In the years following the film's release, Sylvester Stallone acknowledged that the injury that forces Rocky to retire, referenced in the film as a potentially lethal form of 'brain damage', was inaccurate. Stallone stated that having discussed the story with many boxing medical professionals, the injury Rocky suffered was a milder form of brain damage, similar to that of a long-term concussion that many boxers suffer from, and by modern-day standards are still able to gain licenses to box. It would not have prevented Rocky from gaining a license to box, nor would it have killed him. See more

Alternate Versions

In 2002, director John G. Avildsen released a work-print version of the film online, under the title "Rocky V: Director's Cut". In this version, the opening credits are completely different, with different music. Additionally, the music throughout the film is decidedly different then that used in the final version of the film; in particular, there is a lot more Bill Conti music rather than the songs used in the theatrical cut (although Michael Bolton's "When I'm Back On My Feet Again" plays in this cut when Rocky visits Mighty Mick's). Several scenes are edited differently in the Director's Cut, and often with different dialogue. There are also a number of deleted scenes in the film, including a scene of Rocky getting drunk at the bar prior to visiting Mighty Mick's Boxing, and a scene where Rocky meets Marie from Rocky to find that she is a prostitute and has just become homeless. Additionally, the Director's Cut has a completely different edit of the street fight, with new music, and also includes the Mickey hallucination scene. See more