Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Franchise has inspired generations of boxing stars including Anthony Joshua, but it was far from plain sailing.Stallone, an award winning Hollywood actor, shot to fame with his award-winning film, Rocky, which was first released in 1971.Rocky is a billion-dollar franchise, but Stallone had to bargain hard to get his genius screenplay for the first one over the lineGettyRocky, about a debt collector and small-time fighter who gets a once in a lifetime shot, became a dynasty with a broke Stallone’s calculated gamble inspiring a global success story and nine subsequent filmsGettyThe Rocky Universe is based on an underdog boxer Rocky Balboa who goes from being a small-time fighter to competing for a world title.The six-film Rocky franchise became a $1.8 billion box office success, with three ‘Creed’ spin-off films later created, which helped inspired a new generation of boxing hopefuls across the world.But Stallone’s journey from poverty to writing an award-winning collection of films was far from routine.Stallone’s incredible job before big acting break Speaking to Virgin Radio, part of the talkSPORT network, he opened up about on where his incredible story began, trying to make his way as a lowly paid wannabe actor in the Big Apple.It was graft along the way as he struggled to make ends meet, while trying to get the sports drama made.He told Chris Evans ahead of the release of his memoir ‘The Steps’: “I thought I have to get a job somewhere, I was broke.“There was a sign at Central Park Zoo, and it was a job for me that no-one wanted.“It was a lion cage cleaner – what you don’t realise is that there is a bar between you and the lion.“They are right there and they want to kill you. You have to watch out because they’d put their nose right near you.“It’s the sound of them, their roar was terrifying. It was unbelievable. I stayed doing it for a month and a half.”Stallone also spokes about how he worked in various other jobs to try and scrape together a small income.View Tweet: https://t.co/bYCV0bAYPSHis Jack-of-all-trades saw him work in a cinema, as well as cutting the hair of gangsters as a barber before his big breakthrough.The birth of Rocky – Stallone’s genius planStallone, just before coming up with the idea of Rocky, had just $80 in his bank account and was struggling to feed his family.The incredible writer coined the story, which he depicts is largely based on unbeaten American heavyweight legend Rocky Marciano.With little money to create his own masterpiece, film directors enjoyed his script and offered him a mega $260k to own the writing and create the films – the condition was that they would find someone else to be the main star.With little income, Stallone considered the sale, but rejected the huge financial offer with the backing of his ex-wife, Sasha Czack, and instead was determined to play his own part as the ‘Italian Stallion’ character which went on to grip the world.Now 80, he went on to explain how delighted he was when he was eventually awarded the leading role with a $1 million budget.Watch Boxing on DAZN*If you click a link in this boxout, we will earn affiliate revenueSign up to DAZN to access the definitive subscription for boxing fans.Upgrade to DAZN Ultimate from just £24.99/month, guaranteeing access to 185+ fights annually, a minimum of 12 pay-per-views at no extra cost, as well as every Lega Serie A match and other elite football access.Alternatively, DAZN Standard is just £15.99/month, with the caveat you will have to pay for pay-per-view events.Click here to sign up.He continued: “I dropped to my knees and cried, it was an incredible moment.”Aware the studio execs, who were not keen on him in the first place could fire him at any time, he got his head down and worked.“I had to put up or shut up, I was on auto pilot and didn’t know what I was doing. But I felt it down to my soul.”From that point onwards, Stallone had guaranteed his fortune on a salary of $35,000 for the Hollywood classic.The opening picture went on to generate $220 million in revenue after its release in and was a roaring success.Continuations of the zero to hero Balboa story went on and on, with every film proving more and more of a box office hit.Rocky 4 was a mega success in 1985, creating a nine-year dynasty for the series, before two further films were released in 1990 and 2006.Overall the franchise went on to be valued at a mega $1.8 billion and changed Stallone’s life, as he writes in his memoir.How Rocky became a focal part of boxingJoshua has used Rocky methods in preparations for authentic world title fights and can be heard listening to music from the film as well as training like the rags to riches heroGettyFast forward to the modern era and Stallone’s legacy is clear for all to see in the sport itself.Several boxers, including former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, have used Rocky references throughout their career.In particular Joshua has ring walked to soundtrack from the films including ‘No Easy Way Out’ and ‘Burning Heart’ for world title fights against Kubrat Pulev and Oleksandr Usyk.Joshua has also used training methods that Stallone uses during the film including chopping down trees as part of his old-school camps.The British heavyweight even recreated a scene from the film with Usyk during a training camp earlier this year to prepare for victory over Kristian Prenga in July.He could well use yet another reference to the films during his long-awaited clash with Tyson Fury in December, which is viewed as the biggest fight in British boxing history.The Rocky franchise also inspired a three-film spin-off series ‘Creed’ starring Michael B Jordan, which have collectively generated close to $650 million in the last decade.Stallone’s memoir, The Steps, is out now