Hollywood legend Sylvester Stallone, the man behind Rocky, has undoubtedly inspired a generation of boxers with his 1976 cult classic. However, things appear to have changed drastically in recent times because Stallone sparked controversies after offering a glimpse of his lethal boxing gloves from his Oscar-winning Rocky movies.
Reminiscing about the tougher era he belongs to while showing off the gloves used for filming the Rocky franchise, Sylvester Stallone implied that perhaps people today are not as resilient as they used to be. Claiming that those gloves are no longer legal to use in today’s era, Stallone expressed his concerns about modern life. Later on, his controversial comments divided the internet and sparked a heated debate.
Sylvester Stallone Comments on the Current State of Toughness
Veteran actor Sylvester Stallone, famously known for his Rocky movies that launched his Hollywood career, recently shared a rare glimpse of the lethal gloves that were used in his cult classic. Sharing a video on his Instagram, Stallone showed off the iconic red boxing gloves and informed how they are no longer legal to use in modern boxing.
“They don’t even allow these today because they’re so dangerous, but that’s what they used when I did the film. They’re barely six ounces, they’re Reyes and they’re literally lethal. So, I still have them because it’s a time when people were tougher. Sorry, they were.”
While showing off the gloves, Sylvester Stallone recalled the good times from his era, when people used to be tougher than they are today. Lamenting on the crippling effects of the growing dependence on technology, Stallone stated that life getting easier with technological upgradation is nothing wonderful. Instead, it’s making people weak.
“Life is just getting easier and easier. It’s wonderful? I think not. I think when we force ourselves into tough situations, that’s what the human creatures are supposed to do. They’re not supposed to have wheels on their suitcases. They’re not supposed to have lawn mowers with engines that pull them along.”
“With AI, you can practically put your brain in a jar and let the machine handle everything. I cherish these moments, I cherish hard work even though I hate it. I know…it’s like strong medicine, tastes horrible going down, but it makes you feel better.”
Further, regretting how the rise of AI has undermined the value of human intelligence, Sylvester Stallone concluded his Instagram video by stating that he cherishes the times from his era when people were more resilient.
Sylvester Stallone’s Opinion Gets Divisive Comments from Fans
Following Sylvester Stallone’s recent comments on the current state of toughness in society, the actor sparked controversies as people offered divisive remarks on his opinion. After Stallone expressed his disappointment in modern people by citing the example of the Rocky boxing gloves that are currently deemed illegal and too dangerous for modern use, fans took to his video’s comment section to debate over it.
“Well said champ”, a few fans agreed with Sylvester Stallone’s comments on how professional boxing was designed to be brutal and unforgiving, but has been toned down in the modern era. As the actor claimed that people have become too soft and risk-averse, leading to the original Rocky gloves being banned from use in modern boxing matches, a handful of fans claimed, “he speaks the truth” and “you’re right”.
However, on the other hand, Sylvester Stallone didn’t gain the favor of every fan in his comment section. Apparently, a few netizens criticized Stallone, claiming “you don’t do hard people sh*t” for romanticizing the past when things used to be brutal. Arguing that safety concerns should take precedence, people slammed Stallone for shaming the evolved form of modern boxing, where safety has been prioritized and the risk of injury has been reduced.
“Life is getting easier for people like him. Not for everyone. Also, improving the health of people and minimizing injuries don’t make people less tough, but it does make them smarter.” one user commented.
While a few fans slammed Sylvester Stallone for glorifying brutality and lack of safety precautions leading to life-threatening injuries in boxing, others stood in favor of the actor, agreeing that modern society has become too coddled.
Rocky is available on Max.
