12 Facts About The Character That Are A Total Knockout

During the final fight in "Creed," Rocky starts to feel some deja vu, wanting to stop the fight like he should have done for Apollo 30 years before. Adonis, recovering from a knockout blow from "Pretty" Ricky Conlan, begs Rocky not to because he has to prove that he's not a mistake. Adonis Creed's life hasn't been the easiest — never knowing his father and losing his mother at such a young age, he's felt that he had to fight constantly for anything and everything, always on a quest to prove himself.

For most of his life, Adonis used his mother's last name, Johnson. Even when he gets to Philly and gets his first fight under Rocky's tutelage, he continues to use Johnson as his surname. After he defeats Leo "The Lion" Sporino, the world pays attention, and it soon comes out that he is the son of Apollo Creed.

"Pretty" Ricky Conlan's manager Tommy Holiday tells Adonis that he has to use the name Creed in order to fight Ricky. This brings up a lot of insecurities for the fighter, as he confesses to Bianca that he's afraid of not being good enough to carry the name. It's not until Mary Anne sends him a pair of boxing trunks that are a replica of Apollo's, with both names embroidered on the waistband, that he begins to fully embrace his birthright.