[after the statue unveiling, Rocky finds Mickey packing his suitcase]
Rocky:
Why did you leave? Why did you walk away like that?
Mickey:
Life's too short, kid.
Rocky:
Where are you goin'?
Mickey:
I'm goin' on a permanent vacation, that's where.
Rocky:
What are you talkin' 'bout? We got one more fight.
Mickey:
No, no. Not we, you.
Rocky:
Why you doin' this? [Mickey doesn't answer, Rocky slams the suitcase shut] I said why you doin' this?!
Mickey:
Because you can't win, Rock! This guy'll kill ya to death inside of 3 rounds!
Rocky:
You're crazy.
Mickey:
What else is new?
Rocky:
He's just another fighter.
Mickey:
No, he ain't just another fighter. This guy is a wreckin' machine, and he's hungry! Hell, you ain't been hungry since you won that belt!
Rocky:
What are you talkin' about? I've had 10 title defenses.
Mickey:
That was easy!
Rocky:
What do you mean easy?
Mickey:
They was hand-picked!
Rocky:
Setups?
Mickey:
No, they weren't setups. They was good fighters, but they wasn't killers like this guy. He'll knock ya into tomorrow, Rock!
Rocky:
Jeez, Mick, why'd you do it?
Mickey:
'Cause the beating that you got from Apollo should have killed you, kid. It didn't. It was my job to keep ya winnin' and to keep ya healthy.
Rocky:
You really don't think I got nothin' left, do you?
Mickey:
Well, Rock, let's put it this way. Three years ago, you were supernatural. You was hard and nasty. You had this cast iron jaw. But then, the worst thing happened to you that could happen to any fighter. You got civilized. Don't worry, kid. You know, presidents retire, generals retire, horses retire, Man o War retired. They put him out to stud. That's what you should've done, retire.
Rocky:
I can't retire knowing all this, Mick.
Mickey:
Don't push it.
Rocky:
You've been carrying me.
Mickey:
We don't need it.
Rocky:
You've been carrying me, though.
Mickey:
I haven't been carryin' ya, I've been protecting you.
Rocky:
Look, I want this fight. Just one more.
Mickey:
We don't need it.
Rocky:
I'll live in the gym.
Mickey:
We don't need it.
Rocky:
Mick, I do. I'm askin' you to train me one last time.
Mickey:
No, I can't.
Rocky:
If you don't, I'm gonna tell everybody you ain't bought a new pair of underwear in 10 years.
Mickey:
You would, wouldn't you?
Rocky:
Yeah. Absolutely.
Mickey:
No.
Rocky:
C'mon. One more time, then it's over. Deal? Come on, come on.
Mickey:
It's your head kid. It's your head.
Rocky:
Yeah, it is. Thanks, Mick.
