ROCKY AND THE RING
AL SILVANI Silvani (credited as Al Salvani) played himself as a cutman and was introduced to our hero following a training session at Mighty Mick’s Gym. Silvani had made the transition from top boxing trainer to movies long before Rocky became a reality, appearing in Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956) and Kid Galahad (1962). As a trainer, Silvani worked with Jake LaMotta, Rocky Graziano, Nino Benvenuti and Floyd Patterson, among several others. He would also appear in the corner in Rocky II and Rocky III . JOE FRAZIER Between his legendary third fight with Muhammad Ali and a second go- around with George Foreman, the great
THE ROCKY ROAD Innumerable fighters and boxing personalities were sprinkled throughout the Rocky franchise. Some you can’t help but notice, but others are difficult to spot.
Smokin’ Joe Frazier moonlighted as an actor. Playing himself, the ex-champ is introduced to the crowd before the first fight between Rocky and Apollo Creed. Frazier is seen wishing Rocky well before playfully engaging with the Creed character. In 1981, before his final pro fight, Frazier also participated in a sparring audition for the part of Clubber Lang in Rocky III . “A quick little butt [cut me],” Stallone told Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show . The actor decided to go with Mr. T as a safer option. LOU FILIPPO While Lou Filippo played a referee in the first five Rocky movies, his real- life story is far more interesting. The Los Angeles native went 24-9-3 as a professional boxer, with his final two bouts coming against future lightweight champion and Hall of Famer Carlos Ortiz. Filippo worked at least 254 bouts as a referee and 495 as a judge. He was the only official to score the Hagler vs.
ROCKY PEDRO LOVELL
In the opening scene, Rocky scores a second-round stoppage over Spider Rico, who was portrayed by real-life professional boxer Pedro Lovell of Argentina. On January 10, 1976, one day after principal photography commenced on Rocky , the 16-1-1 Lovell was stopped in five rounds by heavyweight great Ken Norton. Lovell, who would later reprise his role in Rocky Balboa (2006), finished his career with an 18-3- 2 record following a points loss to future titleholder Mike Weaver in 1977.
Former champs James J. Jeffries and George Foreman adorn The Rocky Belt.
The Balboa and Creed characters team up in Rocky III .
later be dubbed The Rocky Belt. In this installment, Creed is champion, so you see the hardware in his office, and he also brings it to the ring for the Balboa rematch at The Spectrum in Philadelphia. The belt was actually a hybrid design of the traditional Ring Magazine belt, with its color, engraving and logo, and the National Police Gazette Boxing Belt, which featured a larger plate, images of fighters on the side panels and more gemstones. For Rocky III (1982), The Ring’s presence was vastly increased. The first magazine cover of the franchise appears in the opening montage, which has Rocky’s profile on a “CREED-BALBOA SOUVENIR” issue. Following a bit of digging, it was clear this prop had been created by reconfiguring the “ALI-SPINKS SOUVENIR” issue from September 1978. The belt is also more prominent throughout the movie, with both Rocky and Clubber Lang seen wearing
pupil, Tommy Gunn. We see it before, during and after that fight on several occasions. Rocky’s own belt is also displayed in a memorabilia room in the basement of his Philadelphia home. During a fight montage in the middle of the movie, Gunn adorns a Ring Magazine cover, with the coverline reading, “BALBOA’S DISCOVERY.” The final sequel to bear the eponymous protagonist’s name, Rocky Balboa (2006), is the first to have a reigning Ring Magazine champion in a starring role. Two years earlier, Antonio Tarver, who plays antagonist Mason Dixon, had won the light heavyweight championship by sensationally knocking out Roy Jones Jr. in two rounds. Tarver also avenged a points loss to Glen Johnson to regain that title. The authentic Ring Magazine belt replaces the Rocky Belt in this movie, but it’s been modified to include photographs on the side panels. This is also the case with Rocky’s belt, which we see briefly in Adrian’s restaurant.
it on several occasions. Stallone also wore it during a famous Neil Leifer photo shoot to promote the movie. The most financially successful sequel, Rocky IV (1985), is Ring Magazine- heavy in the first half. A cover displaying the forthcoming Apollo Creed vs. Ivan Drago “exhibition fight” turns up in a media montage before the press conference scene. This cover design was taken from the August 1985 issue, which featured seven boxing legends being inducted into the Ring Hall of Fame. Following Apollo’s untimely demise at the hands of the steroid-enhanced Russian villain, Rocky places the belt on his friend’s flower-laden coffin. The forgettable Rocky V (1990) had the belt changing hands between new heavyweight champion Union Cane and Balboa’s backstabbing
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