Apollo Creed was born in 1943. He was an undefeated boxing Heavyweight Champion of the World. After Mac Lee Green dropped out of the upcoming title bout due to a broken hand and other boxers saying there isn’t enough time to train for the upcoming Bicentennial bout on New Year’s Day 1976. Apollo gave Rocky Balboa a shot at the title (due to his ring name “The Italian Stallion” and that he was Italian like the discoverer of America Christopher Columbus). Apollo’s manager Duke didn’t like the idea that Rocky was a southpaw. Apollo brushed this off and said he would take the match in three rounds “Creed in three”. Apollo didn’t take the fight serious and was knocked down for the first time in his career in the 1st round. Rocky almost beat him except for Apollo winning by a split decision and remained undefeated. After the match Apollo told Rocky “there ain’t going to be a rematch” and Rocky responded with “I don’t want one”. Apollo entered the fight with a 46-0 record.
In Rocky II, Apollo had a change of heart and wanted to finish their fight when he saw Rocky in the hospital and challenged him there. A few months later Apollo was dogged by fan hate mail stating the fight was rigged, your a disgrace to your people or how much were you paid to carry this bum. Apollo wanted a rematch to show the first fight was a fluke. However, Rocky Balboa officially retired, got married and was looking for a job. Apollo used a smear campaign to bring Rocky out of retirement which didn’t go to well with his new bride Adrian. Rocky finally gave in and agreed to a rematch with Apollo on Thanksgiving Day 1976 at the Philadelphia Spectrum. The fight would be known as “Superfight II”. Apollo trained relentlessly to silence the skeptics. Apollo held nothing back as he ruthlessly attacked Rocky throughout the fight. In the 15th round, Apollo had to just run out the timer and he would’ve won the match on points. However, Apollo wanted to go for the knockout and Rocky was told by Mickey to switch back to fighting as a southpaw. Rocky was determined to finish the fight hit Apollo with a left and both fighters went down to the canvas. Apollo was on the verge of getting up but just couldn’t do it. Rocky however just made the count by one second making him the new Heavyweight Champion. Apollo ended the fight with a 47-1 record missing the great Rocky Marciano’s record by two wins (49-0).
In Rocky III, now retired from Boxing he was a guest announcer for Rocky’s final fight with the number one contender Clubber Lang. Apollo is introduced to the crowd and goes over to greet Clubber Lang but he is immediately insulted by Clubber. He goes over to Rocky’s corner and tells Rocky “give everyone a present and knock out this bum”. Apollo not liking being retired and missing the limelight offered to train Rocky to regain his title from Clubber Lang. Initially Rocky wasn’t training to his full potential causing numerous outburst by Apollo. It wasn’t until Adrian had a heart to heart talk with Rocky that changed his outlook. Prior to the fight, Apollo gives Rocky his iconic red, white and blue boxing trunks. Apollo just requests that he wash them before he returns them. In the ring Apollo is once again heckled by Clubber Lang and nearly starts a brawl before the match begins. A new look Rocky beats the World Heavyweight Champion Clubber Lang and regains the World Heavyweight Championship belt. Sometime later Apollo wants a rematch with his old foe Rocky in privacy without the press or media. Though the outcome of this match wasn’t mentioned, Rocky received a black eye.
In Rocky IV, Apollo didn’t like that the Soviets were entering professional boxing. Apollo convinced Rocky to train him to take on Ivan Drago in an exposition fight in Las Vegas. Ivan Drago began the fight with very few punches and a lot of dodges from Apollo’s punches. Later in the 1st round Drago’s manager yells something in Russian and Drago unleashed a fury of punches on Apollo for the rest of 1st round. During the rest period Apollo told Rocky not to stop the fight no matter what happens. In the 2nd round, the unrelentless beating continues as Rocky is about to throw in the towel, Apollo yells “no” and is hit by the knockout punch that ultimately ended his life. Apollo died in the ring and an unsympathetic Ivan Drago said “if he dies he dies”. He was buried with his Heavyweight Champion of the World belt. Apollo’s death later set the stage for a revenge match on Christmas Day between Rocky Balboa and Ivan Drago in the Soviet Union.
Apollo’s legacy is followed by his son, Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) in the films Creed, Creed II and Creed III and his daughter Artemis Creed and his granddaughter, Amara (daughter of Adonis) in the comic book Creed: The Next Round published by Boom Studios!. Adonis was trained by his former opponent and friend Rocky Balboa.