Rocky Balboa vs Clubber Lang, billed as The Italian Stallion vs The Southside Slugger, was a heavyweight championship boxing match that took place on August 15, 1981 in Philadelphia. Build up to the fight had been extreme. Clubber Lang had risen up in the ranks and was the number one contender to face Balboa. After a public dispute at the dedication of a statue in honor of the heavyweight champion, Balboa accepted Lang's challenge.
The fight resulted in Lang knocking out Rocky in 2 out of 15 rounds and securing the belt. Notably, Rocky's longtime manager Mickey Goldmill suffered a heart attack and was resting in the locker room. Most fans believed this heavily factored in Rocky losing focus during the match. The former Heavyweight champion Apollo Creed was a guest analyst during the fight.
Background[]
Lang challenges Balboa to a fight
James "Clubber" Lang has rapidly climbing the heavyweight ranks, winning 26 consecutive fights, like defeating a young prospect named Joe Green, making Lang the number one contender for the heavyweight championship. During the unveiling of a new statue in honor of Rocky, the Champion considered retiring. Lang then appeared from the crowd and challenged Balboa to fight him. During the ongoing dispute, Lang verbally harassed Adrian causing Rocky to accept the fight.
A public melee happens before the fight
During interviews, Rocky constantly told the press that this would be his and Mickey's last fight. Both fighters go in different directions in regards to their training for the fight. Lang works out alone in a spartan setting with very little equipment. Rocky, on the other hand, rents out a hotel ballroom and opens his training camp to the public with dozens of distractions that frustrate Mickey, who fears they will lead to disaster in the fight. Lang and Rocky meet at Philadelphia's Spectrum. During a melee before the fight, Lang confronts Rocky while calling him the paper champion as he shoves Mickey, who suffers a heart attack. Rocky reportedly decided to call off the fight, but Mickey refused and implores him to fight and win. Rocky then left to go fight Lang while Adrian stayed to support Mickey and call the doctor and 911 immediately.
The Fight[]
Rocky is knock down and loses the Championship
Before the fight began, Apollo Creed appeared to greet both fighters. However, Lang refused Creed's welcome and insulted him. Shocked, Creed turned to greet Balboa and told him to drop the chump and wish him luck. As the fight begins, Rocky comes out aggressively and tries to knock out the challenger early. But Lang, however, is unfazed by the early assault and quickly takes control of the fight. By the end of the first round Rocky is battered and bloody, and calls for Mickey. The second round is completely dominated by Lang, he unleashes more hooks onto Balboa until he has Balboa stunned, wobbling in the corner, and staring at Lang. Lang loads up and throws a huge right hook, dropping Balboa as Creed pleaded him to get up and winning the fight by KO! The crowd was astonished in horror by the fight. As Lang celebrated his win, Rocky was held up by his team.
Aftermath[]
Mickey Goldmill passes away
Rocky headed back to his dressing room, where Mickey has taken a turn for the worse. Rocky told Mickey that the fight ended by knockout in the second round but does not say he lost. He tries to convince Mickey there is more to do, but Mickey simply says, "I love ya, kid," and perishes in Rocky's arms. The fight was a major upset of tragedy in boxing history as many thought Rocky would easily beat Lang, but it's not.
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