From the very beginning of the Rocky saga, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) is Rocky Balboa‘s defining rival, but their relationship would move far beyond that during the series, evolving from fierce competition to friendship, mentorship and, ultimately, even brotherhood.
Creed is the flamboyant, charismatic heavyweight champion who handpicks unknown Philadelphia fighter Rocky Balboa to be an opponent after his scheduled challenger drops out. In a shocking turn, Rocky proves far tougher than expected, taking Apollo the distance in their first fight. Apollo wins in a split decision, but Rocky earns his grudging respect.
Their rematch in Rocky II is a true comeback victory, ending with Rocky knocking Apollo out in the 15th round to win the heavyweight championship.
Apollo and Rocky become friends and occasional training partners, and Apollo is in Rocky’s corner when he battles Clubber Lang (Mr. T) twice in Rocky III. After that, in Rocky IV, Apollo comes out of retirement to challenge Soviet behemoth Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) in an exhibition match. Apollo treats the bout as another showbiz extravaganza, but Drago is laser-focused on the fight and hands Apollo a brutal beating. Rocky wants to throw in the towel, but Apollo demands the fight continue “no matter what.” In a tragic end to his incredible career, Apollo is knocked out and subsequently dies from his injuries, leading Rocky to avenge him by defeating Drago in a fight in Moscow.
Apollo’s legacy does not end there. It lives on through his son, Adonis (Michael B. Jordan), whose own story begins in 2015’s Creed. Adonis follows his father’s path into professional boxing, with Rocky reluctantly becoming his trainer.
Weathers was a former professional football player who had a few movie acting roles under his belt when he auditioned for the part of Apollo. His graceful athleticism helped make Apollo’s fights convincing, while his comic timing and swagger made the character compelling even when he was tossing quips instead of throwing punches. Weathers went on to build a prolific career in both film and TV, with memorable appearances in projects such as Predator, In the Heat of the Night, Happy Gilmore and The Mandalorian, for which he received a Primetime Emmy nomination.
Weathers died in 2024 at age 76, and Sylvester Stallone paid tribute to him on social media. “Carl Weathers was such an integral part of my life, my success, everything about it,” Stallone said. “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. He was absolutely brilliant: his voice, his size, his power, his athletic ability, but more importantly, his heart and his soul.”