The Master of Disaster vs The Siberian Express was the fateful fight between the American Former Heavyweight Champion Apollo Creed and the Soviet Amateur Boxer Ivan Drago. The fight was set up as an exhibition match and was seen as a chance for Creed to relieve his glory days of fighting while the Soviets came to America, boastful that Drago could defeat any champion. Originally the fight was meant to be between Drago and Current Heavyweight Champion Rocky Balboa, but Creed interfered. The match resulted in Drago brutally beating Creed to the point of demise. Rocky would later give up his title for a chance to fight Drago and avenge Apollo.
The fight is one of the most tragic events in sports history. Apollo was considered one of the greatest boxers of all time and Rocky was partly blamed for not throwing in the towel. Apollo's death would later go on to haunt Rocky for the rest of his life. Apollo would be laid to rest in Los Angeles. Years later, Adonis Johnson the illegitimate son of the former Champion would later emerge into the boxing world and follow Apollo's footstep with Rocky as his mentor.
Years after the fight in the 20th century, both Apollo and Ivan's son Adonis and Viktor would later fight for the championship in the 21st century, with Adonis winning both times (twice).
Background[]
In 1985, undefeated amateur Russian world boxing champion, 24-year-old Ivan arrived in the United States along with Ludmilla Drago, Nicolai Koloff (Ivan's political adviser) and Sergei Igor Rimsky and Manuel Vega' (Ivan's trainers). Ivan held a post-conference right off the plane to announce his entry into the American professional boxing world. At the press conference, Ivan didn't say a word, he sat in silence while Ludmilla answered all the questions about him. Nicolai issued the challenge to have an exhibition bout with the the current Heavyweight Champion named Rocky Balboa at the time. Apollo who was at home in the pool overheard the announcement on TV and was frustrated by the Soviets claims. Apollo would later head over to the Balboa household and talk to them about the Soviets. Later while watching footage from their 2nd fight, Apollo convinces Rocky to help him when he goes to fight Drago and Rocky agrees. A pre-fight press conference was held with Apollo cracking jokes and making fun of the Russians. The press then attempted to ask Ivan a question, asking him his thoughts on Apollo, Ivan just stared at the press and didn't say a word, prompting Apollo to say his tongue didn't make it through customs!'' The press continued to laugh at Ivan while he sat there in silence with the rest of his team until Ludmilla Drago claimed that this would be a great victory, causing Apollo to take a more serious tone and say 'You don't really think your gonna whip me?'. Ludmilla then states that they didn't come here to lose and Drago also said that he didn't come here to lose either after he drinks his glass of water. Apollo then says that Ivan is going to lose and lose royally! Nicolai becomes fed up with the jokes and calls Apollo a has-been, Apollo becomes infuriated by this and jumps out of his seat, pointing fingers at Nicolai, Ivan then gets up, and a small melee ensured, with Ivan pushing Apollo as the conference comes to an end.
The Pre-Fight[]
The fight is held in the city of lights known as Las Vegas in a Grand Hotel on the region of Nevada and the crowds are invited to the theater inside the hotel. In the meantime at the dressing room, Rocky prepares to suit up Apollo and he said a metaphor about eating nails (even Rocky got confused of "Snails"). Then, they conversate about Ivan Drago and to the Exhibition fight that it doesn't mean nothing. But Apollo said that it's not just an exhibition fight, because it was Americans against Soviets by the Cold War (as a competition and not of World War). Apollo knows that Rocky may not understand of what he's talking about, but he will when it's over to believe him. In the meantime at the underground, Nicolai tells Drago to use all of his strength of a true warrior while he is standing in the ring. And to the theater, Ludmilla looks to Mary Anne and wishes her good luck and hoping after they can be friends; even though their husbands are sportsmen and not soldiers while she's shaking her hand. Nicolai also shakes Mary's hand and wishes her to enjoy the fight.
Fight[]
Unknown to Drago, the ring rose up from underground and into the arena with him standing in it. The ring came up while "Living in America" was being performed by James Brown and Apollo Creed was making an elaborate entrance with his Uncle Sam outfit like in the first movie, dancing his way around all the showgirls, dancers and James Brown. Creed continued showboating to the crowd and dancing around before finally entering the ring as James Brown finished the song. It was predicted by the majority of sports analysis that Apollo would defeat Ivan because of his outweighing experience and his ability to win under pressure. With Rocky, Duke and Paulie in his corner, Apollo was overly confident that he could dispense of Drago with ease. The audience erupted for the true champion Balboa of defining the word "Courage" as the announcement after defeating Clubber Lang of avenging Mickey Goldmill and for the introduction of Creed while the crowd boos at Drago with Apollo taunting him "I want you! I want you!". The two fighters met in the middle of the ring with the referee Lou Filippo going over the rules, Creed seemed confident and excited as he tells Drago "It's time to go to school"! They then touched gloves with Creed slamming into Ivan's and says "You will lose", which causes Creed's expression to become more worrying.
In the early stages of the first round, Apollo orbited the Russian, Ivan stood in the middle of the ring and Apollo danced around him, keeping distance to avoid any strikes from Ivan, but slipping in every second or two to land a quick jab on Ivan. Ivan mostly ate Creed's punches, them not making any visible damage, and he occasionally moved his hand to block and he slipped a jab or two, and attempted one punch that Creed blocked.
Apollo was seemingly doing well, landing combinations while Ivan stood back cocking his right hand and awaiting the right time to strike, Apollo continued at this pace for a bit longer until Sergei Rimsky (Ivan's trainer) yells at him to increase the chance to attack, causing Ivan to take a step forward, closing the distance and landing a huge straight right hand that pushed Apollo right into the ropes! Ivan then unloaded on Apollo for the remainder of the round, trapping Creed in the corner and unloading with body shots and right hooks and knocked down Creed. Filippo starts on the count to 10, but Apollo stands up as the count stops at 6. Ivan briefly continued to punch of body shots and right hooks after the sound of the bell, throwing two more punches to the bloodied Apollo.
Tony "Duke" Evers (Apollo's trainer) ran into the ring and angrily yells at Ivan's team as he furiously tells them that "It's supposed to be an exhibition", not a fight to the death. Rocky wanted to stop the battle as a warning, but Apollo refused as he's here to fight and promised him not to stop this fight. Then Rocky also warned him not to do this for him, but Apollo is doing this for himself as he said for his friend and he can stop the fight now, "no matter what... no matter what!" Apollo took one last look at his wife and gave her an assurance glance before the second round began. The crowd was cheering Apollo's name. By the start of the second round, Drago continued to pummel Creed with ease and Rocky again tries to stop the fight by throwing in the towel. Tony pleaded with Rocky to throw the towel, but Apollo told Rocky not to stop the fight, which gives Drago a chance to deliver a blow (as Rocky dropped the towel) that unfortunately not only knocked out Apollo, but inflicted him with a fatal head injury, and he died in Rocky's arms in the middle of the ring shortly after! Reporters surrounded Apollo corpse as Ivan was crowned with the USSR flag cape as the new king, the new champion and the winner of the fight. Ivan was being interviewed by the press, Ivan said, "I cannot be defeated! I defeat all men... Soon, I defeat real champion! Soon, the whole world will know my name! "Drago! Drago!"" and then in regards to Apollo's fatal injuries, Ivan said "If he dies, he dies." Both Rocky and Ivan would then stare at each other menacingly.
Aftermath[]
The world was in shocked by not only Apollo's death, but by the circumstance of his death. Apollo's funeral was held months later as Tony prepared an opening speech of Apollo's life and death biology while Rocky gave the eulogy. He thanked Apollo for helping him shape to be one of the greatest fighters he ever knew, but he also cried that he gave him a break and believed in him when no one else would and he really loved him. He then placed the Heavyweight belt on his casket and he blamed himself of not throwing the towel. Incensed by Drago's cold indifference and feeling a deep sense of guilt, did whatever he could to get a fight with Ivan, but the boxing commission stated that they would not sanction the fight, urging Rocky to wait two years. It was largely in part due to the fact of the political unrest, a man having been killed, and the fact Drago only had one professional fight, the very bout from which Apollo had been killed, and that fate should not be tempted. Eventually, Rocky was able to work out a deal with Ivan's team to have the fight take place in the USSR on Christmas Day for no money whatsoever. Rocky made it clear to everyone that he would attempt to avenge Apollo Creed's death at the hands of Ivan, which is now re-nicknamed "Death from Above". However, due to the unsanctioned fight, Rocky was stripped of his title. Rocky would later go on to avenge Apollo by defeating Drago.
Apollo's death had a major impact in the history of boxing. Years later, it would be revealed that Apollo would have an affair with another woman and he fathered another child named Adonis, born in 1986 after he died. He would later follow his father by becoming a new generation of boxers. In the 21st century of 2018, his son would later defend the Creed name by defeating Ivan's son Viktor Drago.
Trivia[]
- The funeral scene of the Director's Cut version has the music "Mickey" playing from Rocky III by Bill Conti.
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