The 1976 film starring Sylvester Stallone about a boxer who receives a chance at the heavyweight title is Rocky.
Stallone plays Rocky Balboa, a struggling Philadelphia club fighter who gets an unexpected opportunity to challenge Apollo Creed, the reigning world heavyweight champion. The film was written by Stallone and directed by John G. Avildsen. Talia Shire, Burt Young, Burgess Meredith, and Carl Weathers co-starred.
Stallone wrote the screenplay in only a few days, reportedly inspired in part by a 1975 boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Chuck Wepner. He insisted on playing Rocky even when producers offered to buy the script without casting him. Made for less than $1 million, Rocky became a major commercial success and helped establish the inspirational sports-film formula.
The film won three Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Film Editing. It also launched a long-running franchise. The Rocky Steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art became an enduring symbol of the character's determination.