Final answer:
Ivan Drago, portrayed by Dolph Lundgren, is the character who was ranked third best in the "Rocky" movies by a 2013 poll of experts, despite having only nine lines in "Rocky IV".
Step-by-step explanation:
The boxer who spoke just nine lines in "Rocky IV" and was ranked number three in a 2013 poll of boxing experts is the character Ivan Drago. Portrayed by Dolph Lundgren, Drago is a formidable Soviet boxer who matches up against the film's protagonist, Rocky Balboa.
Despite his minimal dialogue in the film, Drago's character left a lasting impression due to his imposing presence and the political undertones of his matchup with Rocky during the Cold War era.
The intense rivalry between Ivan Drago and Rocky Balboa in "Rocky IV" can be seen as a microcosm of the broader geopolitical tensions of the time, similarly to how the real-life matchups between Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, and George Foreman in the 1970s carried geopolitical significance amidst the Global Cold War.