While reuniting with Tessa Thompson and Sylvester Stallone was a welcomed part of returning to set, Jordan admits getting into \"heavyweight champion\" shape was not.

Thankfully, Jordan says this time around, it wasn't as brutal.

\"PHOTO:
Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures/Warner Bros. Pictures via AP
PHOTO: Michael B. Jordan, left, and Sylvester Stallone in a scene from "Creed II."
>
\"PHOTO:
Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures/Warner Bros. Pictures via AP
PHOTO: Florian Munteanu, left, and Michael B. Jordan in a scene from "Creed II."
>

\"It was a little easier,\" he said. \"I knew what to expect this time around. I think, training in general has its ups and downs and its hard moments, but yeah... I kind of knew what to expect.\"

A special evening at the family & friends screening of #Creed2 last night in LA. Thanks to Producer Irwin Winkler for hosting - the legacy continues TONIGHT! Get your tickets now: https://t.co/aZAOQe2Bq1 pic.twitter.com/jgUhENINDF

— #CREED2 (@creedmovie) November 20, 2018

Still, with new films comes new challenges. Jordan said his struggle this time around was making a project that would be as noteworthy as the first.

\"I'm trying to keep things fresh,\" Jordan said. \"You want to raise the stakes and do something different. You know there's been a few boxing movies in the past, so they try to keep things fresh and new and bring a new story line to the table with something a little challenging.\"

Fortunately for fans, Jordan feels confident that he and his team have done just that.

\"But, I think we found a good balance,\" he added.

\"Creed II\" hits theaters today.

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