11 quotes
Confrontation About Identity and Background
Mary Ann Creed
Why were you fighting?
Adonis Johnson
I'm not going to another group home.
Mary Ann
I'm not from a group home.
Adonis
You a social worker?
Mary Ann
No. I am not a social worker.
Adonis
Nigga said something about my ma so I beat his ass.
Mary Ann
I'm sorry about your mother. I know what it's like to lose someone. When your father died, I was angry for so long. I hurt myself, pushed family away.
Adonis
I don't have no father.
Mary Ann
What did you say?
Adonis
I said I don't have no father.
Mary Ann
That's not true. He passed before you were born, but you had a father.
Adonis
You knew him?
Mary Ann
He was my husband. Adonis. I would like it very much if you would come and stay with me. Do you think you'd want that?
Adonis
...What was his name?
[thinks for a moment]
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Perspective on Life from Above
Donnie
Nice view.
Rocky
If you look hard enough, you can see your whole life from up here.
Donnie
How does it look?
Rocky
Not bad at all. And you?
Donnie
Not bad at all...
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Confrontation About Upcoming Fight
Mary Ann Creed
Who are you fighting?
Adonis "Donnie" Johnson Creed
Conlan.
Mary Ann
Did you say Conlan?
[surprised]
Donnie
Yeah, Pretty Ricky.
Mary Ann
Adonis have you lost your mind? Do you know who this man is? That is too much reach. Too many years of experience, this man will break every bone in your body -
Donnie
Look mama, listen, all right I didn't call to argue. I've lost some weight. Been in the gym, training hard. Watching a lot of tapes.
Mary Ann
Well I hope those tapes serve you well in the ring, honey, when the man is pounding you face to face -
Donnie
Listen if you tell me not to do it I won't. I had a name. They're just telling me that this fight is depending on it, so I want your blessing.
Mary Ann
The name is nothing, I don't care about the name, I care about you. But these people, they care about money. It's a blood sport and they will use you in any way they can... and when they're done, it's your family that has to come and pick up the pieces and clean up the mess. You cannot beat this man! But you know what? You and Rocky, go ahead, do whatever it is you want to do.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
The Undefeated Power of Time
Rocky Balboa
Time beat him. Time, y'know, takes everybody out; it's undefeated.
[regarding Apollo Creed]
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Proving One's Worth in the Ring
Rocky
I should've stopped the fight with your father. I'm stopping this one now.
Donnie
Don't, okay? Let me finish. I gotta prove it.
Rocky
Prove what?
Donnie
I'm not a mistake.
Rocky
Look at me. I never got a chance to thank Apollo for helping me out after Mickey died, but it's nothing compared to what you've done. You taught me how to fight again and I'm gonna go home and I'm gonna fight this thing, but if I fight I want you to fight too. I want you to go across this ring and knock that son of a bitch down. Can you do it? Say it.
Donnie
I'm gonna knock that son of a bitch down.
Rocky
I know you are. You know why? Because you're a Creed and I love you, kid.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Taking It Step by Step
Rocky Balboa
One step at a time. One punch at a time. One round at a time.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Training Advice in the Boxing Ring
Rocky
All right. Donnie, get into your stance. Make a small target, turn sideways.
Donnie
Okay.
Rocky
You see this guy here staring back at you?
[points to the mirror]
Donnie
Yeah.
[stares at himself in the mirror]
Rocky
That's your toughest opponent. Every time you get into the ring, that's who you're going against. I believe that in boxing and I do believe that in life, okay? Now throw a jab in the jaw.
Rocky
All right, one to the gut.
Rocky
Now, every time you punch this guy, what's he doing?
Donnie
He's throwing one back at me.
Rocky
That's right. So either you block it, slip it or get out of the way. Go.
Rocky
I'll leave you two alone for a while.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
The Bell Signals Ongoing Struggle
Rocky Balboa
That bell don't mean school's out, Donnie. Keep going. That bell means hell.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Focus on the Fight Ahead
Adonis "Donnie" Johnson Creed
This shit for real?
Rocky Balboa
Doesn't matter. What you should be thinking about is that fight coming up. That's the only thing that should be on your mind, nothing else.
Donnie
What you mean, don't think about this? When you starting treatment?
Rocky
I'm not doing no chemotherapy. No.
Donnie
If you don't jump on this quick, you're gonna end up dying.
Rocky
I know.
Donnie
And you're all right with that?
Rocky
I am.
Donnie
Man, you sound crazy, man. Give me the keys. I'll take you to the hospital right now.
Rocky
I'm not crazy at all. If I could take everything that was good and put it into a bowl or something and say, "Hey! Here. I'd like to buy one more day with my wife," I'd do it. I would die a happy man, right then. Not gonna happen. So, everything I got has moved on and I'm here, but you know what? It's okay. Because I said to myself, "If I break, if I'm hurt, whatever. I ain't gonna fix it. Why bother?
Donnie
And I'm just some bum just living in your crib, just nothing.
Rocky
You're a good kid, a good fighter. But you got your whole future ahead of you. Mine? Back there, like all them guys on that wall. In the back, in the past. We're going nowhere. I am to you just an old trainer. That's what brought us together. You know? We're not a real family. That was just in our heads, kid.
[points to old posters on locker room wall; Donnie pauses and storms out]
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Discussion of Past Fights and Memories
Rocky Balboa
How you doing?
Adonis "Donnie" Johnson:
This was taken from the 10th round of the first fight, right?
Rocky
Good call. How'd you know that?
[takes off his glasses]
Donnie
I heard about a third fight between you and Apollo behind closed doors. That true?
Rocky
How'd you hear about that?
Donnie
Who won?
Rocky
Its kind of a secret. What'd you say your name was?
Donnie
Donnie.
Rocky
The girl said you wanted to talk about something.
Donnie
Yeah, I want to talk to you about training me.
Rocky
Training you? I don't do that stuff no more. Sorry about that. Listen, it's getting kind of late, kid. So I'm gonna close up--
[chuckles]
Donnie
How good was he?
Rocky
Who? Apollo? Yeah, he was great. He's a perfect fighter. Ain't nobody ever better.
Donnie
So how'd you beat him?
Rocky
Time beat him. Time takes everybody out, it's undefeated. Anyway, I gotta lock up.
Donnie
When Mickey died, he came and talked to you, right? Talked you out of quitting? Took you to L.A., trained you...brought you back.
Rocky
How do you know all this?
Donnie
How do you think?
Rocky
What are you, like, a cousin?
[looks at the photo before turning back to Donnie]
Donnie
He's my father.
Rocky
No, he isn't. I don't believe you.
Donnie
Call Mary Anne.
Rocky
Mary Anne. His wife.
Donnie
The house number still works. Oh, that's right. You haven't talked to her since the funeral. She said you gave a nice speech, though.
Rocky
Yeah. Nice speech.
Donnie
I want you to train me. I need somebody solid and who else better to go to? You at least owe me that.
Rocky
I can tell the way you talk, you been to school. So I figure you got some brains. Why would you want to pick a fighter's life when you don't have to? If Apollo was around, he would tell you that, too.
Donnie
Well, he ain't around. I been fighting my whole life. I ain't got a choice.
Rocky
It's always about a choice. I was in the ring. I saw how it went down. That fight should've been stopped. I should have stopped it.
Donnie
Maybe he wanted to go out like a fighter. Maybe, you did exactly what he wanted.
Rocky
I think he'd rather be here, talking with you. There is a resemblance. I'm usually here all the time so if you're ever in the neighborhood, come by if you need something.
[gets a closer look at Donnie]
Donnie
I'll be at Mickey's Gym tomorrow.
Rocky
I don't go there. I haven't been there in a long time.
Donnie
Since we're pretty much like family... who won the third fight?
Rocky
He did.
[looks to Apollo's picture]
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Legacy Transcends Beyond Just a Name
Tagline
Your Legacy is More than a Name.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.