High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Rocky IV is a 1985 American film written by, directed by, and starring Sylvester Stallone. It is the fourth and financially most successful entry in the Rocky franchise. In the film, Rocky Balboa has retired after regaining his title from Clubber Lang and is living a more quiet life with his family. However the Soviet Union and their top boxer make an entrance into professional boxing with their best athlete Ivan Drago with the challenge to fight Balboa. However his best friend Apollo Creed decides to fight him instead but is killed in the ring. Enraged by this, Rocky decides to fight Drago in Russia to avenge his friend and defend the honor of his country.