Three powerful right hooks to Rocky Balboa’s head, followed by the iconic line, “there is no tomorrow.” That’s who Apollo Creed was. His line not only motivated Balboa, played by Sylvester Stallone, but many fans worldwide. From being a tenacious rival to Balboa in the first two parts to becoming his ally in ‘Rocky III’, Creed was more than a trash-talking antagonist. He was human. But the ultimate death of the character was one of the saddest in film history.

When Creed got killed by Drago in the ring in ‘Rocky IV’, the character’s legacy only leaked deeper into its audience’s mind. That’s how well Creed was portrayed. But the man who breathed life into Apollo Creed’s character is now no more. Carl Weathers.

Dana White & Sylvester Stallone remember the iconic Carl Weathers

The 76-year-old actor passed away on Feb. 1 and the news was announced by his family in a statement. “We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Carl Weathers. He died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, February 1st, 2024. … Carl was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life. 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,” the statement read.

Weathers is survived by his two sons, Jason and Matthew, whom he had with ex-wife Mary Ann Castle. The cause of death was not revealed. UFC CEO Dana White took to his Instagram stories to remember the actor. He shared a video of his gym which has the quote, “There is no tomorrow” by Weathers. He captioned it as “Rip Apollo Creed.” 

Carl Weathers’ life was no less than a rollercoaster ride. Born Jan. 14, 1948, in New Orleans, Weathers was into boxing, football, soccer, and several other sports. In fact, he even played football at San Diego State University, where he pursued a degree in theatre arts, and helped the Aztecs win the 1969 Pasadena Bowl. In 1970, he signed with the Oakland Raiders, where he played in eight games in the NFL as a linebacker across two seasons. But soon, he started dabbling in films. ‘Rocky’ took place in 1976 and the rest is history.

Stallone ͏filmed an emotional tribute to Weathers while standing in front of the iconic painting that recreated the climactic scene from ‘Rocky III”, where their characters once again confront each other in the ring. He shared his heart-wrenching tribute with a special message for his dear friend: “Apollo, keep punching.” He further added, “We lost a legend yesterday. My life was forever changed for the better the day I met Carl Weathers. Rest in power.” 

Weathers brought in Muhammad Ali’s antics to portray Creed. Apart from ‘Rocky’, he also worked with Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1987’s ‘Predator’. There, Weathers played Al Dillon, a CIA operative and old Vietnam War buddy of Schwarzenegger’s Major Dutch Schaefer.

Arnold Schwarzenegger misses his dear friend

Arnold Schwarzenegger in a separate statement shared, “Carl Weathers will always be a legend. An extraordinary athlete, a fantastic actor, and a great person. We couldn’t have made Predator without him. And we certainly wouldn’t have had such a wonderful time making it. Every minute with him — on set and off — was pure joy. He was the type of friend who pushes you to be your best just to keep up with him,” he added. “I’ll miss him, and my thoughts are with his family.”

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‘The Mandalorian’, ‘Happy Gilmore’, ‘Action Jackson’ and ‘Arrested Development’ are some other projects he worked on. During the ‘Happy Gilmore’ shoot, the actor got terribly injured while enacting a fall stunt. This led to years of terrible pain. He wasn’t aware that he fractured two vertebrae. Osteophytes grew out and his injury didn’t heal properly.

In his later career, Weathers picked up smaller roles in TV procedurals. He even directed some episodes when given the opportunity. Weathers directed episodes 12 and 20 of ‘The Mandalorian’- a spinoff of ‘Star Wars’. He even received an Emmy nomination for his role as Greef Karga in the series. The actor has appeared in more than 75 films and TV shows throughout his career.

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