Few fans can say they’ve been inside the Creed fight scenes—let alone twice in the Rocky universe. But for Daniel Morroni, Sr., stepping into the ring (or at least ringside) wasn’t new. After appearing in Rocky Balboa, he got another shot at movie history by scoring a spot in the audience for Adonis Creed’s fight scene in Creed (2015).
This time, he wasn’t just an extra in the crowd—he was right next to Tessa Thompson (Bianca) and Sylvester Stallone himself. From 15-hour shoot days to watching Michael B. Jordan’s boxing skills up close, Daniel had the ultimate insider’s view of how a Creed fight comes to life.
Daniel Morroni, Sr. shares his unforgettable experience as an extra in Creed, where he sat ringside for Adonis Creed’s fight scene. Positioned next to Tessa Thompson and Sylvester Stallone, he witnessed firsthand how Michael B. Jordan transformed into a pro-level boxer. With a background in amateur and celebrity boxing, Daniel gives his unique perspective on the realism of Jordan’s fight choreography.
He also reflects on his past Rocky Balboa cameo, what it’s like to work on a Stallone-directed set, and the thrill of seeing himself on screen. Here’s his story from inside the Creed fight filming.
From Rocky Balboa to Creed: A Second Shot at the Big Screen
“I was in the Creed filming on January 29, 2015 in Philadelphia – Creed is my second Rocky film, I also appeared in Rocky Balboa. I submitted my photo and information to the casting agency just as I did for Rocky Balboa and I got a call back!
Daniel appears on screen in the restaurant scene at Adrian’s when Rocky is telling stories to a table of customers in the foreground. He can be seen sitting at a table in the background towards the right in this scene. Once Rocky Balboa came out, Daniel “went to dinner at Victor Café aka Adrian’s Restaurant for dinner and then went to see the movie with 12 friends. It was very cool seeing me in the film.”
Cheering for Adonis Creed: A Ringside Seat with Tessa Thompsom
“For Creed, I attended Adonis Creed’s fight scene which was filmed at the Temple Performing Arts Center in Philly that was once a church. I was seated in the audience next to actress Tessa Thompson who is playing Adonis Creed’s girlfriend and in the scene we are cheering Adonis on during his fight. Sylvester Stallone was next to me during the entire 15 hour shoot; he spent a lot of time chatting and joking with us. As a director, Stallone was very hands-on and gave us instructions during the shooting.
Michael B. Jordan’s Boxing Skills—A Fighter’s Perspective
“Michael B. Jordan was in the ring for this shoot and he interacted with us also. As for his boxing skills – let’s just say whoever trained him did a great job. He looked like a real pro fighter. His footwork and techniques were outstanding. I boxed and I looked for those things. He is in great shape and the boxing is going to come across like a professional fight. I’m a former amateur boxer myself; I started at age 45 and was part of celebrity boxing; I fought Rodney King and Taylor Made from VH1 and had a scheduled fight With Michael Lohan, but he had gotten into trouble at the time and thus the fight was cancelled.”
Daniel Morroni, Sr.
