See Sylvester Stallone Punch-Pose with Other Stars for 28 Years

Ever since 1976′s Rocky made him an international star, Sylvester Stallone has been a mainstay of awards shows, red carpet premieres, restaurant openings, and Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot! cosplay gatherings. And for nearly three decades of Balboa-bred fame, he’s been unleashing his trademark move: The Punch Pose™. Take a look at Stallone giving it to celebrities on the chin through the years.

Muhammad Ali at the Oscars (1977)

After ‘Rocky’ won Best Picture, boxing champ Muhammad Ali initiated Stallone into a new tradition: “You’re a fake boxer now, so you gotta pose like a boxer,” said Ali. “Put your fist up, like you’re gonna punch me. Now give me an expression like, 'Ooooh, I’m so mad at you I’m gonna knock your lights out.’ It is the greatest pose of all tiiiiiiiime.” (Photo: Getty Images)

Backstage at the 1977 Oscars

(Out of frame) Ali: “No, Sly, no! Don’t pretend to punch THINGS, you gotta protect your hands! It only works with PEOPLE!” (Photo: Ron Galella/WireImage)

With John Travolta at the 1978 Oscars

By the next year’s ceremony, Stallone had mastered the move and was ready to share it with others. “Hey, Johnny, you try it this time. Just put your hand here, right against my face. Yeah, like you’re punching! Oh, man, a double punch — I bet not even Ali has tried this!” (Photo: Ron Galella/WireImage)

With Mr. T at the 'Rocky III’ Press Conference in 1981

“T, you’re part of the 'Rocky’ family, now, so you gotta learn how to Punch Pose,” says Sly. "Trust me, you learn this, good things will happen.“ Two years later, 'The A-Team’ debuted, starring Mr. T. (Photo: Ron Galella/WireImage)

With Perry King at the Celebrity Polo Match in 1983

"Perry, I ever tell you the story about how I Punch Posed Mr. T into a hit TV series? Trust me on this one.” Three years later, Perry King was starring in NBC’s 'Riptide.’ (Photo: Ron Galella/WireImage)

With Chris Rock, Don King and Wesley Snipes at Holyfield v. Tyson II in 1997

After twenty years, the Punch Pose is still a staple, but a boxing match is where it really shines. Rocky Punch-Posing Don King at a big fight works on three levels, as evidenced by the guy in the back’s visibly blown mind. (Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)

With Rod Stewart at Grand Slam for Children Fundraiser in 2002

“Hey, Rod, I’m thinking we do a song parody together, we sing, 'Ooooh, yeah, I’m punching you.’ No? How about 'Do Ya Think I’m Punching’? 'The First Punch is the Punchest’? I floated this by “Weird Al” Yankovic when I Punch Posed him at the VMAs and he says it’s a sure thing.” (Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage)

With Frank Stallone at the Release Party for his album ‘In Love and Vain’ in 2003

Frank: “Big brother, why can’t you punch me like you do the other big stars?”

Sly: “This record does better than 'Far From Over,’ we’ll talk. In the meantime, stop hitting yourself, stop hitting yourself…” (Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

With Michael Douglas at The 6th Annual Golf Classic in 2004

Michael Douglas: “Hey Sly, this is a golf match. Isn’t a boxing pose kind of a mixed metaphor?”

Sly: “Mikey, you want a Putt Pose, you get Tiger Woods. But you stand with Rocky, you get the Punch Pose.” (Photo: Lester Cohen/WireImage)

With James Caan at the Jesse Orta v. Juan De La Rosa Match in 2005

James Caan: “Uh, Sly, I’m really trying to watch the fight here…”

Sly: “Me too, but the secret to a good Punch Poser is multitasking! Did I ever tell you about that time at the 'Judge Dredd’ premiere party when I Punch Posed Rob Schneider at a urinal? He says to me, 'Sly, just gimme a sec to zip up and…’”

Caan: “Fine, let’s just get this over with.” (Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images)

With Bruce Willis at the ‘Rocky Balboa’ Premiere in 2006

A 'Rocky’ sequel red carpet is the Olympics of Punch Posing, and Sly spent two months training for this one. Photographers estimate he Punch Posed 1,253 stars and fans. (Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

With Dolph Lundgren at the ‘Rocky Balboa’ Premiere in 2006

Stallone’s incoming fist clearly gave Lundgren haunting flashbacks of Ivan Drago’s defeat in 'Rocky IV.’ Upon saying farewell, Stallone was overheard to have menacingly whispered to a shaking Lundgren, “Who’s breaking who now, Drago?” (Photo: Eric Charbonneau/WireImage)

With Criss Angel and Howie Mandel at ‘Rock for the Cure’ in 2007

Frankly, a Poke Pose would have been enough to strike fear in the heart of famed germophobe and human-contact reviler Howie Mandel. (Photo: Jacob Andrzejczak/Getty Images)

With Kevin Spacey at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino Gala in 2007

Sometimes other stars want Sly to join in on their own patented poses, but Stallone’s Punch Pose always wins out. Here, Kevin Spacey gets punchy after Stallone rebuffed the 'Se7en’ star’s request for Sly to put his head in a box. (Photo: Dave M. Benett/Getty Images)

Arnold Schwarzenegger at the ‘Rambo’ Premiere in 2008

Interestingly, Schwarzenegger — here in the middle of delivering some Gubernatorial talking points — had no idea that Stallone and his fist was even there. (Photo: Denise Truscello/WireImage)

Robert Downey Jr. at the ‘Iron Man 2’ Premiere (2010)

“RDJ! Cool glasses! Red goes with purple like punching goes with posing! I should know: I paint!”

Robert De Niro at the ‘Grudge Match’ Photocall (2014)

Sly: “Bobby D, you and me, a boxing movie! I ever show you what Ali taught me at the '77 Oscars?”

De Niro: “Huh?”

Sly: “See, I call it a Pose Punch, I do this…”

[photo is snapped]

De Niro: “I can’t hear you Sly, I gotta go, talk to you later.” (Photo: Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)

Oscar De La Hoya at ‘The 33′ Premiere (2015)

After boxer De La Hoya could not be bothered to get his fist even close to Sly’s face, Stallone called up Muhammad Ali. “This new generation, Champ,” he said, with a hint of melancholy. “They’re all about flash, they don’t respect the fundamentals.” Ali then commiserated with a memory of the time that he got his picture taken with Manny Pacquiao in 2009, and Pacquiao — a fellow boxing champ — went with a thumbs-up gesture instead of a Punch Pose. The two aging giants sat on the phone in silence, wondering how a world could change so much around them. (Photo: Mark Davis/Getty Images)

Carl Weathers and Michael B. Jordan at the ‘Creed’ Premiere (2015)

At the most recent Rocky Balboa event, as if taking a cue from De La Hoya, Sly’s fist comes nowhere near his costars’ faces. This while promoting a boxing movie! Is Stallone giving in to changing times, acknowledging that perhaps the old ways don’t work anymore? Or is it his way of politely stepping aside to allow Jordan to redefine the franchise his way? Perhaps this is a new, more pensive Stallone, setting aside old ways to begin a new chapter. That, or he pulled a bicep muscle training for 'The Expendables 4.’ (Photo by Barry King/Getty Images)