In honour of his longtime friend and “Rocky” co-star Carl Weathers, who passed away on Thursday at the age of 76, Sylvester Stallone is paying tribute.

Speaking in a video that he uploaded to Instagram on Friday night, Stallone reminisced about his long-standing collaboration with Weathers on the “Rocky” series as well as their relationship spanning decades. Standing in front of an artwork that showed Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed facing off in the ring, the celebrity delivered the message.

“I’m having a really bad day today. I’m so confused that I’m at a loss for words. I’m simply trying not to cry because Carl Weathers deserves so much praise and appreciation for being such a huge part of my life and achievement. For the first time I saw him as he entered that room, I saw greatness. But I had no idea how amazing,” Stallone remarked. “Without him, I never could have done what we did with ‘Rocky.'”

His voice, his stature, his presence, his athleticism, but above all, his heart and soul, were all uttеrly remarkable. It’s a terrible loss, according to Stallone. “He had magic.” It was such a blessing to have been in his life. Apollo, don’t stop striking.

Weathers played Apollo Creed, the character who spars with Stallone’s Rocky the boxer in the first four ‘Rocky’ films. Even though Creed dies in “Rocky IV,” Weathers’ influence on the franchise is still felt in “Creed,” the follow-up series that features Michael B. Jordan as Creed’s son.

At the 2017 Golden Globes, Weathers and Stallone got back together to give the evening’s grand prize. “It’s unbelievable that 40 years have passed since ‘Rocky,'” Weathers remarked. Stallone retorted, “Yeah, and it’s unbelievable that I let you win the figҺt considering I wrote the screenplay.”

At the Santa Barbara Film Festival one year prior, Weathers gave Stallone an award. “It’s obvious that he’s a fan,” Weathers remarked. “I am so grateful and in awe of everything that that first screenplay gave me. What else is there to sаy than that he deserves the honour and that I am incredibly grateful that he was a part of the entire experience.

Adam Sandler and Pedro Pascal were among the celebrities who had collaborated with Weathers over the years and used social media to honour the late actor.

“A truly magnificent dude. Great dad. Great actor. fantastic athlete. Sandler remarked of Weathers, whose joint credits include “Happy Gilmore,” “Little Nicky,” and “Eight Crаzy Nights,” “So much fun to be around always.” “Very intelligent. uttеrly devoted. As hilarious as ever. cherished his sons above all else. What a kind person! He was adored by all. Every time my wife and I saw him, we had the nicest times. Warm regards to Carl’s whole family, and he will always be remembered as a real legend.

In Disney+’s “The Mandalorian,” Pascal played Weathers’ opposite and shared an Instagram picture of the late actor along with the message, “Words fail.” “It’s unfortunate that I didn’t get to work with the great Carl Weathers on more than a few occasions,” commented Robert Rodriguez, the director of Weathers in the “Star Wars” spinoff series. a really giving and nice individual. In addition to giving constantly riveting performances, he was an excellent stage and film director.

Jesse Ventura, Weathers’ co-star from “Predator” who later became the governor of Minnesota, posted on X: “We lost an icon.” In addition to being a great artist, Carl Weathers was also a close friend. My condolences and compassion are extended to his family. I had a great time working with him on “Predator” and then celebrating the movie with him at other conventions. Carl, thank you.

Originally from New Orleans, where he was born in 1948, Weathers played professional football before becoming well-known for his acting in blaxploitation films directed by Arthur Marks, such as “Friday Foster” and “Bucktown,” and television shows like “Good Times,” “Kung Fu,” “Cannоn,” and “Starsky and Hutch.” After being cast beside Stallone in “Rocky,” Weathers’ career was irrevocably altered. He also costarred with Arnold Schwarzenegger in “Predator,” received a Primetime Emmy nod for “The Mandalorian,” and directed two episodes of the show.