Rocky V was really awful though, the street fight at the end between Rocky and Tommy “the machine” Gunn was a joke. You had a similiar situation 15 years later in Rocky VI where Antonio Tarver’s character (Mason “the line” Dixon) was basically a fictional version of himself, since Tarver is a real-life obscure boxer. But that film was far better because it was more about Rocky’s struggles with his own life, instead of with his opponent in the ring.
Oh yeah it was horrible, Rocky got back from the fight with Drago and his son was several years older, he implausibly let Paulie handle his money and Paulie gave power of attorney to some accountant who stole it all, Rocky refuses to fight one more time to get some money back because of his symptoms but then gets in a stupid street fight. Really lame crap.
I think even Stallone pretends it never happened, “non-canon” like “Highlander 2”.
I heard about month ago that they planning a movie starring Apollo Creed’s grandson and Stallone will appear.