Fandango sat down one-on-one with Sylvester Stallone at the Creed junket in Philadelphia to talk about passing the torch, his love for playing underdogs, and the knockout punch star Jordan actually took while filming.

While Creed will be considered the seventh and final film in the long-running Rocky series, it may also be the start of a separate new franchise if it knocks audiences out. Directed by Ryan Coogler (AFI’s 2014 Movie of the Year Fruitvale Station), it balances boxing action and emotional poignancy as young Adonis Creed (Fruitvale star Michael B. Jordan) struggles to find a place in the world while Rocky Balboa feels increasingly shut out of it.

The two connect when Adonis, the illegitimate son of late boxing champion Apollo Creed, seeks out Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) to train and turn him into a real fighter. Adonis also becomes romantically entangled with a strong-willed, beautiful singer-songwriter named Bianca (Tessa Thompson), who becomes the Adrian to his Rocky.

Stallone revealed more about the movie, and even showed us video of star Michael B. Jordan taking a big hit for the team. 

Sly and director Ryan Coogler talk one-two punches on the set

Fandango: In this film, Rocky deals with circumstances out of his control. At the same time, this is the first Rocky-related movie where you aren't writing or directing. What was it like for both Rocky and Sly to let go like that?

Sylvester Stallone: It wasn't easy because [in] the first few scripts, Rocky was written in a fashion that I didn't think was the way he spoke. Rocky has an odd way of speaking, so after a few meetings I said, "Just tape-record my voice and hear me go through the Rocky kind of monologue and you'll get an idea of how he works." Once that was under control, and the fact that you're just going to relinquish yourself to the vision of the director and hope for the best, like in Cop Land, it was liberating.

What were you able to teach Michael not only about boxing but the art of boxing on film? There are a lot of intense one-take shots in Creed.

First of all, hooks are very, very tough to throw to the head. They can be kind of lethal, so I would say try to throw more hooks to the body, more right hands, and don't try to be too clever. In other words, your miss, my miss, your miss, my miss.

In reality that works, but in boxing choreography, you can only see by the numbers. On paper, you think you're going to stand [and go] 1-2-3-4-5-6, but that's not happening. Firstly, you're scared of getting close. You don't want to hit the guy, but you do hit the guy. There is a certain math in boxing choreography that gives a man time to react so you can be ready, but if it's coming too fast you're going to be on the floor.

"A little to the left... you got it..."

In the climactic fight, Michael is taking on a real boxer, three-time former ABA heavyweight champion Tony Bellew.

This guy was a slugger.

Were there any unintentional knockdowns?

There was. Michael [got] completely clocked. Let me see if I can find it. [Goes through files on his phone] Wow, did he get demolished. Yikes. I thought he really did an extraordinary job considering how much skepticism was involved in doing this movie. Everyone thought it was going to be just a money grab, and it really wasn't.  [TMZ got hold of that video; watch it below]

Do you think the Creed series has a future?

I think so, because Creed relates to the audience today. Rocky's story is basically done. There's really nothing more I can add to it, whereas this guy here, I don't even know the world he's going into. His world is so different. For example, [love interest] Bianca. I kept saying, "She's kind of tough, Ryan. I don't know if I would be emotionally attached." He goes, "You're not, he is. This is the way the relationships roll today, Sly. These women are tough and not so needy." For example, everyone considered Adrian a loser. She was shy, withdrawn, almost monosyllabic. Rocky wasn't far off. He was considered a loser. And it's a loser love.

Yep, that's Bianca (Tessa Thompson).

Which was very sweet.

It was very, very sweet. This is a whole other kind of dynamic here. [Finds video on phone] Here we go. I said, "Michael, please don't be afraid. Just take a punch once and for all." [He presses play. We watch a video of Jordan taking a punch and falling face down on the ring. Annnd…. he doesn't move.]

He's a good sport though.

He was a great sport. I warned him though -- it doesn't take much to ring your bell.

You keep coming back to Philadelphia when you do one of these Rocky movies. How does that affect your portrayal? It's like, “My favorite deli is gone! What happened?”

I know. Only Kensington still remains the same. That's why I think it's so perfect that this [story] is now being perceived through modern eyes by a contemporary. This Philadelphia is in keeping with modern times, whereas my Philadelphia has been razed to the ground. My God, you should see Rocky's neighborhood. It's considered the Badlands, the worst neighborhood in Philly. Fishtown.

"What DID happen to Joey's Deli, man? They had the best meatball sub."

He’s still there. But it works for the movie and for your mindset.

It's perfect. It's absolutely magnificent.

Do you ever think about the contrast of going from Rocky Balboa to The Expendables’ Barney Ross, who are roughly the same age but in entirely different physical shape?

Oh yeah. With Rocky, you just have to give up all sense of alpha dog-ism and say, "I'm not the strongest guy, I can't beat anybody." There were a couple of times I thought maybe Rocky should hit somebody in this movie. [Maybe] he stops a mugger. [Ryan] goes, "No, nothing." Once you relinquish that idea that you're not a physical being anymore, that you're just an older man, it just affects the way you walk and the attitude. I think that's what helped me get through this. I felt like I'm not good at anything anymore. Rocky can't fight anymore. He can talk about it, but as a real force of nature, nah.

There's an eight-pack under that sweatshirt somewhere

You must still carry a little bit of Rocky around with you.

I do. He has a certain kind of moral compass that's unbelievable, and a humility. He never hurt anybody's feelings. I think the only time he's ever yelled at anybody was in Rocky when his wife was insulted on the steps. When you say something about him, OK, no big deal.

You like playing underdogs, whether it's Barney Ross, John Rambo or Rocky Balboa. What real-life underdogs inspire you?

I don't know. I guess when I see someone being humiliated, whether it be a football team or anybody who's getting crushed, I go, "What is the glory in this?" The glory in this is if they have a comeback, if that underdog could just have a moment. I don't want to see the Yankees win again. I want to see someone else who hasn't won in 30, 50, or 100 years do it.

"YAASSSS!" -- Rocky

I guess that's just my nature. I started doing action films almost by accident, and it became a new kind of genre back then. There really were no action films. There was a Dirty Harry and a car chase now and then. But films that were designed to be pyrotechnical and every eight minutes there is something… I became enamored with that particular genre because it had not really been mined and was kind of fresh.

I found that if I play a character who was not overly aggressive, that was somewhat of a reluctant hero, that was my strength. The more you can subtract verbally from your character, the more mystique you have. That was it. And the more you talk, the worse it is.

You've played a wide range of roles throughout your career. Is there any one movie you consider to be underrated?

I think Get Carter. It had some moments in there that I felt were very, very good, and that didn't fly. Of course, I love Cop Land, and I thought F.I.S.T. was pretty good.

Watch the trailer for Creed

Creed opens November 25.