Mason Dixon Is Tiny

Hey guys, it's Donnie...Light heavyweight champion (someone please explain how this is different from middleweight) Antonio "The Magic Man" Tarver recently gave an interview in which he claims that he has landed the role of Mason "The Line" Dixon in Rocky Balboa. Not only that, he says he's already started working on the film, having already begun the wardrobe process last week. That's him on the right there.

I've given this project more than a bit of guff cuz...well, come on, how can you not? It's so easy! But, truth be told, I actually love the Rocky movies, even Rocky IV and its propensity for flashback and training montages. (Balboa climbing the mountain in Russia is possibly the most brilliant moment in the whole franchise.) If there's a Rocky movie on TV, I'll watch it. Moreover, Rocky is one of the first movies I can remember seeing as a kid and thinking that it was "a grown up movie," not because there was "bad language and kissing and stuff", but because it just had this sense of...maturity. The dark and dank environment of the film, the gruff characters...it was like a peek into a world I had never seen before in Boston suburbia, and I couldn't help but feel like there was more happening on screen than I was understanding. And so I will forever have a soft spot for Rocky movies. That being said, Rocky V was gut-wrenchingly painful. The basic premise was actually pretty interesting, but it was executed so poorly that it made my head hurt. Thusly, I can't help but want to see Rocky Balboa kick unholy ass, if only so the franchise doesn't end in the goddamn toilet.

However, I can't help but think that Balboa should be facing off against someone...bigger. I mean, perhaps the point is that Rocky is an old man and he wouldn't really be able to contend with an Evander Holyfield-esque fighter, but I feel like Stallone must tower over this guy. Anyway, much love to Stallone. Rocky has my absolute support on this one, but like any good friend, I'm absolutely going to give him a little shit along the way...