Rocky Balboa Page #8

Rocky Balboa just asked me

how I'm doing.

I grew up watching this guy. I never

thought I'd be calling one of his fights.

This is unbelievable.

I'm a fan, I can't help it.

Now here comes Mason Dixon.

Mason Dixon establishing

his presence in the ring.

And suddenly now a conversation

breaking out at ringside.

Mike Tyson calling out

Mason "The Line" Dixon.

You can't call no shots here.

I'm the champ.

You not doing nothing.

This is charity work.

You got that midget

with you right there.

Ladies and gentlemen,

welcome to the Mandalay Bay...

...resort and casino of Las Vegas.

And a special main event

of the evening...

...10 rounds of

heavyweight excitement...

...sanctioned by the Nevada

State Athletic Commission.

And when the bell rings, the referee

in charge of the action, Joe Cortez.

And now, for the thousands

in attendance...

...and the millions watching around

the world, ladies and gentlemen...

...let's get ready to rumble!

Introducing first,

fighting out of the blue corner...

...wearing black with gold,

official weight, 217 pounds.

His professional record, 57 victories

including 54 knockouts...

...with 23 defeats and one draw.

He is the fighting pride

of Philadelphia...

...the two-time heavyweight

champion of the world...

..."The Italian Stallion"...

...Rocky...

...Balboa!

Hope he gets his head busted.

Shut up.

Across the ring,

fighting out of the red corner...

...wearing white with blue,

official weight, 221 pounds.

He has a perfect professional record,

consisting of 33 bouts...

...33 victories,

including 30 knockouts.

Originally from Tampa, Florida...

...but now fighting out

of Las Vegas, Nevada...

...the reigning undisputed,

undefeated...

...heavyweight champion

of the world...

...Mason "The Line"...

...Dixon!

All right, gentlemen.

All right, Mason, Rocky. We went

over the rules in the dressing room.

I expect a good, clean fight. Watch

the kidney punches, rabbit punches...

...low blows, be careful with those.

Give me good sportsmanlike conduct.

Remember, gentlemen, I'm fair

but I'm firm. Touch them up!

- Enjoy the ride.

- The champ is not in the best shape...

...we've seen him in. Maybe he plans

to phone this in and go home early.

- That wouldn't be a surprise.

- Glad you could make it.

One thing about Rocky

we know for sure:

This guy's showing up in shape.

- The old man's crazy.

- He's gotta be crazy. He's in here.

- Okay.

- Take it easy. This is an exhibition.

All right? Do it to him.

You got three rounds to set a pace.

Every time you hit him, make a dent.

- Got it.

- The moments before...

...a Rocky Balboa fight?

I can't believe it's here!

Round one begins.

If old George Foreman shocked

the world with one punch...

...why can't old Rocky Balboa?

And as much excitement

as there is in the arena...

...there's a sense of foreboding

as well.

And now, Mason "The Line" Dixon

goes to work with his jab as though...

...he's fighting against the number one

challenger in the heavyweight division.

See, this is to be expected early on.

You knew the champ would

control the distance with his jab...

...his height, his range.

Balboa looking to get in a shot,

misses wildly.

Did you like that?

It looks like a speed bag

against a punching bag.

Rocky's understandably frustrated...

...but he came out of retirement

to get into a fight.

Guys named Rocky

don't like to be toyed with.

One punch could still turn it around.

Apparently he forgot

his arthritis meds this morning.

Rocky misses.

There's a meat-seeking missile

on the point of the chin by the champ.

- More pinpoint jabs by Dixon.

- Rocky! Rocky! Rocky!

And there's a hard right hand

and a left and a right by Balboa!

He drives Dixon into the ropes

with a series of shots!

And the crowd goes berserk!

Dixon punishing Balboa for

the temerity of landing those shots.

It's toe to toe in the corner.

Balboa and Dixon letting it all go.

Balboa landing potent combinations

to the head of the champion.

A wake-up call for Dixon.

- You all right?

- Yeah, I'm all right.

- The man's got bricks in his gloves.

- Where's the stuff in the basement?

- It's still there.

- He came to battle, okay?

- Trying to knock me out.

- Listen.

If there's a bone he can break,

he's gonna do it.

- Give the man respect.

- What about my respect?

CompuBox numbers

tell the grisly story here.

Balboa landed nine of 13

punches in that round.

Dixon landed an incredible

- Why don't you listen to me?

- Rocky's been here a million times.

Coming out to start a round after

he took a beating in the previous one.

- Remember what I said, okay?

- I warned him. I warned him.

He's tired. His legs are going fast,

or already gone.

And what's truly extraordinary

is that Rocky can still take it.

The boxing commission, which

was criticized for licensing him...

...would be massacred

if something happened to Rocky.

And a monstrous straight left hand!

Down goes Rocky!

And that could conceivably

be the end of the fight!

That could be the exhibition

right there. But no. Balboa up.

Referee Joe Cortez asks if he wants

to continue, and Rocky says yes.

Even Rocky Balboa could be

too brave for his own good.

Dixon comes right back to try to

finish it. Balboa almost went down!

Rocky actually shoves Dixon back.

As Dixon lands these brutal shots.

- Cover up! Cover up!

- Open shots at close range.

Right and left hands,

and down goes Balboa!

Perhaps for the last time

in his fighting career!

- That should do it.

- Three! Four!

Five! Six!

Get up! Get up!

- Seven!

Eight! Nine!

- How do you feel, man? You okay?

- Now Rocky is furious with himself.

He convinces Cortez

he wants to keep fighting.

Dixon's pointing at the ref to end it.

Rocky waving his arms

and saying he's fine.

- He wants to go on!

- Let it go! Let it go!

And Balboa comes back!

With a left and a right...

...and bulls Dixon into the ropes

for the second round in a row!

Back comes Dixon

with brutal left-hand shots.

- Dixon hurt his hand there!

- Go after him!

This is Rocky's best chance!

The champ obviously hurt

his hand on Rocky's hip!

And Balboa immediately going to

work to the body! Huge right hook!

Balboa ripping away at Dixon's body!

These are big punches.

Rocky! Rocky! Rocky!

Yes!

Rocky Balboa has knocked the

reigning heavyweight champion down!

- You hurt him!

- Mason "The Line" Dixon...

...has never taken

this kind of punishment...

...in his entire professional career!

Maybe he's clearing his head, but

the body shots really caved in his ribs.

Balboa is thinking knockout himself!

Another counterhook by Balboa,

followed by two more!

Dixon fires back his own hooks!

Now Rocky's stunned.

It's an all-out war along the ropes...

...as round two comes to a close

amid a giant tumult in the ring!

Incredible.

All right!

Welcome to Rockyland.

- How's the hand?

- My hand's broken.

We lose, it's your ass! Your ass!

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