Issue 138
February 2016
Creed star Michael B Jordan reveals what it takes to get in shape for the silver screen’s most iconic fighting franchise
Ring of honor
Jordan laced up the gloves and sparred with undefeated former super middleweight boxing champion Andre Ward to get a taste of what it’s like in the ring. He also spent time at the Mayweather Boxing Club to learn from former pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Q+A
Q: With no background in fight sports, what did it take to portray a fighter?
A: I remember watching Mike Tyson knock cats out but I never fought growing up, so this was my crash course. For Creed we really went there. I boxed like it was my job, lifted weights, ran and dieted. If you want to move and look like an athlete, you have to train like one so that’s what we did. I was trying to get as close as I could be to a real fighter. And it was pretty cool, honestly. I put on just shy of 25lb of muscle, and that was all through diet and exercise.
Q: How did you get in fighting shape?
A: The workout on Creed was wide-ranging, with the mix of weights and bodyweight stuff, the traditional boxing stuff – heavy bag sets, speed bag sets, pad work, sparring, skipping – and then obviously running for cardio. Rest was key as well, because I would be spending hours upon hours in the gym. You want the rest and time for your muscles to grow.
Q: Footage of you getting KO’d during filming went viral. But was it real?
A: Oh yes. Sly (Stallone) insisted on it, he said it was a right of passage for me. Apparently all the actors who have featured in the franchise have taken a real shot in their time. This was just my time. And my co-star in the scene, Tony Bellew, is a real pro boxer with KO power!
Q: The Rocky movies have had a huge influence on generations of fans. Did they inspire you?
A: Yes, It was an amazing thing working with (Sylvester) Stallone the whole process – before, during and after. On Creed we shot all of the boxing scenes first because it would have been too crazy to shoot dramatic scenes and then go back to the boxing, which is so intense. It was a surreal feeling ad-libbing with Sly as Rocky and training with elite fighters. It was a great experience and a real career highlight.
Q: What training did you do to get an athlete’s physique?
A: With my weight sessions I would hit a different body part everyday: chest day, leg day, bicep and triceps, shoulders and back, but then I would always mix in a bit of full body functional training. It would be your bodybuilding power stuff, but then there was a lot of bodyweight stuff and functional stuff so I was loose and agile.
Q: How did your body deal with the stress of fight training?
A: There was no real injuries but I was sore like you couldn’t believe. I mean my body broke down when we had finished shooting the fight scenes. I was on bed rest for a couple of days because I physically couldn’t do anything. But it was amazing how much your mind can overcome.
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