Rocky's Top Ten Opponents ...

Still dangerous based upon what, he hadn't even been in the ring for over half a decade.

The thing with Drago is that he is entirely untested while Lang on the other hand went through the ranks like a hot knife through butter comparable to Tysons pre title work. Lang worked his way up from nothing to become number one contender, Drago was an amateur.

Simply too much of a gulf in experience my friend. I have no doubt that had Drago been given a chance to work his way up through the pro ranks he would of been the best of the group but he wasn't.

As a side note I rate Clubber as the best puncher that Rocky ever faced.

 

Lang actually knocked Rocky out.

Note I said Lang was the best puncher, not neccessarily the most powerful. Clubbers unorthodox wide hooks were brutally effective.

 

Lang knocked rocky out because

A. Rocky didn't train hard
B. He was mentally ****ed up with his manager dying. Rocky did not want to fight that night.


Rocky was a different animal the night he fought Drago. He was in much better shape and prepared to die rather than get knocked out.


Let me ask you....Did Lang hit harder than 2150 PSI? Doubt it

Yes Clubbers hooks were deadly, but what about Ivans right cross, left hook, Deadly combinations? I mean drago was the complete package. Lang, clearly had flaws, and was wide open for speedy boxers with jabs.

 

Drago was a H2H beast and with more seasoning in the pro ranks, would have been looking at a potential TKO victory, or at the very least, a lopsided 150-129 style decision.

Clubber, however, had the more proven resume, by far, but you can thank boxing politics for blackballing Russia, at least until the advent of Sugar Nikolai Valeuv (still was ducked by Mason Dixon, however).

 

Whether or not Drago was the complete package or not is guesswork. His only fights against professional fighters was an Apollo Creed who hadn't been in the ring in over 5 years and an over the hill Balboa.

He simply isn't proven to the extent that Clubber Lang is. Lang worked his way up blasting out everyone in his path to becoming number one contender, and when he finally got a title shot he made the most of it by doing what no one else could do, knocking out the Italion Stallion himelf.

However, Lang like Liston before him lost his motivation upon winning the title and believed he was truly invincible. Why train so hard when you're fighting a guy you already knocked out, right? If you're going to sweep Balboa-Lang 1 under the table due to events in Rockys life, one must also sweep the rematch under the table as it was evident as early as the 2nd round that Lang had forgotten to do any roadwork.

Your statement of Lang being wide open for speedy boxers with jabs is a common viewpoint, but one I don't agree with. You don't clean out a division like Lang did prior to his title shot without encountering some slicksters.

 

Agreed. Drago is getting massively downplayed here by the roid-accusers. It was just Ripped Fuel, people. Give him a break.

 

I just wanted to say that I am very proud of all of us here at Classic this day.

 

I think you like him because of your love of Wlad.

 

I don't think i'll ever 'love' a safety-first fighter, they just aren't my thing.
However I admittedly do like Wlad and know he is vastly superior to Vitali & Haye.

 

Mason Dixon Got a gift

 

I thought that too, but how well would ancient Balboa have performed if Dixon hadn't broken his hand?

 

Dixon was also in sub par shape, to the extent that the commentators mention that he didn't look as sharp as usual during the beginning.

Dixon may be under rated.

 

serious question...why did they put all these thing against Dixon on the night in a rocky film? They should of left it on a level playing field....unless they were trying to make a rocky film seem more real??? haha naaa cant be that

 

Apollo Creed would have whipped 'em all,in his prime. An Ali replica.

 

Because it was a street fight? If he'd got him in the ring it would count, as it was it doesn't. Rocky was also under-prepared and battered Gunn in the end, who was over-rated.