EveryRockymovie is only as good as the opponent. From theMuhammad Ali-inspiredApollo Creed(Carl Weathers) to the respect-hungry Mason “The Line” Dixon (Antonio Tarver),every man who stepped into the ringwith the Italian Stallion made a lasting impression on audiences. One of those men reached cultural icon status in the ‘80s withRocky III:Mr. Tas the unstoppable Clubber Lang.
The thirdRocky installmentreleased in 1982 was more than a high point forSylvester Stallone’sPhiladelphiaunderdog fighter.The threequel added a new dimension of storytellingthrough a vicious opponent lacking humility. Lang’s relentless bullying streak was a stark contrast to the principled, yet flamboyant Apollo. But make no mistake about his presence setting the tone for comic book-like villains in future Rocky installments. Behind the signature trademark and pounds of gold chain,Clubber Lang was a truth-teller when it came to Rocky as a fighter.
Clubber Lang’s Background Isn’t That Different From Rocky’s
Much ofRocky III’s story deals withStallone’s Rockyhaving everything he has fought for since theoriginal 1976 Oscar winnercome to fruition: wealth, fame, and a stable life for Adrian (Talia Shire) and their family. His newfound celebrity diminishes his skills because the hunger he has to go the distance is gone. He beats his opponents without breaking a sweat and engages in public stunts for charity, such as a wrestling match with Thunderlips (Hulk Hogan).
Mr. T’s Lang is similar to the Rocky established in the previous films. Living in a lower-class urban environment, Lang fights in a southpaw style much like the Italian Stallion. He trains alone in surroundings full of grime and filth no different from the aging gym owned by Rocky’s manager, Mickey (Burgess Meredith). The biggest comparison between them isthe giant chip on their shoulders from years of being overlookedand yearning for that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity at greatness.
In many respects,Lang is everything Rocky could have become had it not been for Adrian. Rocky’s past life was by no means squeaky clean. He was a chain-smoking loner barely making ends meet as a debt collector to loan shark Gazzo (Joe Spinell) by day, working as a small club fighter by night. Few saw his potential until Adrian tapped into his heart and connected with the introverted nature they both shared. Where Rocky grew to love and compassion around him,Lang is a loner who only knows hatebecause of his growing frustration about being seen, yet dismissed from achieving larger goals. Such hate translates to incredible strength that brings opponents down as quickly as three rounds.
Mickey Fixed Rocky’s Fights To Keep Him Away From Clubber Lang
Lang’s brute strength is the very trait that Mickey is afraid of. As the only father figure in Rocky’s life,Mickey has been the guiding force to keep him on the right path beyond boxing. Underneath his brash personality is a caring man who wants Rocky to be something better than another bum in the neighborhood. He kept him focused on training for the first bout with Apollo and later encouraged him to stand up to the champ’s humiliation tactics going into the rematch.
Sylvester Stallone Made Another Sports Movie After ‘Rocky,’ and the Studio Butchered It
This movie was not a knockout.
ComeRocky III, however, Mickey sees Rocky as a fighter who peaked and should bow out while on top. The shocking reveal by Lang that Mickey hadRocky’s post-Apollo fightsfixed was motivated not just by the manager’s fears. He needed to protect the closest person to his child. Rocky has become so caught up in his fame thathe lacks the same fire he once had in beating a fighter with a killing streak. Without that instinct and without that motivation, Mickey is forced to protect Rocky, knowing that a massive loss to Lang would not only be a public embarrassment but also destroy everything his life had been built for.
Despite Mickey’s underhanded tactics to protect Rocky, this still does not make Lang any less sympathetic. Lang took the low road in getting his title opportunity rather than gain public support as the number one contender.Rocky only got his shot against Apollowhen the champ needed to drum up hype for a promotional match against an unknown. The fact that he went the full twelve rounds was good enough for Creed todemand a rematchto prove a point to the public. Lang had to insult Adrian to get under Rocky’s skin for a title fight to take place.
