Warning: This article contains spoilers for Creed III.
Adonis Creed may officially end his boxing career after Creed III, but that doesn't mean the Rocky franchise has to end. The latest installment in the Creed franchise jumped seven years ahead, and Adonis is now retired and living a more laid-back lifestyle in a Hollywood mansion with his wife Bianca and their daughter Amara. Adonis is a dedicated father and enjoys spending time with his daughter rather than pursuing a career that puts stress on him and his family. However, when his childhood friend Damian reappears, he's thrown back into the boxing world.
Adonis wants to help Damian, a.k.a. Dame, pursue his dream of becoming a boxer, but when things don't go as planned, Adonis fights Creed III antagonist Dame himself. Reentering the boxing world reignites stress in his marriage that he thought he'd left behind when he retired. Creed II showcased how hard Adonis' career was on Bianca, and the events in the third film remind him of why retirement was the best decision. He gets back in the ring to fight Damian, and his victory is satisfying, though it doesn't leave much room for his boxing career to grow.
How Creed 3 Perfectly Wraps Up Adonis' Boxing Career
While Adonis comes out of retirement to fight Damien, there isn't a strong enough motive for him to stay out of the ring. Boxing will always be his passion, but it proved to cause more harm than good. It caused stress on his family, showcased in a scene where Amara catches Creed and Bianca fighting. Adonis feels guilty that his daughter had to witness that and understands his career's negative impact on both of them. Adonis seems happiest when he is with Bianca and Amara. It's evident when he's at his mother Mary Anne's house, and they're all spending time together, and when he dresses as a frog to have a tea party with Amara at the beginning of the film.
Mary Anne's death is an emotional part of the film that further reminds Adonis how important family is and why he needs to prioritize them. This is another reason why returning to boxing after fighting with Damian wouldn't make sense. Winning the match was enough for him. The fight helped him reflect on his past with Damian. It pushed him to own up to his mistakes and apologize for abandoning his friend and not reaching out to him over the years.
The Rocky Franchise Still Has A Huge Future With Spinoffs & Sequels
While Adonis may be done with boxing, the Rocky franchise can continue. Before Adonis reenters the boxing world to fight Damian, he dedicates his time to mentoring new boxers as Rocky did for him. One boxer is Felix Chavez. Damian defeats Felix in a fight, and it would be interesting to see how Felix copes with his loss. If it makes him more determined to win, this could be the plot of a future Creed film. This could also help continue Damian's story if the two have a rematch. Adonis' daughter Amara also shows interest in being a boxer at the end of Creed III as she trains with her father. This could be an interesting angle though she is still very young. Another option is to focus the story on Rocky's grandson, which would be the perfect way for Sylvester Stallone to return to the movies. Even with Adonis' retirement, there are plenty of roads to go down. Creed III doesn't have to be the end, and it doesn't seem like Michael B. Jordan wants it to be, leaving the door open for more in the Rocky franchise.