In which round does Rocky knock out Apollo Creed in Rocky II?

Rocky defeats Apollo Creed in the 15th and final round of Rocky II. The climactic rematch ends with both fighters collapsing, but Rocky rises first and is declared the winner.

Apollo enters the fight determined to prove that his split-decision victory in the original Rocky was no fluke. For most of the rematch, he boxes effectively and builds a lead on the scorecards. Before the last round, Apollo’s trainer tells him that he can win simply by avoiding Rocky and protecting his advantage.

Apollo ignores that advice because he wants a knockout. Rocky switches back to his natural left-handed stance and attacks aggressively. Near the end of the round, Rocky lands a powerful combination that sends Apollo to the canvas. Rocky also falls from exhaustion, creating the film’s famous simultaneous knockdown moment.

The referee counts both men, but Rocky manages to pull himself upright before Apollo. That gives Rocky the official victory and the world heavyweight championship. The scene is often described casually as a knockout, although the decisive action is more precisely a knockdown followed by Rocky winning the count.