Rocky Balboa and Creed Fandom

To celebrate the release of the upcoming Creed II movie on November 20, check out these films that feature underdog boxers looking for redemption in the ring.

For die-hard Rocky fans, nothing says underdog like the 1976 film. Rocky Balboa is a small-time boxing club fighter who pays the bills with a part-time muscle man gig for a local loan shark boss. When he receives a once in a lifetime opportunity to fight the current heavyweight champ Apollo Creed, Rocky will go to any means to prepare—even if it means pounding meat carcasses in the local meat factory.

In Creed we meet Adonis Johnson, the illegitimate son of heavyweight champion Apollo Creed. Adonis is desperate to make a career in fighting and moves to Philadelphia in the hopes of having the retired Rocky Balboa train him.

In the new Creed film, Adonis will be fighting Viktor Drago—the son of the infamous Soviet boxer who murdered Apollo Creed in the boxing ring. In Rocky IV, Rocky travels to the Soviet Union and trains in the frozen wilderness in preparation for his boxing showdown to avenge Apollo’s death and bring pride to the United States.

Finally, if you’ve ever wondered who inspired the character of Rocky Balboa, then check out the 2017 film Chuck. Based on true events, this film tells the life story of Chuck Wepner and his infamous 15 round boxing match with Muhammad Ali.

Which film from the Rocky franchise is your favorite?