Rocky - Made Famous By Ignorance

I may have said this before, but the Rocky films are some of my favorite films. The story of being given a chance, never backing down, always improving one's self. Honor.

But something that bugs me is why Apollo Creed chose to fight Rocky Balboa. As in the film, it is the bicentennial of the United States of America, and the fight is on July 4th. A good excuse for patriotism, that Apollo takes advantage of by dressing like Uncle Sam at the match.

But why did Apollo pick Rocky? In making his decision, he said, "Who discovered America? An Italian, right? What better way to celebrate its 200th birthday than to get it on with one of his descendants?".

And that is what bothers me. Cause while Columbus did discover America, he never came to the northern continent. Only Latin America/the Caribbean. Heck, the United States has Columbus day in October, to celebrate or memorialize the discovery of America. So why pick on an Italian? Why not pick someone with a British name?

Obviously, for sake of the story you couldn't have the British/English Stallion beating on Apollo Creed, not with it being independence day. But that is meta plot right there.

I just wonder why Apollo himself didn't realize the greater commercialism by picking someone that would be of greater symbolism for July, to react/pay respect to the Revolution.

That is what I don't get, why Apollo decided to pick an Italian just because one discovered America. The United States wasn't founded until nearly 300 years later.

So that is just an oddity in my mind, that Rocky was given his chance and made famous because Apollo Creed, to me, seems ignorant of history and marketing and picked an Italian over and Englishman.