Sylvester Stallone, the legendary Hollywood actor known for bringing Rocky Balboa to life in the “Rocky” movie series, turned down an offer to work with heavyweight champion Mike Tyson.
Throughout the filming of his movies, Stallone collaborated with some renowned real-life boxers, such as Antonio Carver and Dolph Lundgren. However, when he was offered the chance to work with Tyson, Stallone backed out.
Why did Stallone reject the offer?
Even though Tyson wanted to play an antagonist in one of the “Rocky” films, Sylvester Stallone declined. The reason was simple: his safety. “Mike wanted to fight me in this movie, but I thought it was a bad idea. I know I’m not as young, but I’m still too young to die,” Stallone explained.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram
The multiple award-winning actor, who has received a Golden Globe and a Critics’ Choice Award, continued, “I told him: ‘Thanks, but I don’t think it’s a very good idea. Thank you very much.’ But he kept calling the office saying he wanted to be in the movie, fighting me.”
Sylvester Stallone eventually gave in, allowing Tyson to appear in the audience, but he didn’t expect what would happen next. “Eventually, I gave in and said he could be in the audience. Then, I never heard from him. Suddenly, when I’m in the ring, there he is on the side. I turned around and said to the crew, ‘Can you make sure that son of a b**** stays out of the ring? If he gets in, he’s going to kill me. The man is a killer.’”
Stallone’s humorous yet cautious approach shows his awareness of Tyson’s power and strength, and it’s a story that highlights how close the two came to working together on screen.
