There are a few things that people of all persuasions can agree on.

Even boxing fans.

Among them, there’s a universal acknowledgement that Carl Weathers was the man.

Particularly these days, in the wake of his death at age 76.

His personification of Apollo Creed helped make the early movies in the Rocky series explode off the screen, and it’s practically impossible after all these years to imagine someone else – even a real-life champion like Ken Norton, who was initially cast for it – in that role.

As Sylvester Stallone said in a moving Instagram post, “I never could have accomplished what we did with Rocky without him. He was absolutely brilliant. His voice, his size, his power, his athletic ability, but more importantly his heart and his soul.”

There’s something else that fans tend to agree on, too.

The original movie in the series, which ultimately included six films released across 30 years from 1976 to 2006, was the best of the bunch – by a lot.

It was an easy winner in an informal poll put together after news of the actor’s death made the rounds over the weekend, picking up five of a possible six first-place votes (and one second) from a panel that included ex-HBO blow-by-blow man Jim Lampley, former Ring Magazine editor Randy Gordon, ex-middleweight title challenger Billy Lyell and veteran East Coast radio host Rich Quinones.

In fact, as the poll found, the longer the series continued the less popular the movies got.

“My appetite for the narrative waned as its exploitation became more labored,” Lampley told Boxing Scene. “But no one in Sly’s position would have (stopped). It wasn’t about critical response. He wasn’t trying to win Oscars. It was what it was, and he was milking it for every available dollar. 

“More power to him.”

Still, there was a bit of wiggle room when it came to preferences.

Released three years after the original in 1979, Rocky II was second in the polling by a comfortable margin but had votes ranging from the lone remaining first, to two seconds, a third and a fourth. 

The third and fourth movies, which came out in 1982 and 1985, respectively, each earned votes ranging from second to fifth overall, while the fifth edition — whose five-year gap from its predecessor was the longest in the series at the time of its debut in 1990 — had only two of six voters place it above fifth.

Nearly the same was true of the finale, which came 16 years later in 2006. Breaking from the sequential titles of the earlier movies, Rocky Balboa (not Rocky VI) was released to significant fanfare but didn’t move the needle much with the panel, picking up four last-place votes and none higher than fourth.

“There was nothing like the original,” Gordon told Boxing Scene. “Even the music has stayed with us nearly 50 years later. ‘Going the Distance’ is my ringtone.”             

1. Rocky (5 first-place votes, 1 second)

Ten Oscar nominations (and three wins, including Best Picture) can’t be wrong. The story was compelling, the acting was strong, and the training scenes are iconic. It may not be the best boxing movie ever made (here’s one man’s vote for Cinderella Man) but it’s got to be the most recognizable.

2. Rocky II (1 first-place vote, two seconds, two thirds, one fourth)

The Oscar buzz dried up, but it was still a strong, if not entirely necessary, encore. The double-knockdown finish wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but a brooding Apollo’s baiting Rocky into the rematch was worthwhile. And the “Win” message from new mother Adrian to a reluctant Rocky was spot on.

3. Rocky III (1 second-place vote, three thirds, two fifths)

If history could be recast, many fans would have stopped at Rocky II. The third movie veered into cartoony with the Hulk Hogan appearance and the far-fetched with a limited champion morphing into a 10-title-defense kingpin. Mr. T. was memorable, no doubt, but killing Mickey off was a shark jumper.

4. Rocky IV (2 second-place votes, three fourths, one fifth)

It's full speed ahead with the Cold War cliches with this one as Rocky is off to Russia to take on Communist bloc menace Ivan Drago and win the crowd in front of Gorbachev and his Kremlin pals. And as if the silliness weren’t enough to make you hold your nose, they killed off Apollo, too. Check please.

5. Rocky V (1 third-place vote, one fourth, two fifths, two sixths)

OK, fair is fair. The locker-room scene at the start of the movie when Rocky, in the immediate aftermath of the punishing win over Drago, is one of the high points of the entire series. But everything after it in this one is forgettable at best, and well... let’s just leave it at that. Blech.

6. Rocky Balboa (1 fourth-place vote, one fifth, four sixths)

One more bite at the apple before the series was finally flatlined. Mickey’s gone, Apollo’s gone, and now Adrian is gone, leaving a 60-ish Rocky to face Mason Dixon (Antonio Tarver) after the reigning champ was miffed by the result of a virtual match. Sorry, suspension of disbelief doesn’t suffice here. Pass.             

* * * * * * * * * * 

This week’s title-fight schedule: 

 

THURSDAY

WBO junior welterweight title – Las Vegas, Nevada 

Teofimo Lopez (champion/No. 1 Ring) vs. Jamaine Ortiz (No. 10 WBO/Unranked Ring) 

Lopez (19-1, 13 KO): First title defense; Fourth fight in Las Vegas (3-0, 2 KO) 

Ortiz (17-1-1, 8 KO): First title fight; Lone career loss came in only 12-round fight 

Fitzbitz says: Ortiz has a style that may frustrate Lopez for a bit, but the guess is that the new champ will be motivated to show out on a Super Bowl week stage. Lopez in 10 (85/15) 

Last week's picks: None 

2023 picks record: 49-19 (72.05 percent) 

Overall picks record: 1,300-427 (75.27 percent) 

NOTE: Fights previewed are only those involving a sanctioning body's full-fledged title-holder – no interim, diamond, silver, etc. Fights for WBA "world championships" are only included if no "super champion" exists in the weight class. 

Lyle Fitzsimmons has covered professional boxing since 1995 and written a weekly column for Boxing Scene since 2008. Reach him at fitzbitz@msn.com or follow him on Twitter – @fitzbitz.