LorgSkyegon

Answer: Rocky is well-known to have a very strong ability to take punches, which is how he is able to keep his hands in punching position rather than a defensive position. In addition to heavily training for this fight, he also hurts Drago, which reduces his ability to fight.

LorgSkyegon

Answer: There would be multiple factors involved, not just how many rounds were fought. Drago may just have hit Apollo in an unexpected fatal way. Apollo could have had some unknown physical weakness or condition making him more susceptible to the constant, hard blows. Also, it wasn't expected that Drago was so vicious, sociopathic, and unconcerned whether an opponent was seriously hurt or killed, nor did he hold back on the force of the punches. Rocky, knowing what Drago was capable of, was able to strategize and fend off Drago. Apollo was unaware and unprepared. Rocky was also motivated by revenge and fury.

raywest ★

Answer: Apollo was much older and had retired as a boxer, despite his training (he was in good shape) he also had no fights in a long time, as a result his ability to shrug off blows were inferior to Rocky's Also if you focus well on the fight, he spends way too much time yelling for Rocky to NOT stop the fight, not only wasting lots of energy, neglecting to position himself well, focus or even block To me it seemed like Apollo wanted to die, his "Apollo Pride" simply wouldn't let him quit. I once had and wrote a "Creepypasta theory" in where the reader is believed that Apollo instead had been shouting "Help me Rocky! Throw the towel! Help me!" but Rocky was so sure his buddy would win that he heard what he wanted to hear (my theory was widely supported by the fact that the chance that Rocky would have heard anything at all during all the screaming and shouting is but impossible, also the fact that Rocky feels guilt and has signs of PTSD would support this).