Rob Lowe recently shared a fascinating memory of his younger years, involving an intense boxing match with his 'The Outsiders' co-star Tom Cruise. During an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show on July 15, Lowe, now 60, reminisced about the friendly yet fiercely competitive bout that left him literally seeing stars.
Lowe was just 17 when he met Cruise, who was 18 at the time, on the set of the 1983 film adaptation of S.E. Hinton’s novel 'The Outsiders.' "He was living at Emilio [Estevez]’s house, auditioning right after Taps," Lowe recalled. The trio, along with other notable actors like Matt Dillon and Patrick Swayze, formed a tight-knit group during filming.
According to Lowe, he and Cruise often worked out together, embodying the 'running bros' lifestyle. However, their spirited camaraderie reached new heights with impromptu boxing sessions in the hallways of their hotel. "He’s so competitive that we used to box in the hallway of the hotel we were staying at during Outsiders," Lowe said. "We’re 18-year-old guys stuck on location. So we would have headgear, and we’d have mouthpieces in, but we would legitimately spar."
Lowe described the youthful Cruise as a "beast" compared to his own "pipe cleaner arms." Despite this, Lowe managed to land a clean shot on Cruise, only to be knocked out cold moments later. "I rang his bell, and the next I knew, I woke up — I was coming to, on the floor," Lowe recounted. "And he, like, completely knocked me out."
The friendly rivalry extended beyond boxing. Lowe also shared a humorous memory from their time auditioning for 'The Outsiders' in New York. Upon learning they had to share a room at The Plaza Hotel, Cruise "went ballistic," which Lowe found amusing.
Despite the intense competitiveness, Lowe looks back on these moments fondly. "His eyes just went black, but that’s the stuff we did. That’s what guys do. Like Fight Club," he said, adding, "He’s had his eye on the ball since day one."
Lowe, who currently hosts Fox's game show 'The Floor' and stars in the drama series '9-1-1: Lone Star,' continues to thrive in Hollywood, just as his old sparring partner Tom Cruise does.
