<P> Enraged by guilt and the Soviets' cold indifference, Rocky decides to challenge Drago himself . Drago's camp agrees to an unsanctioned 15 - round fight in the Soviet Union on Christmas Day, an arrangement meant to protect Drago from the threats of violence he has been receiving in the U.S. Rocky travels to the Soviet Union without Adrian, setting up his training base in Krasnogourbinsk with only Duke and brother - in - law Paulie to accompany him . Duke opens up to Rocky, stating that he actually raised Apollo, and that his death felt like a father losing his son . He expresses his faith in Rocky to prevail . To prepare for the match, Drago uses high - tech equipment, steroid enhancement, and a team of trainers and doctors monitoring his every movement . Rocky, on the other hand, lifts and throws heavy logs, chops down trees, pulls an overloaded snow sleigh with Paulie atop, jogs through heavy snow under treacherous icy conditions, and climbs the largest icy mountain . Adrian arrives unexpectedly to give Rocky her support after initially refusing to travel to the Soviet Union, because of her worry that Rocky would be killed like Apollo . </P> <P> Before the match, Drago is introduced with an elaborate patriotic ceremony, inspired by Apollo Creed's intro . The home crowd is squarely on Drago's side and hostile to Rocky . In stark contrast to his match with Apollo, Drago immediately goes on the offensive . Rocky takes a fierce pounding, and is thrown and shoved across the ring in the first round, but comes back toward the end of the second round, and cuts Drago's left eye, stunning both him and the crowd . This prompts Rocky to continue punching even after the bell rings . While Duke and Paulie encourage Rocky, they remind him that Drago is not a machine, but rather still human . Drago ironically comments to his trainers that Rocky "is not human, he is like a piece of iron," after his trainers reprimand him for his performance against the "weak" American . </P> <P> The two boxers continue their battle over the next dozen rounds, with Rocky managing to continually hold his ground, despite Drago's valiant efforts . His resilience and persistence rallies the previously hostile Soviet crowd to his side, which unsettles Drago to the point that he picks Koloff up by the throat and throws him off the ring for berating his performance . In the final round, Rocky overcomes Drago with a knockout, to the shock of the Soviet politburo members watching the match . </P> <P> Rocky gives a victory speech, acknowledging that the local crowd's disdain of him had turned to respect during the fight . He compares it to the animosity between the U.S. and the Soviets, and says that seeing him and Drago fight was "better than 20 million", alluding to a possible war between the U.S. and the Soviets . Rocky finally declares, "If I can change, and you can change, then everybody can change!" The Soviet General Secretary stands up and reluctantly applauds Rocky, and his aides follow suit . Rocky ends his speech by wishing his son watching the match on TV a Merry Christmas, and raises his arms into the air in victory as the crowd applauds . </P>

Who wins at the end of rocky 4