Real-life boxer Florian Munteanu is Viktor Drago in 'Creed II' - POP! Clubber Lang was a bully. If it did, thered be no movie. At least the father-son duo make up. Playing a bad-tempered, loud-mouthed Scouser must have been a real acting challenge for Tony Bellew. A director's cut of "Rocky IV" will be in select theaters for one day only on November 11. Dolph Lundgren. In the movie Rocky IV , Ivan Drago registers a 2,150-psi punch. Production is expected to begin in March in Philadelphia, and it's slated to hit theaters on Nov. 21. During the weigh in, Drago taunts Donnie, telling him he is much smaller than Apollo was. soon I fight Rocky Balboa, and the world will see his defeat. Union Cane | Rocky Wiki | Fandom But why is this completely on Rocky? Still, a devastating puncher with a terrifying stare. And what more to make Rocky the underdog than to give his opponent every unethical advantage? To be fair, Britains former cruiserweight world champ brings fiery energy to his role as the unbeaten pound-for-pound no.1 in the first Creed film. A fearsome fighting machine involved . In July of last year, Dong weighed in at 287 pounds. Ivan Drago is the real hero of Creed 2 This isn't the boxing movie it thinks it is By Ben Kuchera Dec 3, 2018, 5:22pm EST Barry Wetcher/MGM The Physics of Punching Someone in the Face - Washington City Paper Viktor Drago was the son of disgraced professional Soviet boxer Ivan Drago and . Standing at 7 ft tall with an 84-inch reach, Taishan Dong is one of the largest figures in boxing. If you had done the right thing, he would still be alive, and my children would still have their father. She then slaps him, and while someone rushes to console Rocky and defend his choice the Italian Stallion mumbles something loosely translating to, Quick, lets cut to a 4-minute montage of me driving around town while remembering everything thats happened in the movie so far!. In this director's cut edition of the film, from Stallone himself, Drago is positioned as more of an individual experiencing greater conflict between being an instrument of the Soviets and of his own ambition as a 'warrior'. Both Rocky and Adonis lost their initial title bouts, but they both proved something to themselves, and the world. After spending his formative years soaking in as much pop culture trivia as possible, Niall started writing about film online in 2020, and contributes to numerous websites. A Real Boxer Will Play Ivan Drago's Son In Creed 2 - Looper Generally speaking, training in Russia was done in secret, the press only having access to what the government wanted them to see. Referees sometimes step in to stop matches to protect fighters who are clearly incapable of defending themselves. With Drago's confidence shaken, and Rocky's determination fully empowered, the fight eventually becomes a long, drawn-out war between the two. The juxtaposition of Rocky as the 'pure' American hero versus the Soviet machine is instead reimagined as a more nuanced warrior vs warrior affair, with the backdrop of the politicising of the fighting being a source of conflict rather than the reason for the contest. H was about to find himself at the center of a full-scale, all-American extravaganza! Niall can be found on Twitter @lordofthegray. This is the section of Creed II that proves the hardest to watch, as it follows a broken fighter who risked too much for too little reward, and what happens when he shuts out everyone he cares about after they tried to give him good advice. [2], Ivan Drago is an Olympic gold medalist[3] and a boxing champion from the Soviet Union, who had an amateur record of 10000 wins (100 KO). Which is why I bet Viktor Drago is going to be OK, no matter what happens in the inevitable sequel. So, um, do I still need to put a spoiler warning up here? My blood pressure went up to 260 and I was going to be talking to angels. And I only thought that happened in the movies. The epic rematch sees Viktor show his power before ultimately getting stopped when his dad throws in the towel. Many viewers and critics have suggested that Drago was meant to symbolize the U.S. perception of the Soviets: immense, powerful, and emotionless. He then pummels him with several more shots. Drago enters professional heavyweight boxing in the beginning of the movie. The punch that landed Stallone in hospital ultimately remained in the film. Rocky (1976) Rocky II (1979) Rocky III (1982) Rocky IV (1985) Rocky V (1990) Rocky Balboa (2006) Creed (2015) Creed II (2018), Sly Stallone Shop Contenders Clothing Rocky Collection Yo Philly! If theCreed 3Clubber Lang theory proves true, eachCreedfilm will have made use of elements of a specificRockyfilm before it. A $10 bet on Rocky would have won you $45, plus your $10 back. Dating Jones led to Lundgren's first onscreen appearance as a henchman in the 1985 James Bond film A View to a Kill.. A weekly roundup of the best things from Polygon, By submitting your email, you agree to our, Sign up for the Ivan Drago | Rocky Wiki | Fandom In Creed II, it is revealed that Drago and Ludmilla had divorced as a result of his loss to Rocky Balboa and he is now raising their son - himself a professional boxer - alone. This service is provided on talkSPORT Ltd's Terms of Use in accordance with our Privacy Policy. The 100-0-0 record he held ahead of coming to America (also all by knockout) doesn't count towards his professional record since they were amateur fights, and his defeat of Apollo Creed is similarly discounted because it was an exhibition. Ivan Drago's professional record stands at 31-1-0. Which is why the inversion of this formula in Creed II is so damned good, to the point where Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu) may be a more interesting character than Adonis Creed, or Rocky, himself. Plus, Drago could have made that decision on his own, resisting his immense roid rage and thinking, Apollo, my American comrade, you dont look so good. The boxers in Rocky are nearly superhuman by the time we get to the era of Rocky IV. Viktor pummels Donnie, breaking his ribs and brutally injuring his kidneys, but is disqualified for landing a punch on Donnie while he was down. Ivan Drago (-700) vs. Rocky Balboa (+450). Not only would he physically fit the bill, but Dong would also have a logical narrative place within the (as yet) hypothetical Creed 4. Bump that up to a $100 wager, and you're profiting $450. Drago then proceeds to murder him in the ring, and thats not me using an expression, like how sometimes a particularly one-sided boxing match will be framed as one man murdering the other. Drago is indeed a worthy successor to Rocky's previous adversaries, Apollo Creed and Clubber Lang. His Rocky III rematch sees Lang floor Rocky again, but punch himself out to let Slys slimmed-down fighter earn his revenge. So, can any real world, historic boxers stand up to all the men on this list? I like him. One of my favorite movie quotes has to be from Rocky IV. What's more, he's already racked up a record of 6-0, drawing parallels with the undefeated Ivan Drago inRocky IV. Whats more remarkable is that Ivan Drago, the unfeeling beast who set all of these pieces in motion when he killed Apollo, is given the heroic moment in the last round. The ref did, but he definitely did it wayyyyy too late. In Rocky: Legends, Drago reprises this role but also appears in a younger form fighting amateur in Russia . Stallone was born to play the gutsy underdog, who relies on KO power and an unmatched will to win to overcome superior foes. Ivan Gustaf Drago was born in Moscow, former Soviet Union (now Russia) on 3 November, 1957 to a Swedish mother and Russian father. [5][6] This symbolism is particularly clear in some lines in the film, including the radio announcer who says, "Ivan Drago is a man with an entire country in his corner. Union Cane was played by real-life boxer, and former NABF heavyweight champion, Mike Williams in the film Rocky V. After Dragolost to Balboa, he was exiled to Ukraine, where he garnered an impressive 31 wins all by knockout. His physical attributes and impressive boxing record belie exactly the sort of fighter that Ivan Drago was inRocky IV, and securing Dong for a part inCreed 4would allow for further parallels between theCreedmovies and theirRockypredecessors. At the beginning of the fight, a confident Apollo dances around the Soviet boxer, flicking jabs at Drago. It stands to reason Drago accumulated his near-perfect history of knockouts because of doping. 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Hes stuck in a cold, grey world of hatred and training. Maybe theyll be restored in the future, but they dont really have to be. Appearing in: Rocky IV. Drago is carefully fitted and trained to be the consummate fighter. On December 25th, 1985 Rocky Balboa defeated Ivan Drago by KO and shortly after returned to the United States. For more information, please see our This is everything he was raised to want. Ivan Drago Biographical Information Nickname (s) The Siberian Express The Siberian Bull Death from Above Born January 5, 1961 (age 62) Nationality Russian Residence Kiev, Ukraine Moscow, Russia (formerly) Occupation Infantry Captain (late 1970s until late 1980s) Professional Boxer (1985) Boxing Trainer for Viktor Drago Physical Description Gender All this reminds me of the Simpsons: Drago even continues to attack Creed after the bell is rung to end the round, despite this being an exhibition match, leaving Apollo bloodied and slumped against the ropes. Ivan Drago is the man who killed Apollo Creed in the ring, but was ultimately disgraced by his loss against Rocky Balboa. Viktor has almost no lines in the movie himself, but manages to be a pathetic screen presence despite his massive size. When he's not writing for Screen Rant, Niall also writes for Corner of Film (where he also hosts a podcast) and sporadically dabbles in fiction with a focus on dark comedy and horror. Chinese boxer Taishan Dong could be the next real fighter to join the Rocky / Creed franchise, and his impressive physical size and power would recapture that of Ivan Drago in Rocky IV. His heart rate and punching power are constantly measured via computers during his workouts. Yup, the role that Dolph Lundgren is most known for isn't the first one, even though most people couldn't name anything he was in before. The attention theyd gotten since arriving in the United States was far more than either had expected, though one would be hard-pressed to recognize a look of surprise or any emotion for that matter on Dragos face. Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Creed II's Original Opening Has Viktor Drago Bartending in the Ukraine", "The Definitive Ranking of Rocky Fighters", "ROCKY IV - THE MISUNDERSTOOD: IVAN DRAGO - Ruthless Reviews", "Where Have You Gone, Ivan Drago? Learn how your comment data is processed. His tragic beating of Apollo is officially an exhibition, so taking on Balboa on Christmas Day in Moscow is Dragos pro debut. . Fighting. Proving his craft in the boxing ring was everything. Kept in isolation and living a life that consisted of little else than training as a boxer, Ivan Drago had begun to lose his sense of self. Ivan Drago's promoter/trainer Nicoli Koloff (who was played by Michael Pataki) while talking to the media in the movie said, "Whatever he hits, he destroys." The audience is then shown a rival fighter who is higher up on the boxing food chain or is shown by his words or actions to be wicked. Variety reports that Romanian boxer Florian "Big Nasty" Munteanu has landed the role of Ivan Drago's son in the upcoming sequel. In the end, that's what theRocky movies are all about: vanquishing demons. and our Maybe that act of mercy would have improved American Russian relations during the Cold War because if he could change we could change. There is no such scene in Rocky IV. Tato was clearly outclassed during the fight from the start and, by the end of the second round, it was pretty obvious that Tato had absolutely no business being in the same ring with Meehan. The perfect fighter, Rocky calls him in Creed. He is portrayed by Swedish actor and real-life martial artist Dolph Lundgren. Neither Rocky nor Adonis wrestle with this much. Training brings him no joy, but winning torments him even further. Still, Balboa ever the gentleman tells Apollos son Adonis that his dad won their unofficial third fight in the gym. With Donnie injured and his confidence shattered, Viktor ascends to the top of the boxing world thanks to his unmatched power punches, and Drago's good standing with Russia is partially restored. A Real Life Boxer Just Did What Ivan Drago Should Have in Rocky IV It got to be so bad that, towards the middle of the second round, Meehan turned to the ref and yelled, Stop the fucking fight! in his face. / CBS Detroit. Ivan Drago, aka The Siberian Express, aka Death from Above, aka The Siberian Bull is one heck of a film character. Adonis Creed proved himself in the first movie, then finds love and deals with being a first-time parent in Creed II. Cookies help us deliver our Services. The fearsome Soviet fighter first appeared on the world stage inRocky IV (1985), where he infamously killed Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) in an exhibition match. (LogOut/ Creed II lets us know what the boxer has been up to in the years since, and its grim. Again, its a simple formula, but it works. Worked in academia for a while. During Rocky's fight with Tommy Gunn, Rocky sees visions of Drago killing Apollo while believing he is about to suffer the same fate at Tommy's hands, until a vision of Mickey inspired him to get up and defeat Tommy. Ivan Drago and Boxing's 5 Greatest Villains | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors | Bleacher Report Home > Boxing Ivan Drago and Boxing's 5 Greatest Villains Justin Tate April 12,. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Jingoism makes them worth caring about." Gabriel is excited for his eminent return to work in the industry in Los Angeles after graduating from the University of Texas at Austin with highest honors in Radio-Television-Film. Apollo Creed was arrogant, and no one believed Rocky would present a credible threat. If a punch thrown by Rocky IV. Drago wants to win, but not for the crowd, not for his nation, not for the communist party, not for the Politburo. Stallone said that the punch to the chest delivered by Lundgren, who played the giant Soviet boxer Ivan Drago, is in the movie. But he had been interested very interested in the opportunity to develop as a boxer and prove himself a greater champion than the man who had inspired him to take up the sport in the first place, Rocky Balboa. He was named after the mountain in China, which is the highest peak in the country according to Fox Sports 1. Sylvester Stallone Says He Nearly Died After Being 'Pulverized' in That aside, this is the undisputed ranking. Politics was not Dragos game, he would leave that to others. Viktor Drago | Rocky Wiki | Fandom Hes surrounded by people who care about him, and hes going to be rich and loved no matter how the fight goes. (Carl Weathers) at the hands of Drago, he travels to the Soviet Union to fight him. Watch Imagine Dragons' Violent 'Believer' Video - Rolling Stone People die in boxing all the time, but Drago actively pushes the ref away to attack Creed some more when the ref tries to stop it. Creed wasnt shy about this. Ivan Drago's Unmade Rocky Spinoff Sent The Villain To Prison, How Many Fights Rocky Actually Won In His Boxing Career, What Happened To Andrew Ridgeley After Wham! . Unlike the flamboyant Apollo Creed and the brash James "Clubber" Lang, Rocky's opponents in previous films, Ivan Drago is quiet and non-boastful. He first appears in the 1985 film Rocky IV, in which he is the central antagonist and rival of Rocky Balboa and is also responsible for the death of Apollo Creed after brutally defeating him in their match. In the follow-up to the 2015 hit, legacy boxer Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) can't resist going toe-to-toe with Viktor Drago, the son and trainee of Ivan Drago, the former Soviet heavyweight . Related:Ivan Drago's Unmade Rocky Spinoff Sent The Villain To Prison. After vanquishing Apollo Creed and facing Rocky in the ring, Ivan Drago's career took a turn. She is much more articulate than Drago, who seldom talks, and always speaks on his behalf at press conferences and interviews. [4] Drago is seen receiving intramuscular injections in the movie, implied to be anabolic steroids, though the actual nature of the injected solution is never explicitly stated; instead, Ludmilla, his wife, states as a joke that Drago is like Popeye and eats spinach every day.[3]. And I didnt feel it in the moment but later that night my heart started to swell. My memory was playing tricks on me, clearly conflating the famous Jaws scene where Roy Schreider is slapped by that grieving mother with this remarkably brief funeral scene in Rocky IV: Maybe Apollos widow should have slapped Rocky, though, because in the dilemma of to throw in the towel or to not throw in the towel he picked the option that ends with everyone at a funeral. The first thing we shot [was] my entrance, [Lundgrens] entrance, and the introductions and then I got really injured during the fight and I had to be flown into intensive care to California from Canada, revealed Stallone. This time against his most formidable opponent: Ivan Drago (Lundgren).. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Its one of the big movie deaths of the 1980s, and due to the way it sets up the rest of the film they could have just as easily titled it Rock IV: This Time Its Personalin Moscow! Hes beloved by the rich and powerful. Ivan pushes Viktor to his limit in training for the bout. Trained and managed by Rocky, Gunn deserted him for brash Don King clone George Washington Duke, before the mulleted slugger won the heavyweight crown. This turns out to be a fatal mistake, as Drago lands a final savage punch that knocks him out, but fatally injures him, resulting in his death minutes later as he was cradled by Rocky. Why didn't the police arrest Ivan Drago for killing Apollo in - Reddit Jul 10, 2017 In the climax of Rocky IV, an uppercut by Rocky Balboa left Ivan Drago on the canvas after 15 rounds of fighting. Despite Drago only having a single professional fight due to all other fights being amateur bouts, a poll of former heavyweight champions and prominent boxing writers ranked Drago as the third-best fighter in the Rocky film series. Steven Caple Jr. (The Land) will direct the flick which also stars Stallone and Tessa Thompson (Thor:Ragnarok). He has worked both in and out of the entertainment industry as a freelance creator and for several production companies in film, tv, and talent development. Former Villain Russia Is Just Another Olympic Player Now", ", . Drago is carefully fitted and trained to be the consummate fighter. If theCreedfranchise does seek to continue mirroring the narrative trend of theRockymovies, there's a real-life boxer that would prove the perfect fighter to replicateRocky IV's Drago fight. He has a reach of 84 inches. Ivan Drago's professional record stands at 31-1-0. Driven by his desire to be the best at all costs, Drago focuses on this single-minded manner in which he pursues his goal - and it deprives him of his humanity. Dolph Lundgren Actor Facts | Mental Floss Admittedly, Dixon had to deal with a broken hand, but its a poor showing against a man pushing 60 (also, Sly looks in better physical shape than the then-active fighter Tarver). Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Nothing about his situation is survivable. Rocky 4 was originally released in 1985 and was written and directed by Stallone. That seems unrealistic to me, and yet I'm hearing Internet rumors about mixed martial arts fighters and boxers coming close to . Want to be in Creed 2? In only nine lines of dialogue, a few confused looks and two boxing matches, he became one of the most memorable villains of the '80s (well, -ish, we're kinda sympathetic to him by the end), and if Sylvester Stallone's latest tease is any indication, the Russian baddie is . Chinese boxer Taishan Dong could be the next real fighter to join theRocky/Creedfranchise, and his impressive physical size and power would recapture that of Ivan Drago inRocky IV. Viktor enters the tenth round with a slight lead, but begins to tire, as he had never gone past the fourth round in prior matches without knocking his opponent out. Ivan Drago. Rocky vs. Drago: What would the betting odds have been in 'Rocky IV'? Ivan Drago Like Clubber, Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) also has one of the most iconic lines in the series: Drago may be the most physically imposing antagonist across all of the Rocky and Creed films. Creed 4 Has The Perfect Boxer For A Real Drago Fight - Screen Rant Ludmilla appears during a dinner meeting, causing Viktor to storm out in disgust. This isnt the boxing movie it thinks it is. The Master of Disaster, The King of Sting, The Count of Monte Fisto: Carl Weathers slick, quick, powerful heavyweight champ based loosely on Muhammad Ali is an imposing 46-0 (46 KOs) before Rocky goes the distance with him in the Oscar-winning original film. Rocky doesnt have any problems telling Adonis to ditch the fight, however, and hes right about it: Adonis seems immature and spiteful in his determination to fight Viktor, and he barely seems to care what life will be like for those he leaves behind if hes seriously hurt. I'm a fighter from the Soviet Union. Who would have been more dominant in real life, Ivan Drago or - Quora Which is sort of the equivalent of Anthony Joshua having the snot beaten out of him by Eddie Hearn on the mean streets of Essex. [Warning: This article contains detailed spoilers for Creed II.]. Real name for this character. After Donnie accepts the fight and Rocky refuses to train him, Drago intensifies Viktor's training regimen adding weighted chin ups, and battle rope push ups. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. on A Real Life Boxer Just Did What Ivan Drago Should Have in RockyIV, Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice Is Probably Being Set Up toFail, The Flashs Family of Rogues (S2,EP3): Stop Making Us Cry So Hard, Jesse L.Martin, The Great Christopher Nolan Film Re-Watch, What If Rocky IV Happened In Real Life? Before the match begins, Drago mutters "You will lose.". Meet Real Life Ivan Drago; 7-Foot Chinese Boxer Taishan Dong [VIDEO] February 26, 2015 / 2:20 PM / CBS Detroit By: Evan Jankens @kingofthekc One of my favorite movie quotes has to be from. Could any real world boxers stand up the boxers in the Rocky - Reddit Steroid rumours persist, but who knows how many eggs hes eating out there in Mother Russia? Yet lets not forget that Russias Olympic gold medallist portrayed memorably, if monosyllabically, by Dolph Lundgren is actually 0-1 as a professional by the end of Rocky IV. Grew up obsessing over movies and TV shows. His strongest punch is over 2000 psi, and his average was 1850 psi. When Michael B. Jordan steps back in the ring for Creed 2, he'll definitely want to make sure he's got the fight choreography down. By the time of the events ofRocky IV, heis such an American icon that the Soviet Union seeks to strike a blow against the States by sending a champion of their own to defeat him. In Rocky, which is based on real-life boxer Chuck Wepner, he bravely fights the then-champion Apollo Creed in spite of his humble origins, eventually dethroning and befriending Creed inRocky II. Drago visits Rocky in his restaurant to tell him how Rocky cost him everything, and threatens to avenge his loss through Viktor, telling Rocky, "My son will break your boy.". Maybe if Drago said that in Rocky IV it would have been in Russian and no one would have understood. Related:Creed 3 Already Has One Big Advantage Over The First Two Movies. A fine boxer but Wheeler unlike the real-life Ward is clearly a gym fighter who cant replicate his best form when it matters. Ivan Vasilyevich Drago (Russian: , pronounced[van dra], Ukrainian: ) is a Russian fictional character of Ukrainian origin[1] from the Rocky film series. These characters apparently had more interaction after the climactic fight, but the scenes were cut from the final release of Creed II. Ivan Drago (Character) - Giant Bomb