The individual that helped create perhaps the greatest scene in sports movie history has passed away.

Longtime boxing referee and judge Lou Filippo at age 83 died Monday in Los Angeles.

Filippo was a World War II veteran and one of boxing top ring officials, but for moviegoers he's best remembered for his dramatic count to 10 as Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed knocked each other out in the 15th round of their heavyweight fight at the end of "Rocky II."

As we all know, Rocky just beat Filippo's count to 10 to become the unlikely heavyweight champion. For fans of sports movies, it has to be right up there as one of cinema's most dramatic sports scenes.

- Mark Podolski