staying out late and hanging out on street corners. One night, a heated confrontation made Rocky see how he was treating his son. Right there he promised to make things right between them again.
Life as an adult[]
By late 2005/early 2006 although Robert, by this time an adult, and at age 29, a successful accountant in a big finance firm, was dealing much better than Rocky with the death of Adrian he is still upset and is sick of living in the shadow of his famous father. Robert is convinced that the only reason he has the job and the friends that he did have was due to being the son of the famous Rocky Balboa. Robert did not want Rocky to get back in the ring; however he put that all aside when he realised his father was serious about fighting again, and with a change of heart, becomes one of Rocky's biggest supporters in his comeback attempt. We later learn in Creed that he no longer lives in Philly. Adonis Johnson Creed asks Rocky about his son. Rocky explains that he moved to Vancouver with his girlfriend and got a good job there. Rocky says that he moved because he was tired of being remembered as just Rocky Balboa's son, that was just a rumour. He faced this problem in "Rocky Balboa". Eventually, Rocky visited Robert in Vancouver and learned that he married his girlfriend and have a son named Logan, remarking that Logan looks "just like his (Robert's) mother".
Continuity error[]
In Rocky V, a mistake that is made is the age of Robert. The fifth film seems to take place directly after the fourth instalment where Robert was 9 years old. However, when Rocky returns to America, his son is suddenly a teenager at the age of 14. The 2019 movie Ip Man 4: The Finale would later make the same mistake.
Appearances[]
- Rocky II (First appearance)
- Rocky III
- Rocky IV
- Rocky V
- Rocky Balboa
- Creed (photograph only)
- Creed II
Trivia[]
- Robert first started noticing girls in junior high school after he first laid eyes on his buxom French-class teacher Madame Du'pont. Rocky finds out about this after discovering an unfinished sketch of the topless blonde Frenchwoman, hidden in Robert's desk papers.
- Du'pont's appearance resembles that of Polish exotic-dancer Chesty Morgan.