Sylvester Stallone-Rocky Inducted into Boxing Hall of Fame
By Larry Brown December 7, 2010 - Posted in Boxing

Before we go any farther, I just want you to digest that headline for a minute. Yes, the man who played Rocky — a boxer from a fictional movie — was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Along with Mike Tyson, Julio Cesar Chavez, and Kostya Tszyu — you know, real boxers who actually fought in the ring — Sylvester Stallone is getting inducted into the Hall of Fame. Have you any idea how absurd that is?

Stallone is an actor. He played a boxer in a fictictious movie. Sure, he played in a series of movies, and they were great, but none of it was actually real. It’s an insult to guys like Tyson, Chavez, and Tsyzu who all actually were beat up on the ring and administered beatings, that someone who did nothing gets in.

If boxing inducts Sylvester Stallone into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, where do we go from here?

Does Adam Sandler gain induction into the Golfing Hall of Fame for his portrayal of Happy Gilmore? Better yet, maybe he can go into the College Football Hall of Fame for his role as Bobby Boucher. Screw it, I’m nominating Jake Taylor for Cooperstown. And after that, I’m making sure Butch McRae makes it into Naismith. And I won’t sleep until Forrest Gump makes it into the Table Tennis Hall of Fame (if it exists).

Honestly, Sylvester Stallone into the Boxing Hall of Fame? What a joke. They should be ashamed of themselves.

For a complete list of fictitious athletes who belong in the Hall of Fame, check this out.

About Larry Brown:
Larry Brown has over nine years of professional sports media experience, working in online, radio, and TV capacities. He recently was a nationally syndicated sports radio host. Follow him on twitter @LBSports
Share
***Get the Full LBS Experience on our twitter page***

15 Comments
  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_GYTE5LVQIU5334ZOVMVBYJMMJQ Malcolm

    Mr. Brown -

    Nobody will ever mistake “Sly” or “Rocky” for a real-life boxer, so I think your worries that his selection somehow contaminates the legacies of real boxers is unfounded. Stallone was not selected as a boxer, but as a movie-maker whose work (in script-writing as well as acting) boosted boxing’s profile enormously.

    For that work, he deserves a presence in the Hall. It does absolutely no injury to the legacies of the real-life boxers in the hall, any more than the selection of promoters, trainers, broadcasters or referees does.

    Relax! He did boxing big good. Famous good. He belongs.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_VFBOXCHZ5GDUN47E6X45ONT7AA asda

    Larry, my first reaction was the same as yours but then I found out the following:

    Turns out International Boxing Hall of Fame has several categories.

    There is a category for “Boxers” that includes your real boxers like Ali, Foreman, Tyson etc.
    Then, there is a category for “Observers” that includes sports columnists, commentators etc.
    Finally, there is a category for “Non-Participants” that includes all sorts of people – photographers, writers, judges, radio announcers, promoters etc.

    Stallone will be inducted in this last category.
    Obviously, the achievements of inductees in one category in no way reflect on the achievements of the inductees in another category.

  • http://twitter.com/veloce6 Luigi Barletta

    Larry, seriously you need to lighten up. What Sly has done thru his films to draw more attention to the sport can never be compared to “Happy Gilmore” and Adam Sandler.

    Sly being inducted makes perfect sense. Also let me remind you that “Rocky” in 1977 won the Oscar for Best Picture.

  • Anonymous

    Who are you anyway? Sure Critics critique but come on! Boxers of all ages are inspired by his movies. They train to his music. In one form another, every boxer pays homage to Sly Stone for making those movies. Any idiot can make the distinction between fiction and non-fiction, you Jack-Wagon! Calm down, man. It’s not the end of Boxing as we know it. However, Americans need to become more competitive in the sport if it is to ever be on top again.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_R5ZRJPZW7NC4MSX7XCK6FKWNKM Net

    Larry, Sly did more to the sport of boxing than you ever will. A lot of people started to love boxing – or took up boxing – because of the Rocky films. He deserves it!It’s obvious he’ll be inducted into the non-boxer category. I wonder why you left that out? At least we know he’s a better writer than you’ll ever be – him being nominated for best writer at the Oscars for Rocky.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_SD7XYUQYRMVNG3QODZPTFXZT44 eddie s

    Mr. Brown. What the hell is wrong with you? Apparently Tyson and Chavez didn’t have a problem with it. If two of the greatest fighter’s in the world don’t have a problem, then why the fuss?

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_SYBCHORDM7TZYC2NFPOTEFHPRY Homina8or

    This is no different then when a owner or sports announcer gets inducted into the Baseball HOF. Stallone helped further boxing’s exposure with his movies a lot more than say Russel Crowe’s Cnderella Man. Now if Crowe gets in HOF, you have a valid gripe.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_ZWJINPXSTXRQY6XO7SYUYGBBTI aleuzirb21

    Both Tyson & JCC feel HONORED to be inducted alongside Stallone. How does that make you feel now, Larry? haha. smdh

    “You know how awesome that is? You know how many fighters he inspired from that movie? He contributed (to boxing) more than some champions did.” -Mike Tyson on Sylvester Stallone’s induction.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_VQIQZBK6WGP3QNCWWBGIE25VOE Tony

    Boxing just seems highly irrelevant these days. The inclusion of Stallone/Balboa does nothing to hurt the sport. I watched a little boxing here and there in the 80′s and 90′s. Why? Because I became interested because of the Rocky films. Otherwise, it would have (as it eventually did) bored the crap out of me.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_L2767XCS3H43RH6THPFAV776AQ Wade Forncrook

    WOW, it’s guys like Larry that make me ashamed, not the Boxing HOF. Stallone was inducted in a “Non-Participant” catagory. His effect on the sport is undisputed, many a “real” boxer have given credit to the movies for their deisre to enter the sport. Get all the facts Mr. Brown before you get your fingers and undies all in a bundle!

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_LPHN2Q3PDEJCTCXBIZ4WFI3ZOE Jeff

    Larry, before you rant about something, get your facts straight. Apparantly you didn’t see the fact that Stallone was inducted as a “Non-Participant”, it took me a mere 30 seconds to find that out online. Yes Rocky is a fictional character, but don’t dare compare to Adam Sandler who intended to make comedies out of his movies.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_YWDIPZKZTRY6DUQRLAB3RT2VQI Rick iGuess

    Loud-mouth sports commentators should show a little more respect to this movie series and the “fame” it brought to the actual sport of boxing. No one is saying that Sylvester Stallone is a great boxer like Tyson, Holmes, Ali, etc. The Hall of Fame is simply crediting the Rocky movies, the character, and and success of the whole Rocky phenomenon for the attention it brought to the sport.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_DZEXMGCX6A6OZ5DV2B2YYDEOZM Anonymous

    Oh, Larry. Is this any different then James Doohan getting honorary engineering degrees?

    Lighten up a bit.

  • http://twitter.com/xShawnathanx Shawn Fuller

    I think we can all agree Larry has no idea what he is talking about. much ups to sly

  • Anonymous

    LOW LARRY ATLEST ROCK WASNOT A RAPIEST LIKE>>><MIKE TYSON.
    AND ROCKY DID HELP THE BOXING OUT SO GET OFF WITH IT