If, like @"TM2YC" , you are interested in the old Rocky films, the behind-the-scenes of Rocky V might be more interesting to you than the film itself. (Unless you watch @"LastSurvivor" 's excellent '80s Remix edit) An up-and-coming boxer was chosen to play Rocky's pupil who gets in a Cobra Kai/Miyagi-do style war with a promoter who's an obvious parody of Don King. That boxer was Tommy Morrison.
In real life, Morrison's pro-boxing career took off before the film was even released. He signed with the actual Don King. Just like in the film, as King's current heavyweight champion declined (Mike Tyson), he attempted to groom Morrison to become the next heavyweight champion of the world. I won't spoil the film for you, but in real life, Morrison took it. It wasn't through a series of rigged matches either, as you can see from competitors like George Foreman talking about how deadly he was. He retired from pro-boxing with a jaw-dropping record of 52 fights and 48 wins, almost all by KO. He only lost 3. His private life is what ended his career... a renowned party boy, he had to stop fighting when he tested positive for HIV. Complications from the disease ended his life at 44.
For me, Morrison lacks the charisma on-screen to have made for a great actor, but seeing his real fights and then watching him in Rocky V definitely jazzes it up a bit. The boxing scenes aren't faked, that's exactly how he fought IRL. Thanks to LastSurvivor for giving him a better film to be remembered by, RIP.