Sylvester Stallone Pays Tribute To ‘Rocky’ Co-Star Carl Weathers: ‘He Was Magic’

Rocky star Sylvester Stallone paid tribute to the late Carl Weathers — who played Rocky’s rival Apollo Creed before becoming his friend and training partner in later franchise installment — in an emotional video statement.

“Hello everyone, today is an incredibly sad day for me. I mean, I’m so torn up I can’t even tell you. I’m just trying to hold it in because Carl Weathers was such an integral part of my life, my success, everything about it,” Stallone said. “I give him incredible credit and kudos because when he walked into that room and I saw him for the first time, I saw greatness. But I didn’t realize how great. I never could have accomplished what we did with Rocky without him. He was absolutely brilliant.”

Stallone delivered the emotional tribute in front of a painting that depicts the high-stakes matchup in the first film. His voice, his size, his power, his athletic ability, but more importantly, his heart, his soul. It’s a horrible loss. And I’m standing here in front of this painting because it was probably the last moment we were ever in the ring together, and I’ll never forget it,” the action star said.

Stallone went on to describe Weathers as “magic,” adding that he was “so fortunate to be part of his life.”

“So Apollo, keep punching,” Stallone concluded.

Weathers passed away unexpectedly in his sleep at the age of 76 on Thursday, according to a statement released by his family. “His legacy in film, television, the arts, and sports has made an indelible mark, earning recognition and admiration worldwide and across generations. He was dearly loved as a brother, father, grandfather, partner, and friend,” Weathers’ family said.

In addition to the Rocky franchise, Weathers appeared in Happy Gilmore, Predator and Toy Story 4, among dozens of additional film credits across multiple decades. He also appeared in a number of iconic television shows, with acting credits for Starsky and Hutch, Arrested Development and The Mandalorian.

Prior to his acting career, Weathers was a star football player for San Diego State University. He went on to play nine games for the Oakland Raiders in the NFL before ending his football career in the Canadian Football League in 1973.