洛基•巴尔博厄(西尔维斯特•史泰龙 Sylvester Stallone 饰)是费城的过气拳击手。他空有拳击热忱,却只混杂于三流拳击赛中。一天,他对售货员艾黛丽安(塔里亚•希雷Talia Shire 饰)一见倾心,虽然这个姑娘长相一般,性格内向,却毫不阻碍洛奇对她爱得炽热。 爱情得意,事业也开始一路畅通。为了庆祝美国建国200周年,当地举办了一个拳击比赛,胜出者将获得15万美元的高额奖金。美国一个拳击巨星在比赛中受了伤,主办方选中了洛奇去上演一场“灰姑娘”式的比赛,大敌当前的同时,也是洛奇事业转机、大显身手的良机。洛奇在赛场上苦撑15回合,在面肿血流之际,会不会有奇迹的发生?Rocky Balboa is a struggling boxer trying to make the big time, working as a debt collector for a pittance. When heavyweight champion Apollo Creed visits Philadelphia, his managers want to set up an exhibition match between Creed and a struggling boxer, touting the fight as a chance for a "nobody" to become a "somebody". The match is supposed to be easily won by Creed, but someone forgot to tell Rocky, who sees this as his only shot at the big time.