Leo “The Lion” Sporino was the son of Pete Sporino, a boxer who hoped that Rocky Balboa’s eventual trainer, Mickey Goldmill would take an interest in.  Leo would become ranked #4 in the word and would take on Apollo Creed’s progeny in a losing effort, but this is one of the better non-featured boxers in the Rocky franchise.

You have to respect the method acting of Jake Gyllenhaal who looked every bit of the Light Heavyweight Boxing Champion he portrayed.  As Billy “The Great” Hope, Gyllenhaal’s character undergoes a modern twist of the boxer struggling for redemption after his wife was accidentally shot following a brawl instigated by up and coming contender, Miguel Escobar a la Clubber Lang in Rocky III…minus the shooting of course. (though didn’t Lang inadvertently lead to Mickey’s death).