In the first Rocky, Balboa loses his match against title holder Apollo Creed, but he goes the distance with the established fighter, and the match comes down to a split decision that goes Creed’s way. However, Rocky did end up the 1976 box-office champion, grossing $225,000,000 worldwide. BURT-signed-8x10 Critics and audiences loved the film, and it ended up nominated for seven Academy Awards. It didn’t win every competition, but it took home the heavyweight prizes of Best Editing, Best Director, and Best Picture. Even more impressive, Rocky beat prestigious movies like Network and Taxi Driver to take home the top honor.