Rocky

The same director made both. John Avildsen directed Rocky in 1976 and The Karate Kid in 1984, and the second is the first rebuilt for a fourteen year old, carried across almost beat for beat:

• An outsider nobody rates, in a city that is not his
• An older mentor who is himself an exile or a failure, and who withholds the reason for the training
• A training sequence built from unglamorous physical work rather than from fighting
• A final bout the hero does not need to win outright, only to survive standing

Going the distance and the crane kick are the same gesture: the point is being upright at the end, not the title. Filed HIGH, because shared authorship makes it traceable rather than arguable.

• Financial hardship : Stallone was nearly broke, living in small apartments, and struggling to pay bills. This inspired Rocky's modest lifestyle.
• Repeated professional rejection : He was rejected for acting roles because of his appearance and speech, influencing Rocky's perseverance despite being underestimated.
• Determination to succeed : Stallone refused to sell the Rocky screenplay unless he could play the lead, mirroring Rocky's refusal to give up on his dream.
• Working-class identity : His own experiences in blue-collar environments helped shape Rocky's humble, authentic personality.
• Feeling like an outsider : Stallone identified with people who were overlooked or dismissed, a central aspect of Rocky's character.
• Desire for self-respect rather than fame : Like Rocky, Stallone has said his goal was to prove himself, not simply become famous.

Influenced by boxing... more specifically : Chuck Wepner vs. Muhammad Ali