Headscratchers / Rocky Balboa

• Since Mason went to distance against a fighter whom haven't been boxing in decades and haven't been in the best shape as he was during the prime of his career one has to put his "victory" against Rocky into question. Especially since it was due to a split decision so the sports media would have a field day with that fight.
  • That is part of the point of Mason's learning curve. He got a technical victory, but he got a reason to be hungry for the win and to be the underdog. It also gives people who fight him a reason to be hungry themselves. Mason was a lot like Rocky in Rocky III in the start of the movie; given hand picked opponents who wouldn't really threaten him and never had to prove himself. The boxing world had grown stale and needed something to shake it up. This was it.
  • In the alternate ending where Rocky won the match, reporters question him about it and bring up the hand injury that handicapped him. His response was that athletes have to be prepared for those kind of injuries, and so it was no excuse. In the official ending that could be his reply to questions of it being a harder match than he expected, and they could easily spin it that being an exhibition match and an accidental injury Mason was holding back to not hurt Rocky or strain himself.
  • The point is that everyone expected or feared that this would be the case, that Mason would either look like a bully for beating up an old man if he won too easy, or look like a weakling if he lost to an out-of-shape veteran. They even discuss this outright in the film. But if either of those scenarios were the case, then the fight would have ended sooner one way or the other, and with less blood and effort. Past the early rounds it is clear that both fighters are giving it their all, and it's clear that both are in excellent shape and both are doing EVERYTHING they can to win. That was obvious in-universe as well so any voices trying to downplay the significance of the fight will likely be in the minority and definitely not agreed with by anyone who knows what they are talking about. The fact of the matter is,Rocky really was genuinely tougher than any single opponent Mason Dixon had faced up to that point, and everybody knows it.
  • Unfortunately, for Mason's ego, it also means he's nowhere in the league of Rocky during his younger years.
  • It's also pointed out in-movie that Mason is notably out of shape and wasn't in peak condition. He clearly thought it'd just be a glorified sparring session with a retired boxer where they'd do a few half-speed rounds for the media and charity and then he'd go home. Part of his arc and growth is that he has to truly dig deep and keep going when he could have simply called the fight off after he broke his hand; instead he went the distance and got his baptism by fire, and as the movie states, Rocky gave him on the job training in courage.
    • Mind you, Rocky is in-universe the Smokin' Joe Frazier of his era and one of the all-time greatest boxers who ever lived (having an equal or better relationship with Creed's Muhammed Ali Expy). Mason isn't anywhere near their league but he certainly has gotten a chance to stand up against the greats.
    • It is this fact that leads to the fight in the first place. A simulation of a hypothetical fight between Mason Dixon and a Rocky Balboa in his prime led to Rocky winning by KO. And Mason Dixon's manager came up with the idea to have a "real life" fight.
• At several points it's said that Mason's never been pushed, and "never gone the distance." But his record is 33-0 with 30 KOs. That means that in three of his fights he failed to knock out his opponent, and the fights did go the distance, going all the way to a decision.
  • It's possible that those fights ended in a disqualification or a corner retirement, thereby ending early.
  • Or those 3 fights where early on in his career when fights are only between 6-10 rounds long. So the "he never went the distance" thing could be saying he has never been taken to the Championship Rounds of 11 and 12.
  • Unanimous decision victories doesn't necessarily mean that Dixon got damage from those three fights without K.O.s. He could've outpointed them and dominated the rounds without getting hurt a la Mayweather.