Denzel Washington Predicts How He’d Fare In A Fight Against Sylvester Stallone

Denzel Washington made his screen debut in the 1977 TV film Wilma and later featured in the 1998 action movie The Siege. Recently, a YouTube video featuring Denzel’s interview on the Late Show with David Letterman before the release of The Siege was posted on Letterman’s YouTube channel. During the discussion, Denzel made a shocking comment about his combat abilities.

The interview occurred when Denzel was filming his next role as Rubin Carter, a boxer wrongly convicted of murder in the 1999 movie The Hurricane. Letterman, the show host, questioned Denzel about his sparring abilities and how prepared he was for his new role.

Denzel Washington says he can beat Sylvester Stallone in a fight

Denzel responded that he had been practicing sparring. Letterman interjected with another question on whether he could battle another action star featured in one of the greatest boxing movies ever. “[Between] you and Sylvester Stallone, you and Rocky, who would win?” Letterman quizzed.

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The actor didn’t hold back in expressing his confidence that he believed he could outperform the 77-year-old in a hypothetical face-off. “If I was boxing Sylvester Stallone (laughs), no, he couldn’t beat me. Not boxing. Maybe wrestling,” Washington admitted. “Maybe if he got a good grip on me, but boxing, no. I’d knock him out.”

Sylvester Stallone and Denzel Washington are decades apart as action stars

Stallone has long been recognized as a prominent action star in the world of cinema. His breakthrough role as Rocky Balboa in the iconic Rocky series catapulted him to stardom in the ’70s, but it was his portrayal of the relentless and indomitable Vietnam War veteran John Rambo in the Rambo franchise that solidified his status as an action hero.

On the other hand, Washington’s career trajectory took an exciting turn as he initially rose to prominence for his captivating performances in notable films such as Glory and Malcolm X, where he showcased his remarkable talent in dramatic roles. However,  he ventured into the action genre with his portrayal of Anthony Hubbard, the commanding figure at the helm of the FBI’s Counter-Terrorism Task Force in the heart of New York City in the Edward Zwick-directed movie The Siege.