It is quite apparent that Rocky V is still a part of the story. Whatever the case however, there is no solid evidence for any of these three possibilities, and the question as to where the draw came from remains open. There is a five-year period between these two films which is seemingly not taken into account in his record (if one goes by the numbers, it implies that in the five years between Rocky III and Rocky IV, Rocky never once defended the title). Thirdly, it could have occurred some time between Rocky III and Rocky IV. Secondly, some fans have speculated that it could represent a title match with Tommy Gunn which occurred after the end of Rocky V (although this is pure speculation). Firstly, it could have been the Thunderlips charity fight in Rocky III, which was declared a no-contest. However, whilst there is no apparent explanation for the extra defeat, there are in fact three possible explanations for the draw. As stated above, taking all of the evidence into consideration, Rocky's record in Rocky Balboa should be 57-22, not 57-23-1. This has become a point of great debate amongst the fans. By today's standards Rocky Balboa would be given a clean bill of health for fighters. So with the advent of new research techniques into brain damage, Rocky was found to be normal among fighters, and he was suffering the results of a severe concussion. Rocky never went for a second opinion and yielded to his wife's wishes to stop. Sylvester Stallone himself has address this issue:When Rocky was diagnosed with brain damage, it must be noted that many athletes have a form of brain damage, including football players, soccer players, and other individuals in contact sports such as rugby, etc. Indeed, when he attends the hearing as to whether or not he will be granted a new license, Rocky is told that he passed all the physical tests with flying colors, suggesting that his condition has cleared up. In Rocky Balboa, this condition is never mentioned, and Rocky is seemingly able to return to the ring without any problems. In Rocky V, Rocky is revealed to be suffering from a condition called cave of septum pellucidum (CSP), a condition which forces him to retire because no state will grant him a boxing license.

Scene from rocky balboa speech