The next day, Rocky learns from Mickey that Creed's promoter, Miles Jergens, wants to meet with him, and both assume Creed is looking for a sparring partner. At his stoop, she tries to leave but he charms her into staying, then once inside soothes her skittishness and gently initiates a passionate embrace. Walking to his apartment, he asserts that their weaknesses¿his dim-wittedness and her timidity¿make them perfect partners. When he confesses that his father told him he had no brains so had better work with his body, Adrian reveals that her mother told her to develop her brains, as she did not have a good body. As Adrian skates, Rocky trots alongside her, explaining that he never succeeded as a boxer because he is a left-handed hitter. Although she locks herself in the bedroom in response, Rocky urges her to come out and takes her to a closed ice skating rink, which he convinces the manager to open briefly. Embarrassed, she declares herself unready for guests, prompting Paulie to explode in anger and throw her turkey dinner into the alleyway. At the same time, Rocky prepares for his first "date" with Adrian, but upon entering Paulie's house, realizes that Adrian is unaware of the set-up. Declaring that Americans will love the idea of an underdog ostensibly being given his big chance, he thumbs through a list of local boxers and pinpoints Rocky, whose self-appointed nickname is "The Italian Stallion," as an interesting ethnic counterpoint. Creed, a colorful attention-seeker, despairs of losing the media coverage and decides to launch an exhibition fight with a Philadelphia unknown on New Year's Day, the first day of the country's bicentennial. Meanwhile, reigning heavyweight champion Apollo Creed learns that his next opponent, set to fight him in five weeks' time, is injured and no worthy contender can be arranged. Paulie declares Adrian a "loser," a spinster at almost thirty, but invites Rocky to Thanksgiving dinner with them the following night. After once again getting nowhere with Adrian, Rocky visits her brother, meat packer Paulie Pennino, to ask why she disdains him. When Rocky confronts Mickey, the 76-year-old former bantamweight states that although Rocky has heart, he fights "like an ape" and should quit before he loses his one distinction, his unbroken nose. Demoralized, Rocky turns to the one place at which he feels at home, the gym, but there discovers that his manager, Mickey Goldmill, has given his locker to a new contender. During his day job Rocky works as a collector for local loan shark Tony Gazzo, but when he cannot bring himself to break the thumb of one debtor, Rocky earns Gazzo's displeasure.
He then visits the local pet store in the hope of winning over the painfully shy clerk, Adrian Pennino, but she barely responds to his efforts.
Although he is well-known and well-liked in his South Philadelphia neighborhood, back in his dingy apartment, he has only his turtles to whom he can report his triumph. In late November, 1975, Rocky Balboa, a sweet, garrulous, slightly over-the-hill boxer, wins his latest match with more fury than talent.
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