Shortly after Rocky Balboa's victory over Ivan Drago in Moscow, he, his wife Adrian Pennino, his brother-in-law Paulie, and his trainer Tony "Duke" Evers, return to the United States, where they are greeted by Rocky's son, Robert. At a press conference, boxing promoter George Washington Duke attempts to goad Rocky into fighting his boxer, Union Cane, who is now the top-rated challenger, but Rocky declines the offer. Washington refuses to give up on the huge payday fight with Balboa and surmises he needs to come up with an angle to convince him to fight.