Rocky V (Episode 9) - Heart, Fire, and Headlines: “Balboa’s Boy” Takes Over

Going The Distance: The Rocky Series Podcast · Aug 25, 2026 · 1h 7m

Ryan Rebalkin and guest host Kyle continue their Rocky V breakdown with one of the film’s longest stretches: Rocky and Tommy visit Father Carmine for a blessing, then launch into Tommy’s rise-through-the-ranks montage.They cover the church scene and the “angel on your shoulder” talk, Tommy’s first pro fight in the same gym Rocky fought Spider Rico, the over-the-top newspaper headlines that keep calling him Rocky’s boy/clone/robot, and the parallel story of Robert training on his own with Jimmy (Mike) and Paulie while his dad is busy with the new kid. Plenty of talk about Rocky living…