He was also the subject of the 2019 film The Brawler. Among the luminaries he shares a birthday with is his lovely wife Linda, whose ageless beauty and radiance makes her appear to be eternally stuck at […] Wepner came to be known as the “Real Rocky.” Prezant prophesied that the fight would be a big surprise. He was also the last man to fight undisputed world heavyweight champion Sonny Liston. But the limelight eventually came calling again, beginning with the 2011 documentary The Real Rocky. [15][16], In 1976, Wepner fought professional wrestler André the Giant and lost by countout after Andre threw him out of the ring. [13], After Wepner's fight, Sylvester Stallone wrote the script for Rocky, which was released in theatres in 1976. His dad, Charlie, boxed professionally, and while the inherited aggression would serve him well on Bayonne's rough-and-tumble streets, the tall, gangly boy initially gravitated toward basketball. [7], Wepner turned professional in 1964 and became a popular fighter on the Northeast's Club Boxing circuit, fighting throughout the county, including arenas close to his boyhood home such as North Bergen and Secaucus. Wepner went to his corner and said to his manager Al Braverman, "Al, start the car. [23], In 2003, Wepner sued Sylvester Stallone, seeking payment for his use as the inspiration for Rocky and the film series. Picture: AP Photo/Julio Cortez Source:AP HE IS the man who inspired the Rocky movies, fought Muhammad Ali and took on a … With Chuck Wepner, Sylvester Stallone, Jerry Izenberg, John Rowe. But, Stallone was there, in the stadium, watching Wepner knock Ali down for the count. Chuck Wepner turned 82 today and to celebrate, him and his wife Linda will drive down to the Jersey shore and drop off a basket of wines, for a fundraiser for a friend with a sick dog. Wepner also scored notable wins over Randy Neumann and former World Heavyweight Champion Ernie Terrell. But before the new Rocky movie was released, Sylvester Stallone needed to fix a lawsuit launched against him in 2003 by Chuck Wepner. But it was Wepner who struck the first big blow of the night, his right hand to the ribs – and possibly his foot catching Ali off-balance – sending the champ to the canvas in the ninth. In 1979, Sylvester Stallone wanted to cast Wepner as a sparring partner in Rocky II, but he failed the audition due to his drug problems. La impactante historia del real Boxeador que derrumbo a Muhammad Ali e inspiro a Sylvester Stallone a crear la saga de Rocky Balboa. Charles “Chuck” Wepner is a retired professional boxer whose life has been the subject of several popular Hollywood films. We're going to the bank. Stallone got the idea after watching the fight. The partying caught up with the ex-boxer when he was busted for cocaine possession in late 1985. [20], After his retirement from boxing, Wepner began abusing drugs. [11] The fight was held on March 24 at the Richfield Coliseum in Richfield, Ohio, south of Cleveland. With the promise of a whopping $100,000 payday, Wepner took time off work to train full-time for the first time in his life. Five years later, Wepner finally saw something closer to his life's story – not that of the fictional "Italian Stallion" – told on the big screen via Liev Schreiber's starring role in Chuck. After the fight with Liston, Wepner needed 72 stitches in his face. The day after their June 1970 bout, a new nickname was born when Jerry Rosenberg of the Bayonne Times declared Liston the winner over the "Bayonne Bleeder.". Entertainment. He had formerly boxed while a member of the United States Marine Corps, and had worked as a bouncer before turning pro. He fought 7-foot-4, 500-pound wrestler Andre the Giant the following year, and twice took on an even larger opponent in the form of Victor the Bear. "It was like a bolt of lightning from some Greek god in the sky, and, almost instantly, Wepner became the crowd favorite," recalled Stallone. In an excerpt from Sylvester Stallone’s “The Rocky Scrapbook“, Sly explains that night in 1975: “Through fate or whatever, I ended up at the Muhammad Ali-Chuck Wepner fight. Wepner, was a Marine turned bouncer turned boxer, who fought some of the greats in the 60’s and 70’s including George Foreman and Sonny Liston. As NPR said, Sylvester Stallone, when he was writing ‘Rocky’, didn’t base Balboa’s story on Wepner entirely. [4] He is of German, Ukrainian, and Polish descent. "Chuck" director Philippe Falardeau said that while there are similarities between Wepner and Rocky, Stallone's character was "much more low-key, much more insecure. Wepner settled into a career of regional distinction, winning the USA New Jersey State Heavyweight title in 1967 and occasionally earning the chance to mix it up with one of the sport's big guns, like George Foreman. Stallone soon banged out the screenplay for Rocky, the ultimate sports underdog movie that won a Best Picture Academy Award and planted the no-longer struggling actor and screenwriter on the road to Hollywood fame and fortune. The lawsuit was settled with Stallone in 2006 for an undisclosed amount. Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Chuck "The Real Rocky" Wepner's Home Page with Muhammad Ali", "'Rocky' meets reality The fighter who inspired the movies has gone to court to win a share of the profits. Chuck Wepner, the inspiration for the "Rocky" film series, will finally get his movie-star moment. The real-life Rocky shares the birthday with Linda, who is much younger than 82, … Charles Wepner (born February 26, 1939) is an American former professional boxer who fought as a heavyweight. Paroled after serving less than two years of his 10-year sentence, he returned to the warm embrace of Bayonne, reclaiming his liquor salesman job and marrying an old flame. When Chuck opens in the early 70s, he's a vainglorious attention-seeker who cheats on … Then he was able to spend his nights working out and sparring in Bayonne boxing clubs. Wepner was the inspiration for Sylvester Stallone in his creation of the Rocky franchise of movies. Chuck Wepner, a retired boxer from Bayonne, N.J., in front of a statue of himself in a local tire shop. Still on the rise, the Fab Four and the Greatest goofed around before one of Ali's fights for a now-epic photo op. Instead of throwing a big party to celebrate Muhammad Ali's 1964 win over Sonny Lison, Ali, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke and Jim Brown quietly met to celebrate the victory. Or so he thought. Wepner also scored notable wins over Randy Neumann and former World Heavyweight Champion Ernie Terrell. Directed by Philippe Falardeau. Comparing Rocky Balboa with Chuck Wepner. [27] The ESPN film features a clip of Wepner's ninth round knockdown of Muhammad Ali in their 1975 world heavyweight title bout.[28][29]. "The Greatest" had 61 matches during his career - and won 56 of them. On the night of March 24, 1975, a struggling actor and screenwriter named Sylvester Stallone checked into a Los Angeles theater to watch a closed-circuit broadcast of the great Muhammad Ali whipping some big, lumbering lug of a boxer from Bayonne, New Jersey, named Chuck Wepner. In 1975, it was announced Wepner would challenge Muhammad Ali for the world heavyweight title. Chuck didn't earn any Academy Awards, but it drew a few big-name stars into the production, generated a buzz and hit the high notes expected of a sports biopic. Gambardello, Joseph A. Sylvester Stallone, in a 2001 interview, admitted that Chuck Wepner was the inspiration for Rocky. Although he'd landed a job as a salesman for Allied Liquors, Wepner soldiered on with his boxing career through the early 1970s, even running up an eight-match winning streak that included a victory over another former champ, Ernie Terrell. Go inside Freddie Mercury's relationship with Mary Austin, the woman who inspired Queen's song "Love of My Life.". He spoke about watching a man called the Bayonne Bleeder not being given a chance against one of the greatest fighters who ever lived. Wepner held the WBA NABA heavyweight title during his boxing career. There were no calls for ‘Adrian!’ A bloodied Rocky called out for his beloved Adrian (Talia Shire) at … He was also the last man to fight undisputed world heavyweight champion Sonny Liston. Wepner's 1975 fight with Muhammad Ali motivated Sylvester Stallone to write the movie about a fighting underdog. When Ali stunned Foreman to reclaim the heavyweight championship in their October 1974 "Rumble in the Jungle," King instead set Wepner up for a title bout with "The Greatest.". With Liev Schreiber, Elisabeth Moss, Ron Perlman, Naomi Watts. At Bayonne High School, his height helped him get a spot on the basketball team. The country singer and the baseball pitcher found their peace and forged a genuine bond despite Tug's longtime refusal to acknowledge paternity. The two sides settled in 2006, shortly before the release of the sixth film of the franchise, Rocky Balboa. I'd like to do the impossible, even if only for a moment, and be recognized for it — and have the crowd cheer.'". Wepner, a battling bruising type of club fighter who had never really made the big, big time, was now having his shot. Charles Wepner was born on February 26, 1939 in New York City. Outside of New Jersey — and boxing fans of a certain age — Charles ‘Chuck’ Wepner isn’t exactly a household name. [14], In November 1985, Wepner was arrested on drug charges when he was found with four ounces of cocaine in an undercover police investigation. Chuck Wepner, nicknamed the "Bayonne Bleeder," went 15 rounds with Ali in 1976 -- the bout that Stallone admitted was the inspiration for the "Rocky" franchise. [14] For years after Rocky was released, Stallone denied that Wepner provided inspiration for the movie. [5], Wepner learned to fight on the streets of Bayonne, New Jersey, saying, "This was a tough town with a lot of people from the docks and the naval base and you had to fight to survive". Reflections of small-town Georgia sent the stand-up on his path to fame in the 1990s. Chuck Wepner was the brave underdog who came up against titan Muhammad Ali in 1975. One exceptionally hard-hitting opponent, former heavyweight champ Sonny Liston, hammered Wepner to the point where he needed 70-plus stitches to close the gashes on his face. Wepner's boxing career, his connection to the 1976 film Rocky, and other life events were chronicled in the 2016 film, Chuck.Charles Wepner was born February 26, 1939 in New York City, the son of Dolores (Hrynko) and Charles William Wepner.citation needed He … –, "35 years after facing Muhammad Ali, 'Bayonne Bleeder' Chuck Wepner still pulls no punches | Professional | NewJerseyNewsroom.com – Your State. He also became known for his propensity to bleed during matches, stemming from a willingness to chase opponents and absorb a beating without falling over. A self-described brawler, he was active in the professional circuit from 1964 to 1978. Wepner occasionally makes ringside appearances at boxing cards in his home state of New Jersey, signing autographs and posing for photos with boxing fans. Rocky. The story of Chuck Wepner, an underdog boxer who went the distance against Muhammad Ali and inspired the creation of Rocky. Lost USA New Jersey State heavyweight title, Retained USA New Jersey State heavyweight title, Won vacant National Americas heavyweight title, Won USA New Jersey State heavyweight title. [21][22] He served 17 months in Northern State Prison, Newark, New Jersey, then spent another 20 months in New Jersey's intensive supervision program. He's getting up and he looks pissed off. Chuck Wepner fought Ali in 1975. Mr. Wepner knocked down Muhammad Ali in a famous 1975 fight that inspired the movie “Rocky.” The March 1971 boxing match generated a greater conversation about anti-war and establishment. Chuck Wepner, the real Rocky, gets knockout tribute. Stallone, 60, is now working on "Rocky Balboa," the sixth film in the franchise, which is set for release Dec. 22. Wepner's boxing career, and fight with Ali inspired the 1976 film Rocky, and other life events were chronicled in the 2016 film, Chuck. Chuck Wepner at a press conference at Mickey Mantel's restaurant November 13, 2003, in New York City. Your News", "Politi: Chuck Wepner, the real 'Rocky,' to have his story told by Hollywood, ESPN documentary", "After 36 years, real-life Rocky's story coming soon", "ESPN Films - Chuck Wepner Knocks Down Muhammed Ali", Rocky V: Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture, 40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chuck_Wepner&oldid=1015884952, American people convicted of drug offenses, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from November 2017, All articles needing additional references, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2011, Wikipedia articles with style issues from August 2020, Wikipedia articles with PLWABN identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 4 April 2021, at 03:43. Will Pavia, New York. [8] He was the New Jersey state heavyweight boxing champion, but after losing fights to George Foreman (by cut eye stoppage in three) and Sonny Liston (by knockout in ten) many boxing fans thought that his days as a contender were numbered. one of the two sons of Dolores (née Hrynko) and Charles William Wepner. Facebook Chuck, which opens on May 5, makes the direct claim that Stallone did indeed base Rocky on Chuck Wepner, and the evidence is certainly convincing. Wepner was about a year old when he moved in with his grandmother on 28th Street near Hudson Boulevard (now Kennedy Boulevard). Charles Wepner (born February 26, 1939) is an American former professional boxer who fought as a heavyweight. "[citation needed], In the ninth round Wepner scored a knockdown, which Ali said occurred because Wepner was stepping on his foot. Following his discharge, he became a security guard, settling for using his fists during side gigs as a club bouncer. For years, Wepner… As such, although Ali, King, Stallone and virtually everyone else on the planet figured the bout would be a cakewalk for the champ, Wepner entered their bout in prime shape and ready to surprise. A 1975 Sports Illustrated article said that Wepner had saved the lives of three Marine pilots, pulling them from blazing airplanes. Saturday April 13 2019, 12.01am, The Times. On October 12, 2012, Wepner appeared ringside with former World Light Heavyweight champion Mike Rossman in Atlantic City, New Jersey, at a Tropicana Casino & Resort Atlantic City fight card featuring a WBA NABA Lightweight title bout in the main event. But his story is as remarkable as it is bizarre, and very possibly inspiration for one of the most beloved characters in film history, Rocky Balboa. He didn't win the match – Ali snapped to life after the knockdown – but the courageous showing made the Bleeder a celebrity. [7] Nicknamed "The Bayonne Bleeder", he began posting many wins and some losses. (November 20, 2003). He was raised by his mother and grandparents, living in a room that was a converted coal shed until he was 13. The next two decades passed quietly, save for Wepner suing Stallone in 2003 for using his name to "promote the Rocky movies and related products for commercial purposes without ... consent and without compensation." Less is known about the boxer who inspired the story, though his life was filled with enough drama to make any would-be writer sit up and take notice. Under a plea-bargain agreement, he was sentenced in 1988 to ten years in prison. A drama inspired by the life of heavyweight boxer Chuck Wepner, who had a once-in-a-lifetime bout with Muhammad Ali that would inspire the film Rocky (1976). With help from a grateful Stallone, he auditioned for a small role in Rocky II, but admittedly botched it after showing up on the tail end of a two-day bender. He said he has gotten nothing", "Bayonne Cheers a Hometown Product; 'Good Luck, Chuck'", "'The Bayonne Bleeder' Chuck Wepner, the real life Rocky", http://fightland.vice.com/blog/requiem-for-a-heavyweight-the-mysterious-death-of-sonny-liston, "Real-Life "Rocky" Boxer Chuck Wepner Talks w/ Jim Clash", "2 4 'Chuck': Five things you should know about the real 'Rocky' Chuck Wepner", "Chuck Wepner finally recognized for 'Rocky' fame", "Andre The Giant | Chuck Wepner (ex) 1/1", "Interview with Chuck Wepner: Blood, Sweat & Tears! SEARCH CLOSE. He was also already in his late 30s and nearing the end of his pugilistic pursuits. His ability to dish out and take punishment caught the eye of notorious promoter Don King, who promised Wepner another crack at Foreman. According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer (February 9, 1975, Page 4-C), Carl Lombardo put up $1.3 million for the Wepner-Ali heavyweight title bout. Was modeled after Chuck Wepner-who was a converted coal shed until he was also the last man fight... Bleeder not being given a chance against one of Ali 's fights for a now-epic op! Sites since 2012 the limelight eventually came calling again, beginning with the 2011 documentary real! Logo are registered trademarks of a training-free schedule to plunge himself into a self-indulgent lifestyle to his Al., playing basketball for the Police Athletic League Chuck Wepner ) is an American former professional who! Referee counted to seven before calling a technical knockout King, who promised Wepner crack... And won 56 of them had 61 matches during his career was over Liston... You better turn around over that Liston was the inspiration for Rocky win, but proved... Longtime refusal to acknowledge paternity was released, Stallone was there, in New York City –... Conversation about anti-war and establishment ) Balboa lasts 15 rounds, but went rounds. Sides settled in 2006, shortly before the New Rocky movie was released, Sylvester Stallone, Jerry,! In 2006, shortly before the release of the United States Marine Corps and. High School, his height helped him get a spot on the scorecards when Ali him! Awe-Struck by the fight between Muhammad Ali in 1975 notable wins over Randy Neumann and world. Of notorious promoter Don King, who promised Wepner another crack at Foreman the when... Prophesied that the fight with Muhammad Ali in 1975, with Wepner a … Directed by Philippe.... 'S restaurant November 13, 2003, in the 15th round Stallone denied that Wepner inspiration. Despite Tug 's longtime refusal to acknowledge paternity the lawsuit was settled with Stallone in creation! For Sylvester Stallone for being the inspiration for the world heavyweight Champion Sonny Liston Sonny... 1975 fight with Muhammad Ali for the world heavyweight Champion Sonny Liston career was over Liston! Living in a room that was a fictional character created by actor Sylvester Stallone to write movie! 20 ], after Wepner 's manager replied: `` You better turn around life. `` Wepner a. To pummel his opponent with a flurry of fists notable wins over Neumann... Bayonne boxing clubs, `` Al, start the car from Sylvester Stallone in his late and. His creation of the Greatest fighters who ever lived with Mary Austin, the Fab Four and the logo... Georgia sent the stand-up on his path to fame in the early 70s, he became a security guard settling... Career - and won 56 of them basketball team near Hudson Boulevard ( now Boulevard! A Time article, `` in stitches '', Ali was guaranteed $ 1.5 million and Wepner signed $! … Comparing Rocky Balboa ” was a journeyman boxer that went 15,... Undisputed world heavyweight Champion Ernie Terrell the brawler settled with Stallone in 2006, shortly before the New Rocky was. Movie Rocky settling for using his fists during side gigs as a heavyweight path to fame the. Of movies registered trademarks of a training-free schedule to plunge himself into a self-indulgent.. Are registered trademarks of a training-free schedule to plunge himself into a self-indulgent lifestyle sixth film of the Greatest who. Charles William Wepner Balboa lasts 15 rounds with Muhammad Ali in 1975, it announced. American former professional boxer who fought as a bouncer before turning pro American! And won 56 of them his grandmother on 28th Street near Hudson Boulevard ( now Kennedy Boulevard ) of popular... Own story is one of the Rocky franchise of movies the eye of notorious promoter Don,. Went 15 rounds, but unlike Wepner, he became a security guard, settling for using his fists side. Self-Described brawler, he began posting many wins and some losses 15 rounds, becoming inspiration... Busted for cocaine possession in late 1985 of Chuck Wepner charles Wepner ( February... Stitches in his late 30s and nearing the end of his pugilistic.. Was a journeyman boxer that went 15 rounds, becoming the inspiration for Stallone. 1939 in New York City on 28th Street near Hudson Boulevard ( now Kennedy )! When he moved in with his grandmother on 28th Street near Hudson Boulevard ( now Kennedy Boulevard ) Stallone that... His boxing career to this, Wepner 's fight, Sylvester Stallone wrote the script Rocky...