Stallone pays tribute to co-star

Tony Burton with Sylvester Stallone. Photo / Getty Images

Sylvester Stallone has paid tribute to Tony Burton.

The 78-year-old actor - best known as Apollo Creed's trainer Tony 'Duke' Evers, in the first six 'Rocky' movies alongside Sylvester - passed away on and his co-star took to Instagram to pay tribute to him.

He wrote: "Tony Burton who played the character of Duke brilliantly in all six Rocky movies... Rest in peace (sic)."

Carl Weathers - who played Apollo - took to Twitter to remember Tony, writing: "Sad news. RIP Tony Burton. His intensity and talent helped make the Rocky movies successful. #BePeace (sic)."

Tony's sister Loretta Kelley, told MLive.com that her brother had been admitted to hospital many times over the past year but had not yet been diagnosed.

Because of his ill-health he didn't take part in the latest 'Rocky' movie, the Oscar-nominated 'Creed', which tells the story of Apollo's son.

Loretta said: "There's a scene in the restaurant of that movie where his picture is on the wall. We didn't talk about 'Rocky' a lot. I mean we were excited, but other people were more excited. Whenever he would come home other people would just come over."

-BANG! Showbiz