'Apollo, keep punching,' Stallone told his late 'Rocky' co-star.
Sylvester Stallone is mourning an incredible loss. Hours after news of Carl Weathers' death broke, Stallone took to Instagram to share an emotional tribute to his Rocky co-star.
"Today is an incredibly sad day for me. 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," he 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've accomplished what we did with Rocky without him," Stallone continued. "He was absolutely brilliant; his voice, his size, his power, his athletic ability, but, more importantly, his heart, his soul. It's a horrible loss."
In the video, Stallone spoke in front of a brightly-colored painting, which showed him and Weathers boxing, explaining that he was doing so because "it was probably the last moment we were ever in the ring together, and I'll never forget it."
"He was magic, and I was so fortunate to be part of his life," Stallone concluded. "Apollo, keep punching."
Stallone also wrote a heartfelt caption for his post, which read, "We lost a legend yesterday. My life was forever changed for the better the day I met Carl Weathers. Rest in power and keeping punching."
Weathers first portrayed Apollo Creed in 1976's Rocky, offering a shot at the title to Sylvester Stallone's character, the journeyman Philly boxer Rocky Balboa. The character became a central figure in the franchise, with Weathers reprising the role in Rocky II (1979), where Creed engaged in a title rematch with Balboa.
He continued to captivate audiences in Rocky III (1982) with the character's final appearance being in Rocky IV (1984), where Apollo Creed tragically met his demise in the ring against Russian heavyweight Ivan Drago, played by Dolph Lundgren.
In addition to Rocky, Weathers appeared in The Mandalorian, voiced a character in Toy Story 4, starred alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in Predator, and acted in Happy Gilmore with Adam Sandler.
Weathers died in his sleep on Feb. 1, his family shared in a statement to ET.
"Carl was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life," the statement read. "Through his contributions to film, television, the arts, and sports, he has left an indelible mark and is recognized worldwide and across generations. He was a beloved brother, father, grandfather, partner, and friend."
Weathers is survived by his ex-wife, Mary Ann, and their two sons.
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